HORSEPLAY: Peninsula equestrians compete, feature at fairs

WEATHER WISE, WE’RE certainly experiencing some delightful riding weather this summer! Lots of bright, warm (and even hot) sunshine, few clouds and rain’s been scarce — in other words it’s a great time to get outside to enjoy the plethora of beautiful sights and sounds around us.

Personally, I find the lack of rainfall a bit scary myself due to the increasing drought and threat of wildfires, so I do hope all horse,and animal, owners have a set emergency escape plan if a wildfire threatens their home and they suddenly need to evacuate.

Show season is in full swing, and one of the biggest and most exciting shows for us locals occurs at our annual county fairs. I so love seeing 4H and FFA (Future Farmers of America) youths out in full-force caring for, bonding with and showing their animals.

Earlier this month Clallam Country youths took part in the pre-fair show. A required, qualifying show for the big event — the annual Clallam County Fair taking place this year Aug. 15-18 — it serves to ease the jitterbugs, or calm the nerves, of those new to riding into an area in front of judges and onlookers to showcase their horse skills and riding talents. It helps riders to know what will be expected of them, and their horses, in each event, he or she participates in. It’s also a preview of the excitement to come.

Of the show, Neon Riders 4H Leader Katie Newton informed me, “We had a great three days of showing at the fairgrounds! 4H Alumni Jessica Parks-Welch was our judge and gave the kids great feedback as they showed their horses and had lots of fun! We enjoyed fun games and a potluck in the evening as well.”

Being too young to show in horse 4H, at the end of the show, Wes Church was happily surprised to be named The Biggest Helping Hand winner by the other kids. He spent the day wearing a cheery smile, helping the competitors, cleaning the barn and giving compliments. Congrats to you Wes! Well done!

Please go your local fairs to support these youths who’ve worked hard to learn and hone their horsemanship skills all year so they could be among those featured in the show!

Pre-fair Performance Horse High Point winners:

Walk/Trot Champion – Gwen Torey

Walk/Trot Reserve Champion (tie) – Abigail Daly

Walk/Trot Reserve Champion (tie) – Adley Church

Novice Champion- Madalyn Loukes

Intermediate champion- Kenzi Winters

Intermediate Reserve Champion (tie) – Paisley Morris

Intermediate Reserve Champion (tie) – Elise Sirguy

Senior Champion – Katelyn Sharpe

Senior Reserve Champion – Rae Skerbeck

In addition to Horse 4H and FFA youth classes, at the Clallam County Fair, adults may also compete in the Open Classes. The Clallam County fair grounds are located at 1608 W. 16th Street, Port Angeles.

You can get more information at https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/399/Fairgrounds.

Today and tomorrow is the Jefferson County 4-H pre-fair schooling show. Saturday Performance horse events, Sunday Western games. This year’s Jefferson County Fair is Aug. 9-11, located at 4907 Landes St. in Port Townsend. See jeffco fairgrounds.org for info.

Ride share

Looking for someone to trail ride with? Ready for a new adventure? More horse friends? Check out the Olympic Peninsula Riders Facebook page. Of course, our local Back Country Horseman groups can give some of the best trail riding experiences. Check out on Facebook: Backcountry Horsemen of Washington-Peninsula Chapter (or www.pbchw.org), Buckhorn Range Chapter-Back Country Horsemen of WA (or https://buckhornbchw.org) and Mt. Olympus Chapter of BCHW.

Events

• Today, the Peninsula Chapter of Back Country Horsemen hosts its annual Campout, Ride & Dutch Oven Dinner at Sage Horse Camp. Saturday ride out at 10:30 a.m. Happy hour 5 p.m., dinner 6 p.m. Sage Horse Camp, 2514 Chicken Coop Road, Sequim. Contact Theresa Percy 360-301-6238.

• Today, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Equine Health & Emergency First Aid basic and advance clinics with Amber Palmer. Living remotely, sometimes it’s difficult to get a veterinarian to respond. You are your horse’s first responder. Here’s an opportunity to better prepare yourself.

Cover the basics: Conditioning your horse to accept treatment, vital signs, wounds, bandaging, colic, choke, collapse, casting, burns, snake bite and more. $159. On July 28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. will be the Advanced Equine First Aid. Covers extreme scenarios, conditioning, confirmation, second chest wounds, flail chest, fractures, trapped horses and more. $159. $295 for both days. Classes count as CE for PATH International, EAGALA and IAABC. Held at The Farm at Freshwater Bay, 507 Freshwater Bay Road, West Port Angeles. (Off state Highway 112 on the way to Joyce). For more information, contact Vanessa Lowe (Paradise Awaits Mustangs) 530-307-0417 or Amber at 833-423-3133. Sign up at www.streepridgetrails.com.

• Now through Monday, space is open in Freedom Farm’s Dave Ellis clinic. Four days of advancing horsemanship and cowmanship in Cow Work, Cowboy Dressage, Ranch Versatility & Working Equitation. Your horse will thank you — Dave always helps us communicate with our horses more effectively and gives us plenty of ways to apply what we learn. To register, email Jerry Schmidt at holstein01@msn.com. Auditors are welcome. Freedom Farm (freedom-farm.net), 493 Spring Road in Agnew.

• On Aug. 9-10, Fox-Bell Farm and 4/L arena will host the second annual Rescue Fundraiser English Jumpers and Western Games shows with all proceeds going to local pet (dog, cat, horses, etc.) emergency groups, including Center Valley Rescue, which assists both wild and domestic animals). Spectators welcome. Gates open one hour prior to show time.

• 11 a.m. Aug. 9, starts English rider’s show with Fox-Bell Farm owner/trainer/instructor Shelby Vaughn. The big outdoor course includes trot poles, cross rails and jump classes from 2’-2’ 9”. Special class requests can be made by contacting Vaughn. All participants will receive an award, trophy and Rosette Ribbon. Senate auction raffle and more. Preregister by Thursday. Payment may be made on-site morning of the show. $100 day. Contact Vaughn at 206-399-7683.

• 10 a.m. Aug. 10, starts the timed Western speed events, including Barrels, Cal Stake. Polo turn, Half 8 and Tarp Alley. Four timed brackets, with custom trophy buckles awarded to the top three riders in each bracket, and all participants receive a nice end-of-day award. There also will be a silent auction, raffle and more. Pre-registration is encouraged. $65 for entire day. Payment may be made on site the day of the show. For more information, contact Kari Payne at 503-789-4247. 4/L Arena is located off Blue Mountain Road at 95 S. McCrorie Road, east of Port Angeles.

• On Aug. 24-25, Peninsula Junior Rodeo Association will host its first junior rodeo at Clallam County Fairgrounds in more than a decade.

“It’s been many years since we’ve had a junior rodeo in Port Angeles and we’re excited to be bringing the rodeo back for local cowboys and cowgirls,” co-organizer Jen Bond said. “We’ve revived coached rodeo practices at the rodeo arena at the Fairgrounds, as was done in years past. But we’ve done something entirely brand new — brought in rough stock (steers and bulls) so local kids can have a chance to practice riding rough stock. It’s been a huge hit and we’ve had a great turnout of local kids that want to try their skill at riding rough stock.”

For information, contact Bond at 360-461-9588.

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Karen Griffiths’ column, Peninsula Horseplay, appears the second and fourth Saturday of each month.

If you have a horse event, clinic or seminar you would like listed, please email Griffiths at kbg@olympus.net at least two weeks in advance. You can also call her at 360-460-6299.