THE SPORT HORSE WINTER GAMES KICKED THE YEAR OFF WITH STYLE

After starting the year off with the SSHBEA Extravaganza, Sport Horse fans were ready for competition. They showed up willing and practiced to show off their skills at the 6^th Annual SSHBEA Sport Horse Winter Games on March 15 and 16, 2002, at the Calsonic Arena in Shelbyville, TN.

This year Winter Games kicked off at 5pm Friday evening with Diana Branaman presenting a prayer and the National Anthem as the 2001 World Champions presented the flags and made a lap around the arena. Then it was time for some fun competition: the trail obstacle classes. The course was made up of 12 of the competitors’ favorite obstacles including the stair boxes, teeter-totter, backing, stump, 360 turn on a box, cavellettes, and the mailbox and chicken. The colt-in-hand competitors owned the first class and demonstrated how skilled and willing the young horses can be. The juvenile classes were next as the 11 and under and 12 to 17 youth riders showed they were willing to practice hard and compete with confidence. For the first time this year the Sport Horse Committee decided to change the two year old classes throughout the show to training classes, giving the two year olds, which may be in the ring for the first time an easier course. This gave the two year olds a chance to strut their stuff without as much pressure, but the group of two year olds that arrived for this show were ready to compete. They proved to be one of the best trained and willing group of young horses. The Open Class ended the obstacle course in style as adults new and old to the sport horse games competed. This year’s trail obstacle judges were Robert Dalton, Roger Malone, William Bolden, Rodney Schmiede, and Dwayne Cawthon. The timekeeper was the ever-faithful Donna Eaton.

Reining was the second event for the evening. Competitors of all ages demonstrated how graceful a Spotted Saddle Horse can be as they showed off control of their "power steering". Judge Lou Vernon was presented with four classes of style filled reining including a Youth 11 and Under Class, a Youth 12-17 Class, a Two Year Old Class, and an Open Class.

On Saturday morning competition resumed with the jumping division. This year the jumping division was given a makeover by jumping chairman Tammy Coffman. The class now is a timed event, eliminating a judge and allowing the competitors to jump at their own speed. The class changes were a hit with competitors and spectators as the three classes competed: Youth Riders 12-17, Two Year Old Training, and the Open Adult Class. Chris Alexander did a great job of timekeeping for this remade division.

Timed events continued as the competitors of all ages showed off their favorite breed at different speeds around the barrels and poles. Competitors had the chance to show off the fast gait, agility, and smooth ride that the Spotted Horse Breed provides as they gaited around the pole and barrel patterns. Competitors also had the chance to prove a gaited horse can RUN, as they ran the pole and barrel patterns with speed and grace.

After two days of competition it was time to loosen up and try some of the sport horse’s favorite games. First on the schedule was the Turn & Burn, a game introduced at the last Winter Games and proved to be an exciting and challenging event. Competitors entered the ring, maneuvered a jump, wove a figure eight around three barrels, then went back over the jump. All of this was performed against the clock. The keyhole race was next. This is always a favorite as riders use speed and their reining skills to complete the pattern with great times.

Musical buckets is one of the funniest events for both contestants and spectators as contestants rush for a seat on a bucket. This is a must see spin-off of musical chairs. This left time for the soggy poles and barrels where it was determined which horses were not only the fastest but also the smoothest. In these classes horse’s speed and the amount of water left in an eight-ounce glass are combined to determine the winner.

The second part of Winter Games was held on April 27^th at Stateline Arena in Taft, TN. Cattle working kicked off with a practice session for stockyard sorting, a new event for SSHBEA Sport Horse competition. Stockyard sorting was a big hit with sport horse contestants, so look for it in future events. Next on the day’s agenda was team penning. The division began with the Novice Class as riders who have never competed before tested their luck with the calves. Then calves challenged the ability of horses and riders in the classes for Youth 11 and Under, Youth 12-17, Lady Riders, and Open. A favorite is always the mixed class where a lady or child must be on every team. Teams competed for paybacks and bragging rights in this cattle division. The contestants tried their skills on solo missions in shotgunning, where one horse and rider team sorts out one calf and puts it in the pen at the opposite end of the arena.

The Winter Games was a great way to start off the season with fun competition. With a grand total of over 400 entries, it was also an impressive demonstration of the versatility of the Spotted Saddle Horse. The Sport Horse Committee would like to thank all the sponsors who help put this show on: judges, timekeepers, those who helped set up and take down, event manager Ronny Summers, announcer Mike Brandon for keeping things light, and Stateline Arena for hosting the cattle working portion of Winter Games.

Other events will be announced! To learn more about any SSHBEA Sport Horse event contact John Mohon at (901) 476-4030, any Sport Horse Committee member, or the SSHBEA office in Shelbyville, TN.