Even after well over three decades, the Yukon Horse and Rider Association continues to improve its annual show.
The YHRA’s 37th annual Summer Show was for the first time a sanctioned event under the sport’s editorial governing body.
“This was our first year running a sanctioned show, meaning we were operating under a set of rules approved by our local governing body, Equine Association of Yukon,” said YHRA president Elsie Wain. “It is our provincial sport governing body, operating under the umbrella of Equine Canada.… I’d say it moved us up a little bit in professionalism. That was a big deal this year for Yukon Horse and Rider, to be able to achieve that.”
A total of 58 horse and rider teams, five more than last year and including eight from Juneau, took part in this year’s event held at the show grounds off the North Klondike Highway on Bea Firth Road.
It wasn’t without incident. On Saturday a horse, after it competed, ran face-on into the rail of a fence for unknown reasons, suffering a significant head injury.
Whitehorse’s Angelique and Howard Bjork sprang into action, cancelling their plans to compete and helping get the horse to a veterinarian clinic.
The horse was later hauled to a clinic in Calgary and the Bjorks received the YHRA Sportsmanship Award for their selfless actions.
“(The horse is) going to make a full recovery, but it was pretty darn serious,” said Wain. “Howard and Angelique dropped their classes, had people put their horses away, and really provided tremendous support to both the rider and the injured horse … They got their own trailer out, hauled the horse to the vet clinic – Angelique actually rode in the back of the trailer to keep the horse calm.
“They are really the friends and neighbours everybody would want in an emergency.”
Contact Tom Patrick at tomp@yukon-news.com
Show Champions
Hunt seat equitation champion and reserve
Paige Stockley – junior champion
Elizabeth Inglis – junior reserve
Laura Holmes /Ashley Borgel – youth champion
Celeste Findlay – youth reserve
Terry Inglis – open champion
Kathryn Morrison – open reserve
Hunter division open champion and reserve
2’6” division
Lady Grey – champion
Harry – reserve
2’9” division
Hollywood – champion
3’ division
Moonlight’s Montage – champion
Highland’s McDuff /Moonshine – reserve
Western equitation champion and reserve
Janilyn Kooy – champion adult
Heidi Miller – reserve adult
Malorie Hanson – youth champion
Leah Neyhart – youth reserve
Kate DeBuse – junior champion
Presley Bjork – junior reserve
Halter Champion
Maria Elena owned by Leah Neyhart (Juneau) – grand champion
Snow Elf owned by Northern Tempo Equestrian (Whitehorse) – reserve champion
Mandolin HBR owned by Janilyn Kooy, bred by Gail Reiderer, Heart Bar Ranch (Whitehorse) – Yukon bred champion