4L ARENA AND stable owner Kari Payne managed to put the fun in her Western Games show while fundraising to support a cause near and dear to her — animal rescue organizations.
Forty-five riders signed up to compete at the third annual Animal Rescue Fundraising and Game Show on July 19. Between the riders, the raffle and silent auction, almost $6,000 was raised to donate to local animal rescues. That’s enormous! Thanks to all who supported the event. And thank you Kari for hosting it.
This year she’s divided a large portion to both Welfare for Animals Guild Halfway Home Ranch in Sequim (wagsequimwa.com) and Center Valley Animal Rescue for all creatures great and small, wild and domestic in Quilcene (centervalleyanimalrescue.org). She has also smaller but significant amounts going to RISE Alliance in Agnew (riserescue.org) and Olympic Peninsula Equine Network in Sequim (olypenequinenet.org). All four organizations, plus Kari and 4L Arena, can be found on Facebook, too.
Soon-to-be teen Skylar Burgett was the show’s High Point champion, taking home the ultimate prize — a new saddle emblazoned with her award. Her mom, Stacy Burgett, said Skylar was very surprised because there were “a ton of excellent riders competing that day.”
On Aug. 23-24, be sure to see Skylar along with other Northwest Junior Rodeo members compete at the Port Angeles Junior Rodeo held at Clallam County Fairgrounds, 1608 W. 16th St. Free admission for spectators. For more information, go to nwjra.org.
At the Neon Riders’ 4-H & Open horse show at Clallam County Fairgrounds July 18-20, there were three former 4-H students who have evolved into active 4-H supporters.
Show judge was Jessica Parks-Welsh. She’s now a retired Navy officer, patterned speed horse competitor and the daughter of PSHA’s super seniors Sam and Donna Parks. She’s also a certified equine sports massage therapist based in Port Angeles (see her Facebook Page, Running J Holistic Bodyworks)
Show ring steward Cori Youngblood is currently a Showstoppers 4-H co-leader as well as a veterinarian who owns Olympic View Equine Veterinarian (olympicviewequine.com).
The person most familiar with my readers is Sequim’s Washington High School Equestrian leader (yes, she’ll be back as the head next year) Katie Salmon-Newton. She remains a Neon Riders co-leader as well as a school teacher at Olympic Christian School. She competed at the show on her horse Bee. She’d gotten Bee, aka Red N Busy, from local horse gal Jill Smith, who used to own Hold Your Horses in Carlsborg.
Salmon-Newton said Smith continues to be an enthusiastic supporter of 4H. When looking at a picture of her showing Bee in stockseat equitation in front of Parks-Welsh and Youngblood, she said it took her back to the time when they were young and showing in 4-H clubs. She feels “just amazed at how many ways 4-H has touched our lives, the skills that it’s given all of us, and that we’re all back being a part of it as adults.”
A shout out to Carol Johnson for her decades of owning horses for 4-H youths to use (two of hers are competing this year: Lacey Thompsen with Kemper and Gwen Torey with Mikey).
Salmon-Newton would like to thank Rachel Brown for allowing Abby Daly to lease her “sweet horse Banjo” so Rachel could show in 4-H.
4-H Medals winners:
Saddleseat Equitation Bronze —- Kenzi Winters, Elise Sirguy, Lila Torey
Showmanship Bronze — Kenzi Winters, Grace Karjalainen
Showmanship Silver— Katelynn Sharpe, Paisley Morris
Stockseat Bronze — Lila Torey
4-H High Point winners:
Walk/Trot — Champion Hannah Martin; Reserve Katie Bacon
Novice — Champion Grace Karjalainen; Reserve Adley Church
Junior — Champion Gwen Lorey; Reserve Abby Daly
Intermediate — Champion Lacey Thompsen
Senior — Champion Katelynn Sharpe; Reserve Elise Sirguy and Paisley Morris
Open Division High point champions
Walk/Jog — Champion Cooper Lewis; Reserve Maisyn Lewis
Adult — Champion Katie Newton-Salmon; Reserve Taylor Lewis
Youth — Champion Ella Garelon; Reserve Coralie Lewis
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Karen Griffiths’ column, Peninsula Horseplay, appears the second and fourth Saturday of each month.
If you have a horse event, clinic or seminar you would like listed, email Griffiths at kbg@olympus.net at least two weeks in advance. You can also call her at 360-460-6299.
