There were enough shining moments to go around as all of the participating farms at the recent Rick Smith Memorial Horse Show took turns basking in the spotlight.
Local rider Leah Blanchette is a perennial champion at this event and others, but on this particular weekend, Rachelle Perron (aboard When Stars Align) did her horse's name justice, pulling off the upset.
Representing coach Shelley Ellis and the Powassan-based crew at Eastwood, Perron completed a clean circuit to slip past the favourite - all of which helped to make the pretty much annual trek to Foothills Farm for Ellis, a native of Bowmanville but long-time northern Ontario horsewoman extremely worthwhile, yet again.
"I am a teacher by trade so the educational end of things, the learning process for the kids and the horses is really what appeals to me," said Ellis, who spent time in both Timmins (Cedar Meadows) and Moosonee.
"I tend to have kids on a little bit lower end budget - but that appeals to me, teaching the kids that they have to buckle down and have to have that work ethic to be able to compete," she added.
"Grit, determination, work ethic: all of that stuff is where they can ride their way up on a lesser quality horse. They know that they cannot just get on a really fancy horse for 20 minutes twice a week. They are going to ride the pants off this thing."
Bringing four horses and three riders to the show, Ellis was thrilled with the progress that was shown by Bel Regazzo, a four year old horse purchased from Northern Legacy.
"He has been a challenge, just immature, but he has behaved perfectly this show and improved dramatically over the course of the four rounds," said Ellis. "That is the kind of think that I like to take away."
Plenty of positive takeaways for Katrina Ruotsalo and the Northern Legacy crew, highlighted by the performance of Uncarrado, a European purchase who was competing for the very first time in North America.
Though he has been in North America since January, the newly-acquired ride had to overcome a foot injury only to emerge as Trillium champion in the 2'3" division earlier this month in Chelmsford.
In terms of the Foothills family, new rider Charlotte Allen wasted little time beginning to make a name for herself. Partnered with her horse, Arlequan de mazes, Allen made the most of her first competition on the Trillium circuit as a jumper rider.
She took first place in all three of her classes, quite a feat for the new duo.
Moments like this are what drew Sudbury-native Krysta Lapointe to the sport in the first place.
Unable to pinpoint the exact source of her love of horses, Lapointe has simply long known that it existed. Battling cystic fibrosis, the 29 year-old was gifted a "wish pony" at the age of 12 and has been a familiar face around local farms pretty much ever since.
That said, a background in Western Pleasure riding did create a bit of extra work for the talkative young woman once she decided to make the move to hunter and jumper competitions.
"It helped that I was very comfortable on a horse, but I learned to ride very differently," said Lapointe. "Even now, I have some habits from Western."
With plans to head to the Trillium Championships in Ottawa in late August along with her horse Frankie (show name =
"It's just such a different connection with a horse," she said. "There's a relationship component and a competitive component. I think competition strengthens the relationship. You have to remember that they have feelings and personalities, that they have good days and bad days."
From a more social standpoint, Rick Smith Show highlights included the engagement of Sault Ste Marie riders Lindsay Trembeth and Brandon Davis (* congratulations!! *), long-time participants at the Foothills Festivities, as well as the leap that North Bay businessman Steve Deacon made in climbing aboard Maggie in competition.
A regular at Cache Creek Stables with coach Amanda McCartney, Deacon has long-provided support, both financial and moral, for his fellow riders. Scooping up a fair share of prizes in the cross rail division, his performance was, by all accounts, "very entertaining".
