Fine tuning before the Sanders County Fair

PLAINS - In the arena every Tuesday night from 6:30 p.m. to sometimes up to 9:00 p.m., the 4-H horse club members have been preparing for the upcoming fair. In addition, the members have been practicing their assessments in front of leader Nancy Beech.

Riders from up in Trout Creek all the way down to Paradise have all been working together to prepare, some of whom it will be their first fair show, while others it will be their fourth show.

On one end of the arena, Beech led the assessments of the riders one by one.

“They have to do assessments for each level that they’ve signed up for in the 4-H program, level one through six,” Beech said.

Beech used a list of criteria that each 4-H member had to adhere to for his or her level, which is in a booklet all the riders have.

Beech said, “I just go through the different moves that the horse has to make and the position of the rider and how well they control the horse.”

With the upcoming fair, Beech said she feels confident in the riders, saying each one is doing well.

“They’re just going to get tuned up a bit, they’ve got stuff to work,” Beech explained.

Three of the older riders, Emma Pavlik 14, Marsada Sweet 16, and Makenna Smith, discussed their time in the 4-H horse club and how they are preparing for the fair.

Pavlik said, “This evening I was working on my leads and turnarounds... I still have stuff to work on, but I’m very excited for the fair.”

Pavlik has been riding in the fair for three years. This year she will be riding her horse, Red.

Sweet, who said she has been riding horses since she was five, said it was her fourth year in the 4-H horse club. It will be her first year riding her new horse, Ziva.

“There’s always more to work on, but I feel like I’ll do fine, I think she is ready for it,” Sweet said.

Tuesday night, Sweet worked on her rail work and figure eights.

Smith, who just started 4-H two years ago, explained how she became a lover of 4-H and riding.

“I moved here two years ago, and a friend of mine was teaching me how to ride and wanted me to participate in 4-H too, and pretty much after the first day I just loved it,” said Smith.

Nearing the end of the evening, the older riders worked with the newer riders on their showmanship and riding moves. Some of the new riders were also lead in how to show their horse with Michelle McGuigan.

At the end of the evening, Beech said, as she looked out over the arena, “They’re doing real good... We’ve got everybody doing pretty good.”