HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1996-09-04, Page 15Second Section - September 4,1996
Images of the
Exeter Saddle Club
1996
Thumbs up. Top left, Ashley Bull, left, and Andrea Schneider wish each other luck by going
through a hi-fi, hand -slapping thumbs up ritual before riding out to their showmanship event.
There are many junior gaming and show events designed to let children compete. Most start
off riding ponies before graduating into mature and skilled riders. Bob Parsons riding his
horse Clancy, below, grasps the baton (the flag) out of the first barrel during the flag event.
He would finish by rounding another barrel and race back to the first throwing the baton back
in while the horse is in motion. If the rider misses the barrel or drops the flag they are dis-
qualified. Confidence in your horse is the key to this timed event.
Future rider. Kaleb Arts,
left, takes a time-out from
watching his sister ride, to
inspect a hand pumped wa-
ter fountain. The Exeter
Saddle Club provides a so-
cial atmosphere where fami-
lies can enjoy a barbecued
hamburger under a shady
tree, talk about the latest in
horse gear in between
cheering each other on in
their events. Rounding the
barrel. Julie Rock, below,
president of the Exeter Sad-
dle Club, rounds a barrel in
the barrels event. Racing
against the clock riders
must not tip over any of the
three barrels they nego-
tiate their horse around be-
fore speeding back to the
finish line. Fractions of a
second often decide the
fastest horse and rider in
this visually exciting event.
Spectators are always wel-
comed at the club located
on Highway 21 south of Ste-
phen Township.
Varna family hosts Italian student
By Brenda Burke
T -A Reporter
VARNA - Zaira Coratella is one
of 14 Italian AFS American Field
Services Interculture students who
visited the Clinton and surrounding
area from July 28 to Aug. 24.
'This is my first (AFS trip) but
I've travelled a lot with my par-
ents," said the 15 -year-old who
stayed with the Laurie family in
Varna during her month-long visit.
A resident of Milan, Coratella has
previously lived in England, Den-
mark and Spain. She plans to keep
in touch with other AFS teens she
has spent time with during the trip.
Unlike some exchanges, most of the
students, from Milan, Rome, Venice
and Syracuse, didn't know one an-
other prior to coming to Canada.
They've spent time taking in To-
ronto, Huron County and Niwa
Falls highlights, touring farms, bar-
becuing, backyard camping; Lam,
dcipating in a scavenger hunt, hav-
ing an Italian night and taking
motning English Seasons at a Clin-
ton church. -
While regular exchanges focus.on
visits with host families. pointed out
Wggtll iApt* this one gave the 15 $
17-yetrr oida many Opportunities to
get together. AFS trips are usually
known to be one-year or six-month
excursions. Clinton resident Rachel
Jenkins organized the trip after re-
turning from Sweden last year. Co-
ratella feels one month is plenty of
time to visit Canada, although she
describes it as the land of the big.
"Everything's bigger - roads and
houses and ice cream."
Also, meals are different. Back
home, it's not unusual for Coratella
to eat an afternoon lunch and then
supper as late as 9 p.m. Italian diets
also require fewer milk products
and replace butter and margarine
with oils. Real Italian food, she
added, is incomparable to North
American imitations. However, she
has discovered a likin • for ' ers,
fries and sloppy joes.
The Italian school system also
differs from that in Canada. It is
comprised of primary, secondary
and high school components. And
in preparation for the new school
year, which starts the second week
of September for Coratella, she's
taking Latin and Math lessons. At
the • e of 14, students choose a
06 family recently hosted en Italian student. lit back, from left, Joe, Valerie, Zaire
Coratella, from Italy, and Willl. In front, from left, Cameron, Andrew and Graham. Absent
Is Heather.
school to attend, usually to study
Greek, Latin, teaching or the clas-
sics.
"There isn't the emphasis on
technology in Europe," explained
Willi, adding the state provides uni-
versity education and students are
not expected to hold down part-
time jobs. Coratella, who plans to
teach primary grades, collects
points in order to earn teaching
placements.
One huge difference she finds be-
tween Canada and Italy is how girls
and boys relate. Members of both
sexes mingle freely in Italy, she ex-
plained, in a more relaxed at-
mosphere.
She prefers short trips away from
home because, "you find friends
and then you have to leave them."
"Even for me a month was a
long, long time because I've been
without my parents around me."
she added. "I'm happy to get back
home."
Her mother teaches primary
school, her 21 -year-old brother
studies law and her father is a fl-
nancb manager. It Was through her
father's company that she flet
heard &bolt the trip to the Clinton
area. their parents' com-
panies, tf students were sponsored
and Cannella found herself among
one of the 127 studentosen out
of 800 for AFS summer trips this
year.
Through the Ontario Student Ex-
change Foundation, Willi's 15 -
year -old daughter, Valerie, has
been involved with three-month
student exchanges in Nice and
France. Her brother, Andrew, was
on a Quebec exchange for a month
and her sister, Heather, still keeps
in touch with a girl from a class
exchange seven years ago in Que-
bec.
Willi, a french teacher who has
been involved with arranging Que-
bec exchanges since the 1970's,
claims the trips have become more
popular during the past fcw years.
She added it's not uncommon for
kids to go on more than one ex-
change.
"ft's really a big part of their ed-
ucation that they can take ad-
vantage of," she said.
As far as being a host family for
students from other countries, Willi
MS It as "kind of a mind -opening
experience."
Her husband, Joe, agrees.
'lThere's always room for one
MOM," he said in "the United Na-
tioes of Varna."
A