‘TWAS A GLORIOUS weekend for the Patterned Speed Horse Association game show at the Crosby arena in Port Angeles.
Held the last weekend in June, the event had more than 85 riders and 12 “Buckaroos” compete in 15 events each day.
The Crosby arena is known to have one of the best arena grounds for fast competitions, so while the majority were locals, quite a number were from out of the area and camped out for the weekend.
Events included barrels, keyhole, two-man three-barrel and bareback relay, a four-man team event that consists of a barrel placed 100 feet from the start/finish line.
The first rider mounts at the start line, with other members on the ground.
The first rider circles the barrel, returns to the finish line and dismounts. All four riders do this until the course is completed.
The horse must get all four feet across the start/finish line on each exchange of riders.
It’s actually a lot of fun to watch as most of the competitors usually ride ensconced in the saddle as opposed to the slippery, sliding back of the horse’s bare fur.
Plus, those gaming horses are used to running as fast as possible during a race, not the slower lope preferred by many.
There are only a handful of serious bareback competitors, and they are amazing to watch as they swiftly jump on the horse, race around the barrel, then jump off while the next rider jumps on.
Most, such as the foursome team at the Crosby arena of Courtney Cain, Brad Varner, Tylar Decker and Marie Dickinson, compete in the event for fun and a few laughs.
“PSHA is just growing by leaps and bounds in our area. I love it,” owner Pam Crosby said.
Pam and her daughter, Ady Crosby, are among the serious competitors who compete at the PSHA State Finals, held Aug. 17-19 in Wenatchee.
Personally, I love being part of the PSHA “family” and hanging out with the group as I did for many years with my niece, Brooke Stromberg. Currently, she’s the proud mother of a 2-month-old baby boy — a darling boy at that — Isaac.
Freedom Farm activities
■ Noon to 3 p.m. Sunday — Cowmanship class
■ Noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, July 28 — Adult horsemanship class.
■ Aug. 24-25 — Joe Wolter horsemanship and cow working clinic.
Located at 164 Spring Farm Road in Agnew. Sign up for events with Mary Gallagher at 360-457-4897.
Events
■ Saturday — 4-H show hosted by Neon Riders at Clallam County Fairgrounds. Phone Nancy Hodgin at 360-457-4054.
■ Sunday — 4-H pre-fair show at Clallam County Fairgrounds. Hosted by Neon Riders 4-H. Phone Hodgin at 360-457-4054.
■ Saturday, July 27 — Jefferson Horse Park “meet your local trainer series,” with Samantha Berger. Located at 3202 Hastings Ave., Port Townsend. Phone Kim Hunt at 360-379-0507.
■ 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 27 — A beginner’s guide to horse ownership, a free day of family fun hosted by Olympic Peninsula Arabian Club. Sandamar Farm, 4499 N.E. Gunderson Road, Poulsbo, 360-731-0153.
■ July 27-28 — Annual Open Pre-Fair Horse Show, hosted by the Jefferson County 4-H Horse Program at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. Performance classes start at 9 a.m. July 27, and Western Games start at 10 a.m. July 28.
Classes are $6 each for performance and $5 each for gaming classes for entries postmarked by Friday. There will be an additional $1 fee per class for entries postmarked after Friday and day of show. High-point prizes will be given for each division both days for qualifying classes.
Stalls are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Stalls and areas around horse trailers must be left clean before leaving the fairgrounds. Concessions will be available all weekend.
For more information or show forms, phone Tanya Schweitzer at 360-301-3559.
■ Aug. 9-11 — Jeffco Fair 4-H & Pony Club horse show.
■ Aug. 15-18 — Clallam County Fair 4-H horse show
■ Aug. 24-25 — Peninsula Junior Rodeo and Sandy Bailey Memorial Fundraiser at Clallam County Fairgrounds. Contact Tina VanAusdle at 360-460-0791
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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.
