IT’S NO SECRET I prefer the speed and action of barrel racing over the slower paced Western performance horse shows, yet I appreciate the skill involved in both.
I feel much the same about those riding with an English saddle; I prefer to watch jumping verses flat arena work.
Thus, I felt an extra thrill when I spied a horse I knew as a baby run a really nice and tight barrel race at the Clallam County Fair’s 4-H horse show Aug. 18.
A palomino
The horse was Tinkerbell, a beautiful palomino from the Crosby family’s — Ted, Shirley, Pam and Ady — breeding program.
Her sire is the locally renowned — and extremely athletic — Cimarron, a stallion owned by Dan and Molly Dickson.
When I stopped by a Patterned Speed Horse Association show held at Quarter Moon Ranch last July, Molly informed me that while Cimarron had passed away there were seven of his offspring racing that day, and all were showing.
Not only are they all talented, but they are all beautiful.
Of course it takes more than a talented horse to be a winner, and Tink’s rider, Emma Albright, is no slouch.
Readers of Horseplay might recall she also competes in Patterned Speed Horse Association shows and is a member of the Port Angeles High School equestrian team that competed at the state finals last May.
Top competitors
I’ve no doubt the duo will be among the top competitors representing Clallam County who get to race at the state fair in Puyallup come September.
I should add, when it comes to 4-H shows the emphasis isn’t on being the fastest or best, rather, it’s on how well you complete each task or maneuver.
For instance, in barrel racing a blue ribbon is given to all who run a time of 17.99 seconds or faster.
Slower than that, and if no mistakes are made such as crashing into a barrel, then the rider receives a red ribbon.
If mistakes are made the rider receives a white ribbon for getting in there and trying.
Checking out the fair
I took my great-nephew, Isaac, 4, with me to the fair.
We got there before the rides opened at noon so we could explore all the other things to do and see there without him begging to go on the rides.
I think he had the most fun with the chickens. He was amazed to see the younger 4-H kids carry their own around in their arms and then getting to pet one himself.
He might have been just as excited to pet several oinking pigs with their big snouts as they lay in their stalls — what a delight.
Of course he had to visit all the horse barns.
In my mind I was dreaming of him showing his mother’s horse at the fair just as his mother did.
While one can compete in 4-H as young as 5, I think they still can’t compete on horses until age 9.
Later I toured the dog barn where a very polished young boy (I think about 6) wearing a crisp white dress shirt and black tie gave me his presentation on how to properly bathe a dog.
In his hands he had a long, narrow stick.
For each point he tapped the end of the stick on a picture he’d glued onto a large poster board.
At the end he asked if I had any questions.
“How often should you bathe a dog?” I asked.
4-H style
In true 4-H style (and with a very serious voice) he repeated the question back to me.
Then he looked at his mom, the ground and then back to me before breaking into a giggle saying, “I don’t know.”
“Good answer,” I told him, because it was the truth.
Later on he will learn to say, “I don’t know right now, but I’ll find out and get back to you.”
It warms my heart just thinking about him, and all the other youngsters, who work so hard to prepare for the fair, then to show at the fair, all the while learning important life skills.
Learn more
Those interested in learning more about 4-H and all our local 4-H clubs can contact Jenny Schmidt, 4-H program coordinator at the WSU Clallam County Extension by calling 360-417-2398 or emailing jenny.schmidt@wsu.edu.
Jefferson County’s 4-H coordinator is Tanya Barnett. She can be reached by calling 360-379-5610 ext. 208 or emailing tanya. barnett@wsu.edu.
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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.
