Local equestrians compete at horse championship
Published 3:38 pm Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Haleigh Moman was named the reserve champion for Western Trail at the state championship in Montgomery. (Contributed Photos)
Two young equestrians from the Chilton County 4-H Horse Club are competing at the Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championship this week in Georgia.
Haleigh Moman, 16, and Sara Ward, 10, qualified for the regional competition at the state tournament, held in Montgomery July 8-12.
The two girls will compete in contests such as showmanship, saddle seat pleasure, equitation, trails and many more throughout the weeklong competition.
Sara Ward and her horse, Ringo, are competing in the Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championship.
Moman, who is competing for the third time at the regional level, said her favorite part of the championship series is the trails.
“On the trail courses, we open and close gates, do poles and patterns, and go through obstacles likes ladders and bridges,” Moman said. “We do all that while trying to maintain a certain gait. There’s a lot going on, that’s why I like it.”
Moman was named the reserved champion for Western Trail in the senior division (ages 14 and up) at the state championship.
Her horse, Little Man, is a Quarterhorse paint, and Moman shared that he is her first “project” horse. She began working with him when he was just 7 months old.
“When we’re practicing, I start on the ground training Little Man to get used to the obstacles,” Moman said. “If they can’t do it on the ground first, don’t expect them to do it under saddle.”
Moman began riding at age four, training at age nine and competing at age 12.
She said that although she has some experience under her belt, there are hundreds of riders at the regional championship going for the blue ribbon.
“I will be happy if I place in a contest,” Moman said. “Competing in your home state, you compete against a lot of the same people each year. Here, you don’t know what you’re up against. You’ve just got to humble yourself and do your best.”
(Left to right) Sara Ward, Haleigh Moman and Kendal Ward are members of the Chilton County 4-H Horse Club.
Last year, there were approximately 400 competitors in the regional championship.
On Wednesday, Ward was preparing for her first contest in the ring.
She said that she was “really excited” about riding Western and English style in the competition.
“I like all of the contests,” Ward said. “I just learned to lope on my horse so I’m excited about that.”
Ward’s horse, Ringo, is a Chocolate Bay Quarterhorse.
“I started riding my pony when I was little,” Ward said. “I really liked riding him, so Mommy got me a horse last year. I love to ride him.”
If Moman and Ward score high enough, they could qualify for the national competition in New Mexico.
