Twenty-nine horse and rider teams tackled the trails at The Hills Health Ranch at 108 Mile for the Cariboo Plateau Competitive Trail Ride, Aug. 8-9.
The trails were chosen by ride manager Joanne Macaluso of Green Lake.
Riders came from around the province and had three distance levels to choose from: 17 miles, 27.5 miles or 43.5 miles.
The idea of this type of horseback riding competition, held at the Hills Health Ranch for the last five years, is to complete the distance within a certain range of time, and finish with a horse that looked as good as did when it started.
“It is all about conditioning, pacing your horse properly for the distance that you have chosen to compete in, horsemanship skills and strategy,” Macaluso explains.
“Each horse is presented to the veterinarian at a pre-ride vet check on the first day. We want to make sure they are in shape to start the ride on the second day. How the horse is scored at the vet check gives the veterinarian a base from which to compare the horse’s condition as it changes during the competition on the second day.”
The horse begins with 300 points, and can lose points for high pulse and respiration, cuts, swellings and lameness, Macaluso adds.
“Points can also be deducted if they finish before or after their range of completion time. At the end of the day, the horses with the highest number of points out of 300 are the ones that will place high.”
Dr. Ross Hawkes, who owns the Williams Lake Veterinary Hospital, has been judging the event for five years.
“He was kept very busy over the two days, judging a variety of horse breeds, which included Arabians, Quarter horses, Warmbloods, Paints and several types of gaited horses,” says ride secretary Pat Hayward.
“It is not often you can find a veterinarian who can handle all the different types of horses and riders with such skill. He certainly made their competition experience a positive one, and ride management’s too. We are very grateful to have him.”
The event would not be possible without the support from a dedicated crew of volunteers and a few businesses. A big thank you goes to all of those people, says Hayward.
“Every year, as a way of giving back to the community, the ride management chooses a local non-profit organization to raise funds for, and holds a silent auction. This year, $823 was raised for The Youth Zone’s healthy eating program.”
People can learn more about the sport of competitive trail riding at www.bcctra.ca.
Gabrielle Shoemaker of 100 Mile House finished second in the lightweight category riding Wildwood Roulette and earning 295 points in 17 miles.
Felicity Borrell of 100 Mile House finished first riding Bart in the lightweight category at 27.5 miles, while Nicola Maughn finished third in the same category riding Kelrabba.
The Vet’s Choice Award – donated by 100 Mile Feed and Ranch Supply – was based on the horse’s overall condition throughout the ride, plus behaviour and presentation at the vet checks.
The prestigious award went to White Sox Victor, a 19-year-old Anglo-Arabian, owned and ridden by June Melhuish of Lillooet.
