Newtown Bridle Lands Holds Annual Fun Day Event

The Newtown Bridle Lands Association held its second annual Members’ Fun Day on June 27. The event took place at the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension Show Grounds in Bethel.

The purpose of the Event is to provide a setting in which members can enjoy their horses in a relaxed type of competition and also have a chance to socialize with other NBLA members. A total of 28 horses and riders took part in a number of games, a command class, and an obstacle course.

Pole Bending was an event in which the horse and rider weave through a line of six upright poles from one end of the ring and back again with the fastest time winning. In the event Egg & Spoon Ride the riders are given a spoon and an egg and must ride various gaits and maneuvers while balancing the egg on a spoon and the last one with an egg wins. Ribbon Race involves pairs of riders holding a 6-foot piece of ribbon and riding various gaits and performing maneuvers. The last team left holding a ribbon wins. Champagne Ride includes various gaits and maneuvers. The rider left with the most champagne wins. The Command Class is an elimination class in which the judge calls out various instructions for the riders. Riders who do not successfully perform the maneuver leave the ring until only one horse is left. The Obstacle Course involved a challenging back-around-a-bush obstacle, sidepassing over a log while holding a pole, dragging a wagon, stepping over a tarp and a flower box, carrying a rainslicker from one pole to another, and others. Winners of the events were:

Pole Bending: Helen Martino

Egg & Spoon: Karenann Alexander

Ribbon Race: Helen Wigzell & Jody Boles

Back Up Race: Martino

Command Class: Wigzell

Obstacle Course: Alexander

NBLA provided fried chicken and beverages and members brought potluck dishes for a lunch following the riding. The Fun Day event was run by volunteers from NBLA who put in many hours of work to make it possible.