By Dan Roark
Due to the events of the past week or so, well, life, I’m playing catch-up with posts. As I said in the post last Tuesday, we went to the Denton Roundup Club (DRC) Playday for the second time on Palm Sunday. Despite the strong wind and cloudiness with intermittent sun, everyone enjoyed the day – as you can see on Susan’s and Juliana’s faces.
The members of the DRC are very welcoming. Members share the duties from running the concession stand to being an announcer or judge to driving the tractor to drag the arena between events, and other duties around the arena. Moving the props between events, putting the barrels back up if a rider knocks them over, and manning the chute.
The three riding patterns that Sunday were Spur, Barrels, and Larryette. See the DRC Playday riding patterns here. They change one or two of the patterns each playday. As I’ve mentioned earlier, DRC members get points for placing in events, adding them up during the year.
The New Hope riders have their time called out by the announcer, too. So they know where they would qualify if they were members. But the point is that they learn about competing without the pressure of actually doing so. The experience will come in handy come time for Chisholm Challenge in January. And the lack of pressure let’s them just have fun.
Even Susan, New Hope Instructor, who competes in serious Jumping Competitions, had fun riding Daisy Mae in relaxed and friendly competition. She was able to ride when a third New Hope rider couldn’t make it.
Ride on and ride for hope.
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