I’M FEELING A bit melancholy today as my mind wanders down memory lane.
Longtime readers of Peninsula Horseplay may recall earlier stories of me helping my niece Brooke Stromberg grow up in the horse world here on the Peninsula.
She got her first Shetland pony, Snowball Express, at age 5.
Snow proved true to his name and was a bit too fast for the young lass, so we got her a Welsh pony with a calmer personality, Goldie Boy. Both are still grazing our pastures.
By the time Brooke was 9, she’d gotten bitten by the barrel racing bug and was ready to start racing on my older Palomino mare, April, in 4-H with the region’s top gaming group Sidekicks, led by Marie Dickenson.
At age 11, Brooke got her own horse, another golden Palomino mare with flaxen mane and tail, Lacey, also 11.
Lacey had tons of talent but had never barrel raced, nor done any gaming, so Brooke had to train her.
Difference of opinion
Well, the truth is that while I fell in love with Lacey, seeing her potential and talents, Brooke did not.
While riding the seasoned gamer April, she became used to winning events in her age group, but on the untrained racer Lacey, she did not win at all.
Those next couple of years were very trying times — especially since her closest friends were winning on newer, faster mounts, which the parents had bought as experienced, and fast, barrel racers.
Often through her tears of a frustrated little girl, my young, blond-haired niece would asked, “Why didn’t you get me a horse that already knows how to race?”
“Because Lacey is extremely talented, and I thought it’d be good for you to learn how to train,” I’d reply, albeit second-guessing myself over and over again.
Well, it actually took three years until Lacey started winning: At age 15, both won the state championship barrel racing in Washington State High School Equestrian Team and Patterned Speed Horse Association’s youth division.
I was so proud of them. Later, things changed, and Brooke ended up living in Southern California with her father.
Loaner
Since Brooke wasn’t riding, Lacey was loaned out to her good friend Ady Crosby. The two were a great team and went on to win at PSHA State and Interstate Championship events.
This year, Ady is riding and training her young horse, Batman (born and raised on her family’s farm), while I decided to keep Lacey close to home and use her for trail riding.
Lacey’s been quite content to spend her days getting fat on pasture grass — or so I thought until Brooke, now 19, came home for a visit this month.
She wanted to show her boyfriend, Maxwell Penland, her barrel racing skills.
Since Lacey is out of shape, I hesitated, yet after two weeks of daily riding Lacey was so happy I relented to one day at the races.
“Just don’t push her,” I cautioned. “We don’t want her pulling any tendons, so let her run her own pace.”
It was a gorgeous and sunny Saturday in July when a very proud Lacey pranced into the PSHA racing arena in Maple Valley.
Folks, it was so good seeing the two blondes — Brooke and Lacey — racing together in perfect harmony in the flags, figure eight and barrels in perfect form.
Without being pushed, Lacey ran fast, respectable times. Certainly not as fast as when she was in good condition, but I tell ya, it was a heck of a great day at the races.
Brooke is going back to California this month. I know of one horse and one aunt who are really going to miss her.
Events
■ Aug. 8, 15, 22 and 29 — 6 p.m. start. Chimacum Creek 2011 Summer Barrel racing series at Chimacum Sadderly on Chimacum Road. Phone Bethel Moore at 360-301-1547.
■ 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 20 — Freedom Farm Trail Ride & Picnic, 493 Spring Hill Road in Port Angeles, 360-457-4897.
■ Aug. 12-14 — Jefferson County Fair Horse Show.
■ Aug. 18-21 — Clallam County Fair Horse Show
■ Aug. 27, 28 — Peninsula Junior Rodeo.
■ Sept. 9-11 — American Competitive Trail Horse Association competition. Contact Becky Siebel at 360-670-1550, spirithorseranch7@gmail.com. All riders must register online at www.pbchw.org to participate.
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Karen Griffiths’ column, Peninsula Horseplay, appears every other Wednesday.
If you have a horse event, clinic or seminar you would like listed, please email Griffiths at kbg@olympus.net at least two weeks in advance. You can also write Griffiths at PDN, P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362.