HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1994-05-25, Page 5J
Lifestyle
Local rider excels in competition
BY TIM CUMMING
Expositor Editor
Seaforth's Barbara Alkemade
didn't start riding horses so she
could travel. The member of
Canada's Equestrian team, however,
has headed to Calgary, Qudbec and
Vermont as well as other areas to
compete.
"You meet new people, you go all
kinds of different places you have
never been and never thought of
going," she said.
Barb is one of six nominees to
the Canadian Equestrian Team
which is competing in the endur-
ance event at the World Equestrian
Games in The Hague, Netherlands
in August.
She has been successful in both
competitive and endurance riding.
She describes her chosen sport as
"trail riding with a purpose."
"Of course if it's raining or snow-
ing you still have to go."
In competitive riding the rider and
horse complete a set distance within
a set time and are penalized if the
horse appears to be fatigued or
unsound.
In endurance riding the best time
for a set course determines the
winner. At the world championship
level endurance racing requires a
horse and rider combination to
cover 100 miles in one day.
An article in Canadian Norseman
magazine describes the sport as "an
incredible test of not only fitness
but mental tenacity."
In both events there are desig-
nated areas where veterinarians
inspect the horses.
On May 7 in Flesherton Barb
Alkemade and Matt McNichol won
first prize in another event, the
'Ride 'N' Tie'. In that event, the
horse races with one rider in the
saddle while a second rider runs on
the ground. The two riders then
trade off while the horse is tied.
"It's fun, it's crazy," smiles Barb.
It was the first time competing in
the Ride 'N' Tie for Matt, a
Seaforth District High School stu-
dent. He is a champion barrel racer,
being the first person to win five
barrel -racing events at Quarterama.
He is also no slouch at running
beside a horse.
"He runs like a deer," observes
Barb.
In endurance racing Barbara
Alkemade rides Kabar Raftah, a
fifteen -year-old Canadian champion
three-quarters Arabian gelding. (The
horse is graciously loaned to the
team by owner Rick Burnside). In
the endurance event the horse has
earned its nickname, 'Gretzky'.
Barb was a member of the Bronze
Medal team in the North American
Championships in Calgary in
1993.
Barb will hopefully be riding 11 -
year -old Arab marc Elseyn Cameo
in the Canadian Competitive Trail
Ride Championships in
Penetanguishene in Ontario. On the
weekend she took part in the first
qualifier for the Canadian
Championships near Peterborough
where Cameo placed first in the
Lightweight Division and won
sweepstakes overall.
In July. Barb and Cameo are
headed to New York for a 100 -mile
competitive run. Last year Barb was
Top Canadian in the New York
100 -mile competitive ride. The
Nif It' I
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, May 25, 1994-5
SPECIALS r'
Old Gold
Juniper
'10°° each
Flowering Spirea
'10' each
Shade Trees
10% off
Beautiful Lush
Perennials and more
eye
Lawn
Master
527-1750
R. R. 2, SEAFORTH
SEAFORTH
LIONS POOL
NOTICE
C.J.'s AUTO SERVICE
will be CLOSING
on May 29, 1994
Thanks to all our
customers for their
years of
PATRONAGE
and
FRIENDSHIP
few
CHAMPION HORSE - Barbara Alkemade, of Seaforth (at right) and official groom Richelle Burnside are
'shown in this photo with Kabar Raftah at the North American Championship Ride in Calgary.
MAKING TRAILS - Barbara Alkemade, the Seaforth native tumed
champion horse rider is shown on her horse Elseyn Cameo.
"You get a respect for these animals you may not
have had before..."
horse, Cameo, also competed on the
Gold Medal -winning team at the
Canadian Championships in
Kamloops and has placed consist-
ently high in major competitjons.
Barb's success in competitive and
endurance rides stems from a life-
long love of horses. From her days
as a young girl asking to hear the
story of Black Beauty, she has
loved the majestic animals.
She hasn't always taken part in
endurance and competitive events,
however. She had competed in
hunter/jumper events and studied
dressage with Elizabeth Yeates, of
Milltown Farm Riding School, RR
3 Mitchell.
While still continuing her study of
dressage she reserves her highest
praise for her current events of
endurance and competitive riding.
"This is the sport where I've
learned most about horses," she
said. "You find out all kinds of
things about their instincts...you
certainly get a great respect for any
of these animals that you may not
have had before."
In fact, the skills and smarts
exhibited by horses suggest we as
human beings are "not just as
NS
ON I
:�;1' 1, .11'1' S ‘ 1)11; 1 � t ' :'' ; l.f',;I; ` I • ;. r.
1.
•
.....; ... . ,., 1,
'1• rig
• • /
• NOTICE
•
You have 5 days to
SAV E
The subscription price of
The Huron Expositor will be increasing :;r
r
• ri a.0
as of June 1, 1994.
