By BUNNY HATCHER
For The Beachcomber
Members of the Vashon Rock Riders 4-H Club returned from King County Fair with sunburns, smiles, lots of ribbons and a very large trophy.
Roehre Cunningham entered first and competed in the Western games section, where he took fourth place in Texas barrels and key race, third place in figure 8 stake race, and won grand champion in international flags.
Next came the junior and intermediate performance riders.
Olivia Sudduth brought home the novice division trail grand champion, while Stephanie Provost earned sixth place in the junior division, and Stori Johnson took ninth among intermediates.
Provost also placed fourth in the showmanship championship and earned admission to the 4-H medals program.
The Rock Riders have often made an impressive showing in the dressage and over fences section, and this year proved no exception.
Taylor Shride won the senior grand champion dressage section, which earned her a place on the state team. Shride brought home a very large trophy for having the best dressage score of the whole King County Division.
Stephanie Provost took the junior grand championship. The club’s intermediates also placed in dressage, with Stori Johnson placing second, Ella Mildon earning sixth and Emily Kruly taking seventh place. Senior Anna Wilson placed second to Shride in dressage.
These riders were also “jumping for joy” with their placings in their respective equitation over fences classes.
Johnson placed sixth in both of her classes; Mildon earned two fourth-place rosettes, and Kruly received a second and third placing.
Shride continued her winning streak, earning both a first and second place in her classes, while Wilson placed third in both rounds.
In senior performance, Taylor Shride placed 10th in trail.
These riders could not have succeeded without the assistance of their grooms, Hosanna Thalhofer, Aria Mildon, Selena Mildon, Max Johnson and Julianna Rowen, along with the support of their parents and their leaders, Marie Bradley, Bunny Hatcher and Cindi Vance.
The athletes already have their sights set on the 2010 King County Fair.
— Bunny Hatcher is a 4-H Rock Riders leader.
