By Ella Norton

Muffling the sound of the horses every step, the dirt floored arena accents the leg muscles of the exceptional equestrian gallantly galloping across the dust. The unblinking eye of determination shows its face in the eyes of both the animal and its trainer. Constantly battling internally whether to be more confident or nervous was second nature to Mount Vernon sophomore Maggie Dale competing at the State Fair the week of August 16th.

Dale earned the 1st Place title in her division of the Trail competition, where competitors were forced to lead their horses to hop gates, and maneuver around tight poles. Dale describes how one of the obstacles was to go through a large box, how this part makes a lot of horses very nervous and forces them to lose their cool. But with only nicking a pole Dale and her horse Chaco of three and a half years slid right by.

When Dale got Chaco he only knew how to run; she says she had to train him to do everything else. Visiting her horse seven days a week in the summer and limiting it five days during the school year, Dale trained Chaco and made him into a champion.
Arriving at the State Fair was exciting, she said. Her horse stall was right next to all of her friends from the county fair. She spent the week going back and forth between hotel rooms, and swimming in the hotel pool. But when show day came Dale had achieved the accomplishment of putting in the extra mile to reach her goal.

“My horse is white so I had to wash it quite a bit at the fair. It was a lot of work,” Dale said.
Dale entered many competitions at the fair but Chaco’s and her specialties are Trail and Ranch Horse Pleasure. Ranch Horse Pleasure consists of a horse being rode around the arena, so that the horse looks comfortable enough to ride for a full day of work but also looks like it is going at a good speed.

Dale did very well in these two events placing 1st in her division of Trail, and 2nd in Ranch Horse Pleasure, advancing Chaco and herself to the championships. The championships included 1st and 2nd place finishers in all divisions for another round of competition. Again, in the championships, Dale earned 2nd place overall, which is titled Reserve Champion in the equestrian world.

After finishing competition Dale felt a sense of accomplishment. She says, “In a lot of sports your season just ends, but I’ve been training my horse all year round in heat and rain and snow, so to get these titles is really rewarding.”

Dale was asked, if she had to explain why she continues to show horses despite the constant training, in five single words, what would they be. Dale responded, “The relationship with your horse.” Dale describes getting to know your horse’s individual personality, as the best part. Also how the constant training does not seem so bad when it is something you have always loved to do.

Dale has been riding horses for over half of her lifetime, and every year she gets better and better. Dale says her goal for next year is the same as it was for this year, to do better than the year before.