CELEBRATED INVENTOR THOMAS Edison once said, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
Our county fairs are a grand opportunity to see local 4-H and Future Farmers of America youths hard at work.
In contrast with many youths of today who are consumed with the idleness of social media, I find it a welcome change to peruse the agricultural barns and see youths learning good values, setting goals and seeing the satisfaction of a job well done.
Jefferson County’s Fair is Aug. 10-12, and Clallam’s is Aug. 16-19.
To prepare, many 4-H youths participated in local shows, such as the July show at the Clallam County Fairgrounds in Port Angeles, hosted by the Peninsula Performance Horse Association.
‘Summer Spectacular’
Participant and PPHA member Terri Winters told me, “Thanks to the generous sponsors and many volunteers, PPHA’s second annual ‘Summer Spectacular’ Open Horse Show was a huge success.
“Every exhibitor was welcomed with a PPHA gift bag filled with donated goodies, for horse and rider alike. Local and out-of-town riders competed for high-point awards, Olympic Peninsula Zone points and some prizes, including sash and rosette ribbons, horse sheets and aluminum director chairs embroidered with the PPHA logo and championship title.
“Money was added to prizes in the sweepstakes classes.”
■ Halter Championship Class results: Dakota’s Captain’s Fernando with Lisa Hopper, champion; Gimmy the Gold (owned by Winters) with handler Jeremy Johnstad, resident champion; Hailaluya with Krystal Braise, third; Slightly Sunny Daze with Holly Cozzolino, fourth; Justa A Cool Milo with Nina Halverson, fifth; Starific Jimmy’s Harlequin Man (owner Lisa Hopper) with Amanda Campbell, sixth.
Sweepstakes
■ Sweepstakes Classes: Five Star Whiz (owned by Linda Mackie) with rider Wendy Peterson, reining champion; and Hailaluya with Braise, resident champion.
■ English Pleasure Champion: Will He Zip with Jerry Pelikan; Zip of Jack with Sara Richerts, resident champion.
■ Western Pleasure Senior Horse Champion: Zip of Jack with Richerts; and Gimmy the Gold with Johnstad, resident champion.
More winners
■ Amateur/Youth Western Pleasure Champion: Tie Mr. DZ Dandy with Jacy Tolliver and Gimmy the Gold with Johnstad.
■ Class winners: DA Boogie Man with Nancy Johnson (Western riding), Gimmy the Gold with Winters (trail class), Dave Reaume (reining), Skip’s Last Hurrah with Leilani Wood (novice rider), Slightly Sunny Daze with Holly Cozzolino (advanced English pleasure and advanced Western pleasure), Mr. DZ Dandy with Jacy Tolliver (novice pleasure) and Tidjra Tolliver and Natalie Blankenship (beginner youth rider walk/trot).
■ High-point winner: Slightly Sunny Daze with Cozzolino; and miniature horse high point: Starific Jimmy’s Harlequin Man with Campbell.
Healing
Since I’m a firm believer in combining conventional and alternative therapy to treat ailments and disease, I was pleasantly surprised to discover my neighbor Lisa Preston recently authored a book discussing a multitude of alternative therapies or treatments available to help our animals — and us.
Her book, Natural Healing for Cats, Dogs, Horses and Other Animals, is an overview of nontraditional therapies and treatments.
More than 700 entries cite both the advantages and disadvantages of therapies such as acupuncture, homeopathy, detoxification therapy, chiropractic and hair mineral analysis, without promoting any one particular method.
I’ve often used Bach’s Rescue Remedy as a calming aid for my dogs and horses.
I was introduced to it years ago by a veterinarian when I was getting my Leonberger dog’s hips X-rayed prior to breeding (they were excellent).
Sedation
Instead of sedation, the vet placed a few drops in my dog’s mouth, and within a few minutes, she was relaxed and lying still for the X-ray.
More recently, I’ve used it to calm my animals during thunderstorms.
And, in Lisa’s book, I learned its creator was Edward Bach, a medical doctor who developed flower essences to alleviate problematic mental states.
Lisa also offers specific advice on what to look for and avoid in choosing a practitioner.
To find out more about Lisa and her book, visit www.lisapreston.com.
Events
■ Friday through Sunday — Joe Wolter’s cow clinic at Freedom Farms in Agnew. Learn key elements of working livestock, including positioning, timing, pressure points, control and horsemanship. Preregister with Mary Gallagher at 360-457-4897 or visit www.joewolter.com.
■ Saturday — Olympic Peninsula Zone Performance Horse Show at the Clallam County Fairgrounds in Port Angeles. Phone Maria Rentas at 360-457-4623.
■ Aug. 23-25 — Olympic Peninsula Performance Horses’ adult horse camp riding clinic with Sara Richerts at Olympic View Stables, 136 Finn Hall Road, Port Angeles. Phone 360-775-5084 or visit www.olypenperformancehorses.com.
■ Aug. 24-26 — Peninsula Junior Rodeo at the Clallam County Fairgrounds in Port Angeles.
■ 10 a.m. Aug. 25 — Back Country Horseman Peninsula Chapter ride on the Olympic Discovery Trail, starting in Joyce. Phone Margaret at 360-928-3770.
■ Aug. 27-Sept. 1 — Advanced horse camp riding clinic with Sara Richerts at Olympic View Stables, 136 Finn Hall Road, Port Angeles. Phone 360-775-5084 for details.
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Karen Griffiths’ column, Peninsula Horseplay, appears every other Wednesday.
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.
