Alberta Equine ...On-Line News: They Reined On Canada Day At The Princess Louise Park Show Centre In Sussex, NB

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They Reined On Canada Day At The Princess Louise Park Show Centre In Sussex, NB

July 3, 2007

Coralee Doiron of Sussex, NB aboard the 11-year-old Quarter Horse mare Kilo Littlestar, won the Under 14 year old Youth Reining class.

Sussex, NB --- They reined throughout the last week of June and on Canada Day at the Princess Louise Park Show Centre in Sussex, NB.

According to Reining Canada’s website, “Reining began on the working cattle ranches, where a cowboy or vaquero used their horses to gather, move and hold cattle on the open range. These horses had to be athletic, quick and agile. They had to be extremely responsive to a very light rein. In years gone by, cowboys and vaqueros took pride in their hard working, well-trained horses. Challenges often arose as to who had the best horse. The most talented riders would put their horses through a series of stops and turns, letting the watching crowd determine which rider and horse were the best. These displays are the forerunners of today's reining competitions.

“Today's reining competitions provide a venue for riders to demonstrate the skills of their highly trained and conditioned horses. Trained judges score the reining horse based on its execution of the manoeuvre groups required in a specific pattern.”

In preparation for the two days of competition at the Show Centre last week-end, a 3-day training clinic with Sophie Laverdiere of Quebec was held. Seventeen participants took lessons and then practiced hard in anticipation of performing during the two reining competitions on the week-end.

The competition on Saturday was sponsored by the New Brunswick Codiac Reiners and on Sunday by the Atlantic Reining Horse Association. Levels of competition ranged from ‘Green as Grass’ through Novice to Open and included both youth and adult divisions.

Shawna Sapergia was on the gold medal Nations’ Cup team in 2001, the silver medal CET – Reining at the World Equestrian Games 2002 and also won the individual bronze medal. She qualified for the 2006 World Equestrian Games but was unable to attend. Commenting on the scoring method for Reining Horse competitions, she said, “Judges want to see fast reactions with hardly any contact, on a loose rein. The rider should appear motionless. They also want to see speed in the horse. In essence, the horse (appears to be) trying without the rider moving. They want to see dramatic changes at the markers and big, but smooth and exact transitions. It’s not how you drive a car; there’s no coasting and no popping the clutch. They also want that dressage image of elegance; it is more that way than the way cowboys are depicted in the movies.

“The horse should stop in line with the marker; one step on either side is a penalty, as is the rider moving, taking up the reins or if the horse is ‘anticipating’ (the next move), especially the stops.”

Sand footing is critical for many of the required movements in the pattern. Shawna said, “A ‘good stopper’ trots his front legs and slides on both hind legs. The hind legs are well under the horse’s body from compressing his hindquarters. The head and neck are quite low and the tail bone can actually touch the ground. The tail hairs drag behind. A 30’ to 35’ slide is common for the top horses. But if the slide is deeper (into the footing) it will travel less distance but score higher. The distance is not a make or break issue.”

The week-end reining show drew 49 horses and a record number of ‘runs’ at the Princess Louise Park Show Centre. In the past couple of weeks new sand has been added to the footing in the Arena show ring which helped ease those sliding stops.

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