Open Horse Show competitors demonstrate riding skills at fair

RITZVILLE — The Wheat Land Communities Fair hosted an Open Horse Show on Saturday afternoon where any individual, regardless of association with the usual horse show organizations, could compete to demonstrate their horse riding skills.

Erika Hennings, the fair’s horse superintendent and leader of the Saddle Warmers 4-H Club, said the Open Horse Show provides an opportunity for more competitors.

“Yesterday would have been 4-H and FFA so those are the kids that bring their horses in on Wednesday, and are here for the duration. A lot of them are participating today but we have people that come in from the outside for the day or for the afternoon.”

The open show includes both Western and English styles of riding, the latter requiring specific clothing, and both requiring a specific type of saddle. Hennings said that the event helps to allow more people to compete with these various styles of riding.

“It's just kind of fun. We have, you know, the old standby as they come every year, and then we have all the new kids,” said Hennings. “It's more practice for the kids. You know, it's just one more (opportunity) because a lot of these kids around here, they ride ranch horses and things. And so this is good for them to just kind of learn something and do something a little different.”

Hennings said that the Wheat Land Communities fair did not have an open horse show for the first 20 years or so — the horse events were 4-H or other organizations specifically.

“We've got some adults. The nice thing is adults can participate so we get a few adults that come in and a few little leadline kids, so It's a nice mix,” Hennings said.

Leadline classes are horse show classes for younger children who are not necessarily eligible for 4-H membership but still want to compete at events like the Open Horse Show.

The open show and the 4-H horse events at the Wheat Land Communities Fair are not as competitive as they used to be 25 to 30 years ago, said Hennings, but instead they have a different focus.

“We have a wonderful judge who's been with us for a long time,” said Hennings. “We kind of say ‘have fun, do your best job’ and then our judge is very good about pointing out to the kids what they need to work on, And that's what we stress so that this is for them mostly a learning thing. Even if you have a ranch horse, you know, a ranch horse can benefit from learning to behave themselves in the ring…we're a little bit more about, like I said, trying to teach the kids.”

Hennings said that they get a few more competitors than the 4-H events in the open horse show since it is not limited by organization membership.

“Our 4-H club this year is very small,” said Hennings. “We have six kids. It goes through stages because we had a bunch of kids that graduated and other kids that have kind of moved on to other projects and stuff. I mean it's just the way it is. We go through an ebb and flow.”

Hennings said that even with their numbers down and a different focus for the competition, the Wheat Land Communities Fair still shows decades of growth.

“I was actually an original board member when the fair started, and we've come a long ways from the few buildings and, actually, I think we started with some temporary tents the first few years,” she said.

Hennings also said that she would like to see some new faces and members organizing events at the fair and that the fair organizers are always looking for new volunteers.

Gabriel Davis may be reached at gdavis@columbiabasinherald.com. Download the Columbia Basin Herald app on iOS and Android today.