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The Mane Event, Report on Days One and Two

October 21, 2005

Chilliwack, BC --- The Mane Event “kicked off” Friday at Heritage Park with non-stop action in the demonstration rings and on the trade fair floor. In only its second year, the Equine Education & Trade Fair event has become a big draw for horse enthusiasts who have come from across Canada and many parts of the United States.

A full house of spectators was on hand to see the exciting Trainer’s Challenge get underway with top Canadian trainers Chris Irwin, Doug Mills and Jay O’Jay in their first individual training sessions. Each trainer drew for one of three young unbroke quarter horse geldings that they will work with in scheduled sessions until Sunday under the scrutiny of three judges who are watching for effectiveness of training with the least amount of stress. “You could say that the mandate is, ask not what the horse can do for you, but what you can do for the horse,” Irwin told the audience. All three trainers managed to make considerable progress in getting the horses to accept their guidance. Meanwhile a film crew is on hand to record the entire Challenge plus interviews with the trainers. A set of DVDs will be made available for sale.

Fridays’s events in the main arena included the first presentations by two Olympians. Canadian show jumper Beth Underhill and U.S. Dressage rider and trainer Jane Savoie both used volunteer riders and horses in their informative sessions. Meanwhile, certified CHA Wilderness Guide and Master Instructor Jim McCrae used both horses and mules in his packing demonstration.

On Saturday, a spectacular lineup of drill teams, demonstrations and entertainment wrapped up the second day of The Mane Event Equine Education & Trade Fair at Heritage Park. It was standing room only as approximately 3,000 spectators delighted to a fast paced evening that included the precision riding of the ladies of Latigo and Lace, the gaited Icelandic horses and the antics of Ziggy, the Trick Horse.

Chilliwack’s acting mayor, Councillor Sharon Gaetz, welcomed spectators and participants to the Equine Experience and invited them to return with their horses to enjoy the beautiful local equestrian trails. She commented later on the success of the Mane Event saying, “This is incredible. To see this kind of turnout and to see the people who have come from all over Canada and the United States, this is really good news for Chilliwack.”

Earlier in the day competition began heating up in the Trainer’s Challenge with Chris Irwin, Doug Mills and Jay O’Jay each conducting two training sessions and making significant progress with the two-year-old colts they were only introduced to the previous day. By the end of their third sessions all three had saddled and mounted their horses, though Irwin held back on moving forward on Tamarack San, who appears to be the most sensitive of the three young Quarter Horses brought in from the range by Douglas Lake Cattle Company. Mills, who had Tip Top Thibedaux walking over trotting poles, concluded his last session with 18 minutes to spare, satisfied he had done enough with his horse in preparation for the final showdown Sunday. O’Jay concluded his session by having He Isa Pecos Badger yawn and nod his head, clearly having fun with the young horse.

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