NL_011118

18 | January 11, 2018 | The New Lenox Patriot Life & Arts
newlenoxpatriot.com
Area children giddyup to compete in Winter Camp Horse Show
Megann Horstead
Freelance Reporter
There was no hitch in
9-year-old Taylor Ossowski’s
giddyup as she took the
reins of her horse, Chase.
She was one of nearly 30
area children on hand Jan. 5
to participate in Nova Quarter
Horses’ annual Winter
Camp Horse Show.
Taylor and Chase set out
to reign in the judges’ attention
and went on to earn
second place honors in their
heat.
“It was really fun,” Taylor
said. “I love the horse I rode.
He’s Chase, and I think we
get along really well.”
The event was meant to
provide an opportunity to
test the knowledge and skills
of the participants and showcase
to their families what
they’ve learned the week of
Jan. 2-5 during Nova Quarter
Horses Winter Camp.
Throughout the program,
children learned about the
importance of showing respect
for the horses and how
to care for them.
“I show them every aspect
of what we do at Nova
[Quarter Horses,] whether
they want to be a show kid or
they want to be a trail rider,”
said Lorri Ebeling, owner of
Nova Quarter Horses. “They
can experience everything,
and then they make the
choice. Some kids want to
show, so then they would be
on the show team next. It’s
to show their parents how
they drop them off on Monday
never riding a horse and
by Friday, they compete in a
horse show. So, that’s how
knowledgeable the horses
are and how well they teach
the kids to be good riders.”
Ebeling said it is very impressive
to see how children,
if they’d never rode a horse
before, are able to complete
Area children rein in their horses to give the parents on hand a chance to see the skills they have learned as part of Nova
Quarter Horses’ Winter Camp, which ran Jan. 2-5. PHOTOS BY Megann Horstead/22nd Century Media
Taylor Ossowski strikes a pose standing next to her horse,
Chase.
a four-day camp and compete
in a show to cap it off.
Event organizers set up
four separate heats for participants
to compete in,
with a trophy and a ribbon
awarded to those who
placed first through sixth
place.
Two years ago, Taylor
went on a trail ride and later
started taking horseback riding
lessons. Since that time,
she has participated in a
number of camps and events
through Nova Quarter Horses.
“I feel like the last few
times I rid more like beginner
lesson horses, and now,
I feel like I’ve ridden like a
harder horse,” Taylor said. “I
feel like it was … more of a
challenge.”
Taylor said one challenge
she had while riding Chase
in the show was leading forward
with the leg.
“He doesn’t like it, and
sometimes he will kick out,”
she said.
Lesson horses tend to be
easier for beginning riders,
Taylor said. The show horses
typically allow a rider to exert
greater control.
Taylor’s mom, Tiffany
Ossowski, said she’s seen a
lot of growth in her daughter
since the last time she
participated in the Nova
Quarter Winter Horse
Show.
“You’re in more control
when you ride a show
horse,” Tiffany said of Taylor.
Gianna Fasano, 11, of
New Lenox, was taking the
reins of Rodney during the
Winter Camp Horse Show.
“It was pretty easy,” she
said. “I like [him] a lot.”
This year was Fasano’s
first time participating in the
event, though she has previous
experience with horses
having already taken English
horseback riding lessons
elsewhere. Throughout
the four-day camp at Nova
Quarter Horses, she said she
learned something new.
“I learned how to lope,
which is basically cantering,”
Fasano said. “Cantering
is basically when you go
into a trot, but it’s faster than
a slow gallop.”
Fasano capped off the
Winter Camp Horse Show
by taking first place in her
heat.
“[I was] kind of surprised
just because I really thought
I wouldn’t be getting first
place,” she said. “It’s so
easy.”
Gianna’s mother, Gina
Fassano, said watching her
daughter compete in the
show brought great meaning
Bailey was one of several Quarter horses on hand to compete
in Nova Quarter Horses’ annual Winter Camp Horse Show.
to her.
“All my life I was interested
in horses,” she said.
“I rode when I was younger,
not that much. I always
wanted my children to ride
horses, and she took interest
to it, and here she is.”
It was not until recently
that Gianna began taking
horseback riding lessons.
“Like I said, this was her
first show — very, very
proud of her,” Gina said.
“Very, very surprised she got
first place. She really likes
it. She’s really relaxed when
she’s riding and catches on
very easily.”
“It was amazing to see
her,” Gina said. “The way
she rode, her posture was
just so perfect. [I’m] very
proud of her.”