Horsin' Around: Camp 2024

 

With dogs at daycare and some free time, I drove to the fairgrounds yesterday afternoon to enjoy a some samples of Bonner County 4-H Horse Camp.

When I arrived,  the skies broke open with some serious rain.  That, however, did not dampen the spirits of the 80 or so participants involved in this year's camp. 

As organizer Krissy Peck told me, "We do rain or shine.  We just don't use the outdoor arenas."

Horse loving kids have had access to the annual week-long camp every June for about 15 years. Krissy told me her daughter has been involved for ten of those.   

When horse camp involves everything from line dancing lessons to goat tying, along with several horse-related disciplines, flexibility kicks in. 

While strolling around the fairgrounds with my camera, I felt perfectly at home.  Not only is the place located just half a mile from my childhood farm on North Boyer, but it also holds memories and attracts a great number of faces I've known either since they were born or some reaching back as far as childhood. 

With horse camp, I'd say many of the faces I saw yesterday have a few decades to go before they'd ever catch up with me. 

But, still there are the memories of how they have affected my life.  

Take Chris Feist, for example.

I've known this young man since the day he was born.  

When our house burned down just before Christmas 40 years ago this year, Chris' mother carried him across a field in an attempt to get help after seeing the flames. 

I watched him grow up and also taught him as a high school student when he was a State Champion wrestler.  

Now Chris has sons of his own. 

He said to me yesterday, "I wanted wrestlers but I'm getting cowboys." 

Chris, his father Simon, mother Karen and brother Luke lived just down the road from us on Great Northern Road. 

I haven't seen him in a while because his work involves a lot of travel, so it was good to do a little catching up and admire his little boys. 

Levi Wood is another of my favorites, as he is to so many people. 

I've known him since his younger childhood days and have appreciated his genuine friendship as well as his help over the years putting in our hay. 

Both Bill and I are stunned that Levi will be a senior at Sandpoint High this year. 

Below:  a cousin to Levi, Krissy Wood Peck has been organizing horse camp along with other parents.  

It's always fun to catch up with her and enjoy a good chat.  

One of Chris and Abby Feist's adoraables with his four-legged adorable Corgy. 

Line dancing in the beef barn seems to be a popular segment at horse camp.  

I'm told that the kids will put on a formal line dancing exhibition Thursday night. 

Jessica Edmondson is teaching the kids how to line dance and how to tie goats. Now, that represents a broad range of talents. 

Below:  Mary Marienau, who trained CB, has worked at horse camp as a clinician for a number of years. 

She brought out the hula hoops yesterday, nothing that loose hips make for good riders. 

 

If I recall correctly, when I first met this young lady of Marienau lineage, she was dressed in English riding attire and her goat was tacked up with an English saddle.  

Note picture below. 

She told me yesterday that she would be doing some goat tying at camp. 

Sammy Russell Mulcrone is teaching the kids the basics of jumping. 

I really enjoyed my visit to horse camp yesterday and may find some time to go again.  

It's really fun seeing the generations---some who have become the teachers and others the students aspiring to have fun in a variety of ways with their horses. 

More than anything, you can count on the fact that countless lifetime friendships will be forged. 

Good job, organizers and teachers. You are putting on a wonderful activity. 

BTW:  the doggies passed daycare with no problems, but they were happy to see us, as we were to see them.