Cowboy Country CDE
2011 Cowboy Country CDE
October 22-23 Stillwater, Oklahoma
Word-wrangled by Karin Broker
Well, howdy to all. Somehow a show called Cowboy Country just makes you want to twang your way through the day.
The 2011 Oklahoma CDE was well represented by HACA members. Most drove their rigs into the Payne County Fairgrounds late Thursday afternoon. Sandy Smith single handedly found parking for all the HACA group next to each other, which made for quite the continuous weekend tailgate party.
It was truly inspiring to see the Texas contingency work, drive and visit with each other. Seems like you had triple the amount of hands when putting to and everyone happily shared items you had somehow forgotten back in the tack room. For a beginner like myself it was wonderful to have a team of people kindly offering driving tips. ...
I don’t think I ever saw less than a broad smile on Linda Yutzy’s face during the entire competition and well, I think that if Karen Garrett hadn’t had such a nasty cold we would have had 100% HACA happiness during the entire Oklahoma CDE. Linda was especially grateful to have Kate Morgan as her stand-in ‘gator since Keith was TDing in Arizona. Kate organizes the Sunrise Ridge Driving Trial in Paradise, TX each spring.
The weather was actually like real weather. The nights were crispy and chilly but sunny and un-Texas like cool during the day. For our entertainment they had a frog strangler rain Saturday night, which made the trails softer for Sunday!
We were all way too thrilled when we saw that Mike McLennan had to drive first early Sunday morning on sections A, D and E. The fog was so intense that I’m now truly afraid that Mike can see through things.
Since there was no concession stand for breakfast or lunch the Texans party-upped their vittles and shared. I might just take some sort of fire pit for the next years Cowboy CDE to make the picture perfect.
On Friday night the OHHA had their traditional potluck soup dinner, which was an idea I wish I had invented. There were about ten + crock-pots filled with soups ranging from deer stew to vegetarian fare. Martha Stewart would have been impressed.
The Oklahoma folks were gracious and if they tune up their score system that will be one of the best, maybe even perfect shows around. The Texas drivers were extremely happy to drive at such a wonderful facility with the more experienced drivers generously helping out those of us who were new to this remarkable sport. Just knowing that these people were willing to help you at any turn made you feel part of an amazing family.
If you didn’t go this year then definitely ink it on your calendar for next year and “Cowboy Up” as big Mike M. would say.
As some pretty weary drivers and their horses left the fairgrounds heading into the sunset toward the Texas/Oklahoma border many happily waved their blue ribbons as they said adios.
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Karen Gorham drove Training, Single Pony while Karin Broker, Eileen Leek and Suzanne Smith drove Training, Single Horses.
Dwain Gaus, Sandy Smith, and Denise Hinder dominated the Prelim Single Pony division and Reggie Glover made all the adults weep with his stellar prelim VSE driving.
Mike McLennan showed everyone how “it’s really done” by driving Terry Arnold’s Ruby. Luckily for the rest of the competitors he drove Hors Concours (HC is a non-competing entry and is not eligible for awards.)
Terry Arnold drove her beautiful Benjamin in Prelim while Linda Yutzy (Prelim Pair Pony) smoked the cones and hazards with her trusty and “major cute” Dartmoors. Craig Langseth with wife Roxann drove their huge pair of black Percheron/TB crosses and showed the folks that 17+ hand horses can indeed go through some tight hazards and smile about it.
Lew Smith continued to show off by driving his tandem in Prelim and had the nerve to follow that act by driving his pair of Friesians in Intermediate. Karen Garret drove her lovely horse, Emily in Intermediate with a stunning and speedy trip through the hazards.
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Texas Friends of HACA driving in Training Level:
Gina Kanzaki drove Single Pony, Rosemary Mackay drove her Single Horse and Douwe Plantinga did a beautiful job with his majestic pair of Friesians.