Trusting the right horse
Trick riding demonstration leaves attendees at Dundas fair wanting more
It almost seemed like a scene from Game of Thrones as trick riders and horses pushed their skills, luck and guts to the limit in front of thousands of cheering Islanders this weekend. Riding a galloping horse while hanging upside, as well as riding two horses at once with a foot on each, were just a couple of the awe-inspiring and seemingly death-defying stunts showcased by Hearts N’ Hooves Trick Riding at the 77th annual Provincial Plowing Match and Agriculture Fair in Dundas this weekend.
Gordon Jackson, co-president of the fair with his wife, Karen, said the exhilarating performances were undoubtedly a boost to the weekend with Sunday being one of the busiest days in the fair’s history.
“I don’t know how many people were watching, but it was five or six (rows) deep and they were amazing,” said Jackson. “They’re super athletes… and the crowd loved them. Everyone was down getting autographs and pictures with them and thanking them for coming.”
The origins behind trick riding came during the Russian Revolution, when Russian Cossacks would use the unique moves as stealth manoeuvres. It wasn’t until when many of those Cossacks later moved to the U.S. that they began using the talent for entertainment.
The three stunt riders in Dundas explained to the crowd that they trust their horses with their lives.
“The horse is probably 90 per cent of the show. If you don’t have the right horse, it just doesn’t work,” said trick rider Ashley Furgeson, who makes up the riding trio with Mackenzie Jensen and Bella DaCosta.
The three, who all got into the sport after seeing it performed in previous rodeos, said they got plenty of positive feedback following their first ever performances in P.E.I.
“(Those in the crowd) just thought it was super awesome, they said they had never seen anything like it and hoped that we come back,” said Furgeson. Ann Boumay, of Ontario, was one of many captivated by the show. “(I came here) especially for the plowing match but this was a bonus,” said Boumay, who was at the fair with family members from Nova Scotia. “We loved it.”
Young horse rider Becca Diehlmann, of Murray River was just as impressed.
“I loved it, (it’s my) first time seeing them,” said Diehlmann, who was volunteering at the exhibition with 4-H for part of the day.
“It’s so crazy how good they are.”
Apart from the trick riders, the fair had everything its regular attendees have come to love from home-cooked meals and tractor pulls, to antique tractors and the popular horse and oxen plowing matches.
It also included the G&G carnival midway, live entertainment and livestock demonstrations.
Jackson also thanked the many volunteers who helped pull off this year’s fair.
“All around, it was one of the best fairs we ever had.”