4H clubs back in the saddle again
Editor’s Note: After a quick halt to all 4H activities in April due to the COVID19 pandemic, 4H clubs in Medicine Hat and surrounding area were able to meet up again and begin an exciting new year of 4H.
Below is a kick-off from the Medicine Hat Club, Saddles ‘n Spurs Light Horse 4H Club.
Saddles ’n Spurs Light Horse 4H Club
We started off the 2020-2021 year with highway clean-up on Sept. 19, that was followed by the reorganizational meeting at the Medicine Hat Carriage House located at the Medicine Hat Stampede Grounds. During this meeting many important things were discussed, but the most important item on the agenda was picking the club executives and leaders.
The club executives for this year are President: Charlatan Sandford, Vice President: Mila Stuut, Secretary: Emma Baedke, Treasurer: Ridley Elliott, Historian: Autumn Klaiber, and Club Reporter: Talayna Miller. Jr. Council Representatives: Ridley Elliot and Katalina Hirsch.
The leaders were also chosen during this meeting. The club leaders are: General Leader: Kerri Sandford,
Assistant Leader: Carla Klaiber,
Mounted Leader: Lisa Newby,
Dismounted Leader: Micheala Newby,
Achievement Day Leaders: Marni Elliot and Tavin Stuut, Record Book Leader:
Dominique Hirsch, and Communications Day Leaders: Pam Baedke, Dominique Hirsch and
Marcella Miller.
On Oct. 25, we had a Mounted Shooting Clinic with Cyrl Schock and Tannis Piotrowski at Forsyth Ranch Arena. At this clinic members were first taught about fire arm safety and handling fire arms properly by instructor Dale Wood. Members were divided up into two groups and then we were taken through the balloon course that had been set up.
Everybody then had a turn riding through the course on their horse and shooting a cap gun at the balloons.
This was a great experience for both the horses and the riders, exposing them to the cap gun sounds and being able to be in control while completing the course.
On Nov. 7, Saddles ‘n’ Spurs had a Faron Forsyth Reining Clinic.
Faron took the time to work with each member individually, asking which skills that they would like to work on with their horse.
While waiting for their turn, the rest of the members worked through three other stations with the help of three members from the club that have previously taken lessons from Faron. This clinic was very fun and each member learnt lots of things about horsemanship skills.
There are many more activities the Saddles ’n Spurs 4H Club has planned for the 2020/2021 year. With horses and eager riders in tow, all 23 members will be learning more horsemanship and helping out in the community, the 4H way.