Saddle up: Horseback riding at the fair is a family event

Aug 4, 2023

CALE BLAKELY/FOR THE EXPRESSAdalyn Gilmore is pictured atop her horse at the apple bobbing contest.

CALE BLAKELY/FOR THE EXPRESSA group of junior kids are seen taking their horses back to the stables after competing.

MACKEYVILLE — Horseback Riding is going strong at the Clinton County Fair, with the Youth Horseback Games being conducted yesterday.

Starting off in the 1990s, long-time 4-H members Dana Boardman, Helene McKernan and Mala Moore pioneered the event and still manage the running of it now.

They were at the fair one day and noticed the kids and horses had been sitting around doing nothing and decided to add a little excitement to get them up and moving.

After repeating it again in future years, the Clinton County Fair picked it up as an official event, and it’s been going on ever since.

Now, the Horseback Games provide an opportunity for some of the younger kids to really shine, when they wouldn’t be able to otherwise.

“We did it to give the littler kids who normally don’t get a ribbon the chance to get one,” said Moore.

At this point, three generations of 4-H members had participated in the games, and many of them still come by to help out or bring their children to compete.

Two families, the Gilmores and the Baylins, have been bringing their children ever since they could get in the saddle, starting as young as three years old.

Kylie Gilmore, the aunt of two young competitors, Adalyn and Piper, was a 4-H member when she was younger, and still looks back fondly on her riding days.

The Youth Horseback Games allows her to share her passion with her two nieces, bringing them closer together as a family.

Ashley Baylin spoke of her two daughter’s joy and excitement that the games bring them, and how they spend the whole summer looking forward to the fair.

“If you asked any of these girls, they would tell you the fair is their favorite part of their summer,” Baylin said.

Events featured included Dollar Bareback, where riders would put a dollar between their thigh and the horse and try to keep it there while riding; Egg & Spoon, where riders have to keep an egg held in a spoon as they ride; Musical Bags, which is a combination of horse riding and musical chairs; Speed Trail, a horse riding an obstacle course; and Apple Bobbing, with riders having to dismount to apple bob then bring it back on their horse.

Even kids who didn’t have a horse of their own were able to participate, as stick horses were provided to fill in for an actual horse.

The groups were split into senior and junior age groups, with senior being ages 14-18 and junior letting anyone under 13 into the competition.

Ribbons were then awarded in accordance to those who got the best time or lasted the longest in each individual event, capping off the various activities.

Most importantly though, the Youth Horseback Games provides these kids a fun outlet to let their energy out and hopefully will continue to do so for more generations to come.

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

MILL HALL — The Keystone Central School District Board of Directors will consider a laundry list personnel ...

MILL HALL — The Keystone Central School District Board of Directors were presented with an updated Emergency ...

WASHINGTON — The job market has cooled over the summer. But it’s still strong enough to defy predictions ...