Riders line up for equine show
Brant Griffin, of Post Falls, sat high on his horse, Mag, waiting for his competition to begin. His hands rested calmly on the saddlehorn, and he held his back straight. Mag kept still as Brant appeared to focus on a point far beyond the mountains.
They looked like models for a painter.
“These shows are fun, but it’s hard work,” said Brant, 11, after his first race. “You have to practice every day and concentrate on the event.”
Many passionate riders spend their weekends at horse shows such as this, making friends and competing with other riders. This weekend, at least 250 are expected to ride at the North Idaho Fair Open Horse Show in Coeur d’Alene, said Dan Grimmitt, one of the organizers.
The three-day event began Friday with gaming events such as pole bending and arena racing. The rest of the weekend belongs to the Western and English performance classes, where the performance is more important than the stopwatch.
Friday at 1 p.m., rider No. 100 entered the arena for the first race. Carson Fisk, at 4 the youngest competitor of the day, had the honor of opening the games. Accompanied by his mother, Stacey, Carson rode his horse, Magic, and did a good job, passing the poles without knocking them over. The audience rewarded his dedication with strong applause.
“It’s the first year he rides by himself,” said his father, Andy. “Before, we did lead line with him. His first time on the horse was when he was 1 1/2 .”
Taking part in horse shows is more than just a hobby for the family. “We do it once or twice a month,” Andy Fisk said.
“It’s a family thing,” Stacey Fisk added. “Everyone can participate. It’s a kind of lifestyle. You get yourself in shape before you get your horse in shape. And the children learn how to take over responsibility as they take care of the horses. He already helps to fill the water buckets. He brings in the hay.”
The Fisks own six horses kept on 40 acres. Stacey works as a stay-at-home mom and Andy sells cars.
Asked if he was content with his first ride Friday, Carson nodded shyly but kept quiet. Behind him in the horse trailer played Ellie, the next up-and-coming rider in the Fisk family. She didn’t take part in this show, however. She’s just 2.
Older riders raised dust from the arena soil as they raced faster and faster.
Brant Griffin prepared for the next game, licking an ice cream. Up to 12 times a year he takes part in events like this, accompanied by his mother. Asked what horse riding means to him, he didn’t need to think long: “It feels nice to be high,” the boy said with a smile.