IT’S MARCH ALREADY?
Despite the abundance of rain, sleet and snow slowing my outdoor fun to a screeching halt, it appears the days of 2017 are just whizzing by.
I think I’m like most equestrians around here who don’t go outside to ride much if the weather’s frightful outside.
So I can’t wait for those warm, sunny days to appear, when the sun’s so warm it melts all my body’s cold weather woes away.
When the days beckon us to hop on our horse and go for a meandering ride.
Thanks to the generosity of Mary Gallagher, our local high school equestrian teams are allowed to practice and condition their horses in Freedom Farm’s indoor area in Agnew. So thank you, Mary.
The members of the 2017 Sequim team are Sydney Balkan, Yana Hoesel, Miranda Williams, Cristina Williams, Amy Tucker, Madi Murphy, Amanda Murphy, Faith Haggie, Abi Payseno, Emelie Fürste, Grace Niemeyer, Lilly Thomas and Haylie Newton. The head coach is Katie Salmon-Newton, while Betina Hoesel is the games coach and Kristin Eshom is the performance coach.
On the Port Angeles team, we have Emma Albright, CassiAnn Moore, Abby Hjelmeseth, Ebony Billings, Emily Gear, Kaytee Gibeau, Madison Carlson, Lisi Hanson, Summer Moroz, Kristine Hanson, Emily Menshew and Cassie Roark. The head coach is Tina VanAusdale, while Haley Hodgin is the drill coach.
Here are the top 10 results from the second District 4 Washington State High School Equestrian Team meet held Feb. 24-26 at the Tacoma Dome:
• Saddle seat: Gear, first place.
• Dressage: Gear, first place; Niemeyer, fourth place; Gibeau, sixth place.
• Huntseat: Niemeyer, sixth place; Gibeau, seventh place; Amanda Murphy, 10th place.
• Jumping: Niemeyer, second place.
• 4-man drill team: Freestyle Fours, second place.
• Drill team: Gear, Kristine Hanson, Moore, Gibeau, Hjelmeseth and Albright, fourth place.
• Showmanship: Gibeau, fifth place.
• In-hand obstacle relay: Kristine Hanson, Moore, Gear and Gibeau, second place (qualified for state); Tucker, Balkan, Niemeyer and Payseno, 10th place.
• Driving: Thomas, fourth place.
• In hand trail: Thomas, fourth place.
• Reining: Amanda Murphy, 10th place.
• Stock seat: Gibeau, fourth place; Amanda Murphy, seventh place.
• Working rancher: Gear, fifth place; Gibeau, ninth place; Amanda Murphy, 10th place.
• Working pairs: Balkan and Niemeyer, second place; Moore and Gibeau, third place; Fürste and Amanda Murphy, sixth place; Hjelmeseth and Carlson, eighth place.
• Poles: Moore, first place; Payseno, fourth place; Moroz, eighth place.
• Figure eight: Emma Albright, eighth place.
• Individual flags: Moore, third place; Hoesel, fourth place; Balkan, fifth place.
• Birangle: Moore and Hjelmeseth, third place; Payseno and Balkan sixth place.
• Four-man team Canadian flags: Hjelmeseth, Albright, Moore and Gibeau, first place; Balkan, Hoesel, Miranda Williams and Tucker, eighth place; Fürste, Niemeyer, Madi Murphy and Amanda Murphy, ninth place
• Keyhole: Moroz, fifth place; Tucker, ninth place.
• Barrels: Moore, first place; Albright, fifth place; Gear, 10th place.
• Steer daubing: Balkan, fifth place; Moore, eighth place; Miranda Williams, ninth place.
• Two-man team cow sorting: Balkan and Tucker, third place; Madi Murphy and Amanda Murphy, fourth place; Miranda Williams and Cristina Williams, eighth place; Gibeau and Moore, ninth.
• Breakaway roping: Moore, first place.
Most of the kids have already qualified to go to state in several events, and there is still one more qualifying meet to go before the WAHSET state finals.
New chapter
Trail enthusiasts will be excited to hear there’s a new Backcountry Horsemen of Washington chapter forming on the West End of the Olympic Peninsula called Mt. Olympus.
Formed to better serve the West End’s trail and maintenance work, the group — already more than 40 members strong — hopes to host its first BCH-sanctioned meeting March 20 at the Elwha Hall, 2851 Lower Elwha Road, Port Angeles.
The group has a number of exciting events, trail work parties, rides and educational workshops for both adults and kids ready to be scheduled as soon as the new chapter gets its final stamp of approval by the parent group of Backcountry Horsemen of Washington.
The new chapter’s secretary, Sherry Baysinger, said, “We have an enthusiastic bunch who will be getting chain-saw-certified so they can help clear trails of fallen trees and branches, and who are excited about participating in this chapter.
“We hope to fill our remaining chair positions on March 20 and get started with the work and fun we have planned.”
Meetings will be held the third Monday of each month at the Elwha Hall starting at 6:30 p.m.
Baysinger said the Great Hall has a “great kitchen with people bringing snacks, stews, salads and desserts to every meeting, so it’s more like the old days when we met at the fairgrounds kitchen.”
Everyone is invited to stop by the meetings and join in the good fellowship.
Mt. Olympus will be serving the Olympic Peninsula along with the Peninsula and Buckhorn Range chapters.
Events
• Freedom Farm’s two-day Mini Beats Spring Day Camp — April 5-6, 10 a.m. to noon.
It’s a fun activity for horse-loving kids on spring break and gives them the opportunity to get a taste of what Freedom Farm’s Summer Horse Camps are like.
Contact Mary Gallagher at 360-457-4897 for more information.
Located at 493 Spring Road, Agnew.
• Olympic Peninsula Equine Network meeting — Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. at the Sequim Library, 630 N. Sequim Ave.
• Backcountry Horsemen Salt Creek Spaghetti Ride — April 22, rideout set for 9 a.m. from Salt Creek County Park in Joyce.
For more information, email peninsulabchw chapter@gmail.com or call Linda Morin at 360-775-5060.
• BCH Jr. Packing Orientation at Layton Hill Horse Camp — April 29, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 2514 Chicken Coup Road, Sequim.
Check the website at www.pbchw.org for calendar updates.
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Karen Griffiths’ column, Peninsula Horseplay, appears the second and fourth Sunday 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 write Griffiths at PDN, P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
