On Sept. 6, the Black Forest Saddle Club hosted a special horse show, where children and parents reversed roles. Instead of children showing horses, the parents showed them, and the children played the role of parent. Participants and competitors were former 4-H members or parents of 4-H members.ìWe host the show to raise money as a scholarship fund for 4-H youth,î said Megan Meier, one of the organizers of the show and a 4-H member. Meier, a senior at Lewis-Palmer High School, said 4-H members who are seniors or college freshman can apply for the scholarship. The scholarship is open to members of the equine portion of the El Paso County 4-H club, she said.The funds raised were garnered from entry fees, said Krista Riester, the other organizer, who is a senior at Pine Creek High School. ìWe have a flat-rate fee for all classes, and a per-class fee if you only want to do a few,î Riester said.To add a bit of humor to the event, competitors help raise money by bribing the judges. If the judges accepted a bribe, they could alter placement for the riders. Plenty of bribing took place ó before and during the show.Riester said they offered a total of 27 classes, which are defined by skill level. One class included a written test to determine the rider’s knowledge of horses, and another class included showmanship. They provided a walk/trot division for the less advanced horse and rider combinations and a more advanced class in which riders were required to lope (a three-beat gait). In some classes, riders were asked to memorize and perform a pattern for trotting, walking, etc. Other classes involved the judge calling out the gait they wanted to see.One pair of riders shared a horse, so they switched riders in the middle of the riding class; and one of them pretended to ride a horse and then performed a few of the class requirements on foot. ìIt’s definitely a fun atmosphere, just for fun,î Riester said. ìMost of these people we know personally.îMeier said this is the eventís third year. ìThe first year was very successful,î she said. ìLast year was rained out and couldn’t be rescheduled.î Turnout for the show fell from the first year. Meier said, ì4-H in the county and youth participation is down,î but she doesnít know the reason for the decline. There has been a drop in participation within equine 4-H events in general for a few years, Meier said. Despite the lower turnout for the show’s third year, the event still raised almost $400. The first year raised $657 for the scholarship fund.Meier said that the ìrole reversalî show is currently the only fundraiser for the scholarship.The two judges for the show, Sarah Laden and Olivia Brandt, are also 4-H members and part of the youth judging team. Meier said they recently competed at a national quarter horse show, and are nationally ranked.Riester and Meier will be graduating from high school next year so no one will be available to run the show. Unless someone volunteers, the show will not go on.