•ion
$ 0Out Of Area
28.0 Seniors
$25.°° =28.°° plus
plus 1.96 GST plus '1." GST '11" Postage &'2" GST
•
•.f
H the'3.00 '
Hurry
In...save increase
Last Chance TUESDAY, MAY 31, 1994
Hurons `. : 1/
Exposithr f(�r
.
100 MAIN STREET SEAFORTH 527-0240 ;;;,..s....:-.'li
�...•1
..1'rl ,.I II•.,• ..,., .•ill••,. •..; . �' r.)t,
'i...•.•i• rAr • / ).
illitoiVJ: •.rirA w�,•iiiiih i Y) f * . .\'° 6 11 1 ilX;('Iji I /` )1;.(' ‘C?/))
L� `_`.1�...rr• m l lii// / \ in'4‘\
1/
Jr
superior as we tend to think we
are."
The competitive and endurance
events are demanding physically
and psychologically for both horse
and rider. Barb says she has
benefitted from riding different
horses, with their own individual
personalities, which helps the rider
learn to listen better.
The horses are athletes on their
own. They understand about trail
markers (called 'ribbons') and make
up their own minds whether ground
is safe enough to walk on.
"They learn from the other
horses," said Barb. "Their survival
skills are fantastic."
The 100 -mile rides are especially
demanding, requiring concentration
the entire ride.
"These horses are not only doing
all the work, they're doing all the
concentrating," she said.
While the length of the ride may
seem incredible to some, the
horse's rider notes in the early days
it wasn't unusual for a horse to
travel these distances.
The lifelong Seaforth resident is
married to Stan Alkemade, a former
area veterinarian who is now tech-
nical director of the Vetrepharm
and Bioniche research companies.
They have three children: Boe, a
student at the University of
Windsor; Meagan, who is graduat-
ing from grae thirteen at Seaforth
District High School and Drew, an
SDHS student who acts as expert
pit crew for his mother.
Literacy grant
The Southwestern Ontario
Adult Literacy Network was
granted $5,867 in jobsOntario
Community Action funding to
support the Family Literacy
Festival in Huron County, Huron
MPP Paul Klopp, announced on
May 16.
The festival will be held at the
Clinton Fairgrounds, June 6-10,
1994. Klopp was among those to
receive an invitation from school
children asking him to be a guest
reader at the event.
^-.a,
r�.rg
SWIMMING
LESSON
REGISTRATION
3 SESSION- July 4 to 22
- July 25 to August 12
- August 15 to Sept. 2
REGISTER: SATURDAY JUNE 4 -10 AM TO 1 PM
SATURDAY JUNE 11 -10 AM TO 1 PM
LIONS PARK PAVILION
No Early Registrations - No Phone Registrations
Flowers of Hope Canvass
May 1994
Don't forget
Thursday, May 26, 1994
Students from
Seaforth District High School
will be canvassing your area
from 1:45 p.m. -3:20 p.m.
on behalf of
Community Living - South Huron
Does your Well Water
/pass The Test?
Water Testing
9nformatlon Night
6 free testing tor bacteria. nitrates, etc.
• why should you test your water?
• what do the test results mean?
• how can problems be corrected?
Hensall - Monday, May 30
7 - 9 p.m., Hensall Arena
i, f' rassels - Monday, June 6, 7 - 9 p. m.
Brussels, Morris & Grey Community Centre
.rjenmlller - Monday, June I3
7 - 9 p.m., Forester's Hall
For more information call 482.-1416 or 1-800-265-5184
41)
6
•1 � ft
Canadian
Environment Week
June 5 - 12, 1991
µ,..iv,
r
Sponsored by Hwon County
Rural Health Coordinating Committee
Hwon County Health Unit
(Add For Set Up CADET CADETS HP
'100.) PUSH MOWERS REAR TINE TRIER
'169. '1,075. wok F•<,r,,,e
S HP 526 CADET -
$
WOO CADET - 36' Hydro.
$ HP YARDMAN - Reor Mount RM830 30'.
'As New'. Electric Stort.
t M ARENS - 30' Rider
I1 H1 CANADIANA - I 1 /36; .W.- -
KUWTA 11C4$ - Mid Mount Mower. 48'.
RIM' ROTOR TltIR - (Fits 782 Codet).
11 HP IACOSSEN LAWN TRACTOR
QUALITY IS �
alb (hd r
THE OniviNo I
FORCE. n r•,to 'vm•nt
5949.00
5349.00
5496.00
5575.00
5575.00
12 HP CANADIANA - Articulating
(New Engine 1 Yr Warr )
14 HP KUBOTA T1400
16 HP CADET 582 - 44' Mower
16 HPIACOBSON HOMEUTE - Hydro 50'
16 HP CASE 446 - 48' Mower & Blower Hydro.
18 HP CADET 1862 .54' hydro 118 Hrs.
18 HP CADET 1864 •46' (Demo). 34 Hn
8 HP ROPER - 8 HP RIDER 30'
51995.00
52495.00
51250.00
52250.00
51775.00
55675.00
56395.00
1UST IN!
F