Hallorans gearing up for special rides at Winter Fair
Mom’s experience comes in handy with her daughter joining the competition
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/03/2018 (2994 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Leisa Halloran knows full well the kind of pressure this week’s horse show brings.
The longtime rider and high school teacher from Boissevain has competed in the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair before, but when it comes to “the big show,” the nerves and excitement can be daunting for anyone, especially a young rider.
It’s this experience and knowledge that Halloran hopes to impart to her nine-year-old daughter Abigail, when she too joins the ranks of family equestrians who have competed at the Winter Fair.
Leisa and Abigail will be in different events, but this year will be the first time they have both competed at the Winter Fair.
“It’s kind of cool that you can do the same thing together and enjoy it,” Leisa said.
The Winter Fair horse show is the province’s largest indoor equestrian event, drawing horses and riders from different parts of the country and elsewhere as they compete for more than $150,000 in prize money.
Held over a six-day period, the show will feature a range of competitions, split between the Westoba Agricultural Centre and Westoba Place, from hunter-jumper, kids costume, barrel racing and heavy and hackney horse events.
Leisa and her horse, Riot, will compete in the 0.9- and one-metre jumper event, in which contestants are judged based on their speed and faults.
Abigail, meanwhile, will take part in the pony hunter division, where riders score points for their style and technique, with Lil Buddy Holly, a small white pony on lease from a woman in Killarney, with a distinct heart-shaped patch of hair on his left side.
Abigail started riding at the age of five and has shown in other competitions before, but coming to “the big show,” as it’s often called, is not without its set of worries.
Asked how she feels going into it, Abigail said: “Kind of nervous, but really excited.”
The feeling is common among a lot of kids, most of whom want to do really well, Leisa said.
“It’s a very hard sport, so there’s a lot of emotion the first time,” she said.
The competition is much tougher and for someone who isn’t ready for it, the experience can be upsetting.
“When it goes well, it’s really good,” Leisa said. “When it goes bad, there are a few tears.”
The important thing for her is to remind her daughter that the goal this year is not for the blue ribbon, but for the experience and having fun.
Another advantage to the mother-daughter outing, as Abigail pointed out, is she gets to see her mom ride as well.
“It’s really exciting,” Leisa said. “It’s very fun watching her compete too.”
» mlee@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @mtaylorlee