The last gymkhana event of the year was held at the Outriders Grounds in 100 Mile House on Sept. 3.
“Our entries grew and grew over the series with our final gymkhana having 45 entries. We weren’t sure how many to expect but were thrilled with the turnout,” said Amanda Jones, the show secretary for the 100 Mile House Outriders.
Jones said her favourite part of the event, organized by Bobbi Joe Dayman and Amanda Harvey, was seeing all the next generation of equestrians, cowboys and cowgirls in the community smiling and having fun while riding their horses.
Next year, a new youth division for kids will be starting at the club during springtime.
The youth division will be open to kids of all ages, encouraging them to take up and learn horse-related activities, along with a mentorship program where teens can teach younger members sportsmanship and competition ethics.
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The club will also carry on with their regular schooling, jumping and dressage next year as well as clinics.
“Great things are happening in our club and it is all very exciting,” said Jones. “It has been wonderful to see our amazing horse community come together and participate. We pride ourselves in providing a fun, relaxed atmosphere where old friends and new friends meet.”
Wedding dress
Cadence Jones started participating in gymkhana events last year, starting with the Green Lake-Watch Lake Gymkhana. She has done four this year.
“I think today I did really well,” she said of her performance. “My favourite part is just seeing a bunch of other horses and riding.”
Her mom also helped design her horse, colouring in hearts on its rump, putting glitter on it and putting flowers in the horse’s mane. Jones was also wearing a wedding dress.
“The theme was Princess and the Unicorn but the unicorn horn wouldn’t stay and it kept on falling,” she said.
Jones started riding a family friend’s horse named Dude. She has been riding for three years but her mother would also walk her around on top of Dude when she was two or three years old.
She added that she will be competing again next year.
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Pole Bending
Bailee Shields said she did pretty well on her first time pole bending on her horse Hayley.
“I haven’t done many gymkhanas before,” she said.
She has been riding horses since she was seven.
“I haven’t competed before, I just felt like doing something. Most of the time I’ve just been on her during the trails and I wanted to do something substantial.”
A first Gymkhana
Danita McLaren also decided it would be a good time to start her Gymkhana career, riding her horse Zip.
“I was expecting to walk the whole thing so it was really good. I’m kind of upset it’s the last one of the year,” she said.
Even though McLaren has been riding almost her entire life, most of it has been on trails. She was encouraged to try it out because all of her friends are involved in it, so she wanted to play along.
McLaren said she is planning on attempting all the events next year.
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