EVEN THE BEST laid plans can go astray.
I was so excited to finally be able to accompany our local Back Country Horsemen groups on this month’s Sandy Shore ride in Jefferson County.
An annual tradition, the ride goes through private property owned by a logging company.
Apparently this year, the company has all new board members who, at the eleventh hour, decided they didn’t want to allow the BCH members on the property.
This after a lot of back-and-forth communication between the company — which at first was going to allow the ride but insisted on different wording on BCH’s insurance policy — and Buckhorn Range’s Bob Hoyle.
Hoyle got the insurance company to change the policy’s wording to exactly what the company wanted just in time to hand-deliver it to the company’s headquarters in Olympia the Friday before the Saturday morning ride.
It was on the long drive home he received the call from the company nixing the ride.
It seems to me that’s the way of the world these days: getting rid of the old management that has a heart and ties with the community and bringing in younger people whose only concern is making money for the company (and themselves).
Hence, I received a last-minute email from Peninsula Chapter member Cate Bendock stating that the ride was canceled and changed to Miller Peninsula.
It was a small but happy group that showed up at Miller, and I was happy to be one of them.
The day was warm and sunny.
On my first ride out, I was happy I got to know BCH member Sandra Coen better.
It felt as though the ride was much too short, though, so while the rest of the group gathered for a potluck meal, OPEN’s Valerie Jackson and I took off for a fun two-hour ride to the beach.
On the way back, a familiar-looking woman with a husband and two leashed dogs stepped to the side of the trail to let us pass.
“Is that Chrysalis?” I asked.
“Is that Karen Griffiths?!”
It was a happy surprise to see old friends Chrysalis and Jeff Carter.
My “kids” (niece and nephews) were close with theirs back in the days they all attended Five Acre School.
Equestrian results
Below are the Sequim equestrian team’s results from Meet 3 against more than 100 competitors from 10 school teams.
My next column will include the Port Angeles team’s results.
■ In-hand obstacle relay: Yana Hoesel, Kelly Anders, Haylie Newton and Amanda Murphy, eighth place.
■ Reining: Anders, sixth.
■ Saddleseat: Anders, sixth; Murphy, eighth.
■ Stockseat: Anders, 15th.
■ Working rancher: Newton, eighth.
■ Trail: Murphy, 16th.
■ Dressage: Sydney Balkan, 14th; Newton, 20th.
■ Working pairs: Anders and Balkan, seventh; Murphy and Miranda Williams, 12th.
■ Drill team freestyle 4’s: Anders, Balkan, Murphy and Abi Payseno, first.
■ Barrels: Balkan, 11th; Payseno, 13th.
■ Figure 8: Payseno, eighth; Hoesel, 18th.
■ Pole bending: Payseno, second.
■ Individual flags: Payseno, third; Williams, 13th.
■ Birangle: Balkan and Payseno, 17th; Williams and Newton, 18th.
■ Team Canadian flags: Balkan, Hoesel, Newton and Williams, third.
■ Breakaway roping: Balkan, first.
■ Steer daubing: Balkan, second; Newton, third; Williams, fourth; Murphy, ninth; Anders, 12th.
■ Cattle sorting: Murphy and Anders, fourth; Hoesel and Balkan, ninth.
Several Sequim team members also received end-of-season placings, were awarded medals or qualified for the state meet.
All medal winners and state qualifiers go to the Washington High School Equestrian Team (WAHSET) state meet May 12-15 in Moses Lake.
Alternates might end up competing as well, depending on how many spots are available in each event.
The teams will compete against possibly more than 60 teams from all over the state.
■ Scholarship winner: Anders.
■ Small team reserve high-point (silver) trophy: Sequim team.
■ Drill team freestyle 4’s: Anders, Balkan, Murphy and Payseno, gold medal; Williams, state alternate.
■ Pole bending: Payseno, gold medal.
■ Breakaway roping: Balkan, gold medal.
■ Daubing: Balkan, bronze medal; Newton, state alternate.
■ Individual flags: Payseno, state qualifier; Balkan, state alternate.
■ Team Canadian flags: Balkan, Hoesel, Newton and Williams, state alternate.
■ Cattle sorting: Anders and Murphy, state alternate.
■ Reining: Anders, state alternate.
■ Saddle seat: Anders, state alternate.
Events
Check out upcoming BCH rides at www.pbchw.org or email Cate Bendock at bchwpc@gmail.com.
■ Today from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.: The Sequim equestrian team will have an exhibition or “showcase” at Freedom Farm, 493 Spring Road, Agnew.
Friends, family and sponsors are invited to watch, as well as teens who are interested in possibly joining the team next year.
It would be great to have visitors from Sequim schools and other community horse people and 4-H clubs.
WAHSET is open to students in grades 9-12 who are enrolled in public or private school, or are home-schooled.
Contact coach Katie Salmon-Newton at klsalmon@yahoo.com.
■ Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: BCH ONP Trail Day/Mule Day.
This year, it is in Agnew at Fox Bell Farm (Old Olympic View Stables) on Finn Hall Road.
■ Saturday, May 7, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: BCH PC Tack Sale and Auction at Sequim Prairie Grange, 290 Macleay Road.
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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.
