Jenna Bordelon
RANCHO DISTRICT -- On a blistering hot day in Burbank, a crowd
gathered to experience the sights and smells of all things equestrian.
From drill competitions and pageants of little princesses to pamphlets
with entries on "how to handle horse manure" and where to buy equine
mortality insurance, the Equestrian Trails Incorporated Competition
promised fun for everyone.
Held Sunday at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, the main event was
the drill competition, in which four teams competed.
Last year's grand prize winners, the California Rangers, took to the
field in a dazzling display of horsemanship. The 16-member team of 14
girls and two boys led their mounts through a 12-minute performance that
included pinwheels, double crossovers and box crossovers.
Based in Shadow Hills, the Rangers is organized like a Cavalry
regiment and strives to teach kids not just about riding and military
drills but about the discipline and responsibility required to care for
horses.
Their most challenging move was a pinwheel with two riders trotting
slowly in a circle as the others spun faster and faster around the
center.
The horses moved out into a big circle, which drew tighter and tighter
until the riders looked like a carousel ride in full swing.
Once again, The Rangers won first prize.
Jessica Casaus, 12, of Burbank, is the youngest member of the Eagle
Troop, the elite group representing the Rangers on Sunday.
Casaus said she intends to work with horses for the rest of her life.
"I want to be a trainer," she said. "Kind of a side job."
When asked what she liked best about her rented horse, Dan, Jessica
showed her wild side.
"He's really fast," she laughed. "I like really fast horses."
One unique aspect of the Rangers is that any boy or girl 9 to 18 can
join. The horses are rented and the tack is provided by the group.
"The kids don't really become attached to the horse per say," Brian
Rainwaters, a colonel with the Rangers and a member for 10 years, said.
"They become attached to the organization."
All the teams were judged on the difficulty of the ride, consistency
and technical proficiency, Ranger parent Dwayne Bruce said.
The Blue Shadows Mounted Drill Team won second place, the Hesperia
Wranglers snagged third and the Main Event, in spandex and gold tassels,
placed fourth.
