Geoff Taylor on Little Pepto's Chance has won an innovative Geraldine event which tested the versatility of horse and rider.
The White Horse Cowboy Challenge, held at the weekend, was believed to be the first competition of its kind in New Zealand.
A total of 23 adult and seven youth entries fought for honours in the competition, run by the Aoraki Western Riding Club. Taylor, of Waimate, took home $1000 and a buckle for his win.
Claire Smith on Joe Calico won the youth section, followed by James Pinfold on Eagle and Hayley Johnson on Southern Kodiack.
The event was modelled on the popular extreme cowboy competitions in the United States.
The Kiwi version pitted horse and rider skills in a varied range of tasks chosen by organisers from a pool of dozens of potential challenges.
All were outlined in the rule book, and ranged from backing, bareback riding, pulling a pallet, riding by smoke, ponying, archery and side passing to serpentine and water carrying.
The 13 obstacles chosen in the first round were log crossing, deadfall, one step down, back up hill, serpentine, slicker carry, hay carry, ravine ride, free ride, sidepass, cowboy curtain, tunnel and tarp drag.
There were 23 starters in the first round of the adult division, and the top 12 went on to the second round, taking their first-round scores with them.
In the second round the organisers took out five of the tasks and added 'spin', 'see-saw bridge', 'log pull', 'stand up in saddle and hit ball', and 'bareback'.
Second in the adult section was Jane Severinson on Riarmas Sug n Oak. Dion Church on Black was third.
The three judges were Scott O'Malley, Bert Elstob and Sally Thorne.
Facebook
Twitter
HOME SITES 
