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| 8/1/2007 12:01:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article
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Photos by DAMIAN MULINIX/Observer staff photojournalist
Reese Pierson takes her horse Screen Venture for a hard ride around the barrels during a practice two weeks ago at the Long Beach Rodeo grounds. |
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Photos by DAMIAN MULINIX/Observer staff photojournalist
Though old enough to handle a horse four times her size, Erika Glenn is still a youngster at her core, choosing to suck her thumb while disagreeing with her mom Kelly at a recent practice.Erika is one of the youngest local barrel racers. |
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Pee Wee barrel racers are Ready to RIDE
BY DAMIAN MULINIX
Observer photojournalist
LONG BEACH - "I compete against myself and go for my personal best," said Allison Bonney, one of a handful of local Pee Wee barrel racers, prior to the Long Beach Rodeo last week.
With ages ranging from four to just under 15 years old, these young girls have been getting their first taste of competitive horse riding. This past weekend's rodeo offered them an opportunity to strut their stuff in front of a home crowd.
"They're all learning and they just love to ride, love to compete," said Amy McHale, the girls' riding instructor.
The Pee Wee barrels event is not a regular part of the rodeo, rather an addition aimed at involving younger riders. With a slightly shorter course and times that are normally close to double that of the professional riders, the girls are out to learn and to have fun. Reese Pierson said it didn't really matter what her time was, but that she did her best following her ride on Sunday. Pierson placed second on Saturday with a time of 27.92 seconds.
Riding since she was five - the same age as the youngest rider in the group today - McKenzie Dalton has been quick to success in barrel racing. She said likes the rodeo because "my friends come and see me barrel race and it's fun for them to come and see what I do."
Her friends and family got a treat Saturday as Dalton finished first in a time of 20.46 seconds. She also would have finished first on Sunday, but horse Magic - which she just got this year - knocked over the final barrel, causing an additional five seconds to be added to her score.
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