Beech Tree News Network

A pair of Butler County residents participated in the South Kentucky Ranch Horse Association Event held at the Bowling Green Exposition Center this past weekend. Fourteen year old, Elizabeth Blaine and her fourteen year old bay mare, Piper, took part in showmanship and tests of skill at the two day action packed contest that features the American Quarter Horse. Quarter Horses were originally developed in Colonial America for quarter mile racing. With their strong Indian heritage, these horses are known for their bursts of speed over short distances. The Quarter Horse breed dominates in the sport of reining and cutting.

 A ranch Show Event consists of several small contests within the big one. Typically, an average of forty-six classes is open to contestants that cover a variety of ages and skill levels. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know the difference between a spur and a saddle horn; if you have the right kind of horse and can ride it then you can enter. The winners of the contests will be the combination of a well trained horse and a disciplined rider. The Event is centered on western style riding which in part means holding the reins with one hand as to keep the other hand free for such things as a rope, pair of pliers or a six gun. The contestants are required to perform a variety of tasks ranging from cutting a cow out of a herd to showing proper reining and posture. The Western horse and rider need to work together on a basis of trust, respect and good communication. Western style riding goes back to the American Vaquero and Cowboy when a horse was a man’s best friend the pair knew each other so well that they acted like one.

Embracing this lifestyle that centers around respect and responsibility are Elizabeth Blaine and Piper. Only an eighth grader Elizabeth has it already in her mind to become an equine veterinarian down the road. She has been riding since she was four years old and will tell you that “I was born into it. It’s a lifestyle that teaches responsibility and to put the animal first when you team up with an animal you are telling it that you will care for it.”
Her daddy Brian says that “She’s been around horses all of her life, we have always had horses.”

The SKRHA is a branch of the American Ranch Horse Association which is a National organization with thousands of members. For more information contact Erica at 606-636-6197

Story and photos by Jim Baird Beechtree News