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| NewsSunday, October 14, 2007 11:37 PM CDT |
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Horse enthusiasts put skills on trial
BLOOMINGTON — The annual Hunter Oaks Horse Trials is a competition, but most of the riders don’t seem to describe it that way. Instead, they see the two-day event, which will concludes today, as a way to enjoy the company of horse enthusiasts, test one’s own ability on horseback and often carry on a family tradition. “These events are so nice. It’s more camaraderie and less competition. It’s just you and your horse doing the best you can,” said Tanya Wilbur of Wheaton. Of course, there’s also the thrill of the ride. “The cross-county is my favorite part because it’s an adrenaline rush. It’s a five-minute roller coaster,” said Ken Dierks, who was coaching 13 riders at the trials. Dierks himself began riding as a child and has been doing so for more than 20 years. Equestrians from five states competed in the dressage and show jumping phases of the seventh annual Hunter Oaks Horse Trials on Saturday at the Interstate Center in Bloomington. The trials will move today to Hunter Oaks Equestrian Center in Carlock for the cross-country phase, in which horses and riders will cross natural terrain while leaping obstacles. The cross-country phase event also is a favorite for Kasey Eiseblan, a 21-year-old from St. Louis who has been riding since she was 8 years old. “It’s just a blast,” Eiseblan said. Eiseblan said she became interested in horses as a child because of her mother’s love of horses. She was accompanied by Sally Hasting, the owner of Willows Creek, the horse she was riding. Hasting said she also became interested in horses through her own mother’s influence. “I grew up just west of St. Louis, and my mother showed horses for the Busch family,” she said, referring to the family associated with the Anheuser-Busch Cos. Jessie Carpenter, 19, of Long Grove, Iowa, said: “It’s just fun. What other sport involves so much trust between an animal and a person?” Carpenter began riding horses at age 12 when her family moved to the country. That trust between horse and rider is the primary criterion being judged in the dressage phase. That’s when the horse’s gait, calmness and steadiness are tested. Tammy Kaspar, who has been riding for more than 30 years, grew up near a stable in La Grange. She was competing Saturday with Jack’s Girl, a 6-year-old thoroughbred. Her trainer, Christy Nahser, attended the event with her. Nahser has been riding for 50 years. Her motivation to begin riding was “my mother. It’s all her fault.” Although Nahser grew up in Illinois, her family vacationed for two months every year in the Arizona desert. It was there that her mother inspired her to love riding horses. The event was organized by Tom and Sandy Mercier, owners of Hunter Oaks. “Tom and Sandy go way above and beyond the call of duty in this event, in this area, in every area. They’re fabulous,” said Vanessa McCormick of Brighton, who has been riding for 30 years and participating in events for 24. McCormick said that her favorite aspects of horse trials are “the camaraderie, having fun with friends and the horses, of course.” BLOOMINGTON — The annual Hunter Oaks Horse Trials is a competition, but most of the riders don’t seem to describe it that way. Instead, they see the two-day event, which will concludes today, as a way to enjoy the company of horse enthusiasts, test one’s own ability on horseback and often carry on a family tradition. “These events are so nice. It’s more camaraderie and less competition. It’s just you and your horse doing the best you can,” said Tanya Wilbur of Wheaton. Of course, there’s also the thrill of the ride. “The cross-county is my favorite part because it’s an adrenaline rush. It’s a five-minute roller coaster,” said Ken Dierks, who was coaching 13 riders at the trials. Dierks himself began riding as a child and has been doing so for more than 20 years. Equestrians from five states competed in the dressage and show jumping phases of the seventh annual Hunter Oaks Horse Trials on Saturday at the Interstate Center in Bloomington. The trials will move today to Hunter Oaks Equestrian Center in Carlock for the cross-country phase, in which horses and riders will cross natural terrain while leaping obstacles. The cross-country phase event also is a favorite for Kasey Eiseblan, a 21-year-old from St. Louis who has been riding since she was 8 years old. “It’s just a blast,” Eiseblan said. Eiseblan said she became interested in horses as a child because of her mother’s love of horses. She was accompanied by Sally Hasting, the owner of Willows Creek, the horse she was riding. Hasting said she also became interested in horses through her own mother’s influence. “I grew up just west of St. Louis, and my mother showed horses for the Busch family,” she said, referring to the family associated with the Anheuser-Busch Cos. Jessie Carpenter, 19, of Long Grove, Iowa, said: “It’s just fun. What other sport involves so much trust between an animal and a person?” Carpenter began riding horses at age 12 when her family moved to the country. That trust between horse and rider is the primary criterion being judged in the dressage phase. That’s when the horse’s gait, calmness and steadiness are tested. Tammy Kaspar, who has been riding for more than 30 years, grew up near a stable in La Grange. She was competing Saturday with Jack’s Girl, a 6-year-old thoroughbred. Her trainer, Christy Nahser, attended the event with her. Nahser has been riding for 50 years. Her motivation to begin riding was “my mother. It’s all her fault.” Although Nahser grew up in Illinois, her family vacationed for two months every year in the Arizona desert. It was there that her mother inspired her to love riding horses. The event was organized by Tom and Sandy Mercier, owners of Hunter Oaks. “Tom and Sandy go way above and beyond the call of duty in this event, in this area, in every area. They’re fabulous,” said Vanessa McCormick of Brighton, who has been riding for 30 years and participating in events for 24. McCormick said that her favorite aspects of horse trials are “the camaraderie, having fun with friends and the horses, of course.” Horse trials What: Hunter Oaks Horse Trials’ cross-country competition When: Starting at 9 a.m. today Where: Hunter Oaks Equestrian Center, 236 MacAllen Lake Road, four miles west of Carlock Contact: Call (309) 826-7433 or visit www.hunteroaksfarm.com E-mail this story | Print this story | Search archives | RSS Show comments |  Hide comments | Hide comments on all stories |
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