This years trailride was hosted by John & Trish Rutkowski at their ranch between Beeville & Skidmore on Ridgeway Lane.  This event is not just a trialride it is a test of rider and horse’s ability to maneuver through obstacles on the trail.  Each obstacle has a judge and awards are given to the highest scores in three age groups. This year Yvonne Jenkins of Mathis, TX, designed our trail course. The course included some pretty daunting objects, walking through a curtain of streamers, opening an umbrella on horseback and crossing a tank.  15 riders competed. Julia Mason on her QH gelding Big Boy of Sandia took first in the senior division. Kaitlyn Cole, on Arabian gelding Duke, from Orange Grove won the Youth, and Hayley Goodridge on Déjà Vu a QH gelding was high score in the Junior division also from Sandia.

After the judged ride we all enjoyed a potluck lunch with brisket and sausage prepared by our hostess Trish.  Awards and ribbons were given out and door prizes.  We had a raffle of donated items to raise money for BSLP. Sue & Jay Hensley from Mathis came and watched the event and made a generous donation to STAR, we appreciate everyone’s support for this great program. 

This year we had a special guest Lorrie Grover owner of Synergy Horse & Rider. Synergy Horsemanship is the art of working, training and riding horses in a kind, firm and fair manner that horses understand and respond to willingly. Lorrie has been working with horses for the last 30 years located in Corpus Christi, Texas Synergy Horse & Rider offers instruction in Western, English and Dressage Riding, Colt Starting, Trick Training as well as instructions for those who want to start and/or train their own horse using a combination of Natural Horsemanship Principles and the proper use of traditional training and schooling techniques.

Recently Lorrie has taken her skills and competed in the 2009 Extreme Mustang Makeover competitions in both Texas and California.  Trainers get a wild mustang, (luck of the draw) and they get 90-100 days to take this wild horse and train him to compete. First event was held in California at the Norco Extreme Mustang Trail Challenge. Lorrie’s mustang called Jesse Jane took first place; final championship demonstration was a routine bridle-less carrying the Texas and American flag, show in photo below.

Lorrie then entered the Extreme Mustang Makeover held in Fort Worth, TX September, 2009 and placed 5^th with one of the smallest and youngest mustangs in the group. For her Championship freestyle competition she rode her mustang Kid Cool bridle-less and jumped him onto a moving flatbed trailer, pretty impressive for 90 days of training. For more info. on Lorrie’s accomplishments go to www.synergyhorse.com.

After the trailride, Lorrie gave us a demonstration and took her horse through the course without a bridle; just using body language and voice commands, quiet an accomplishment.  We hope to have Lorrie give us a clinic in the near future just watching her ride was a real privilege. Lorrie also worked with riders to help them gain confidence and go through some of the tougher obstacles.

Many thanks to John & Trish for being our host again for this event. To Doug and Trish for hauling the trail objects and to Ali for the awards and raffle items.

Our Judges:  Doug Fullington, Johnny Brandon, Katanya Stanford, Glenda Klimitchek, Sam Cole, Brian Kasik, Yvonne Jenkins, Joy (Julia Mason’s sister) and VC.