The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Eight tests over two days
by Stan Cola
Heath Hansens of the Crested Butte Horse Park took quarter horse mares Elena and Sparkles to Fountain, Colo. last weekend to compete in two competitions over two days and came back with a host of ribbons, including the champion’s ribbon for the Cowboy Dressage World Colorado Show.
Hansens rode eight tests in the Cowboy Dressage World Colorado Show placing first in four tests and first and second in two tests by riding two different horses in the same test.
On Saturday high winds and temperatures in the 80s challenged Hansens and his horses. It was the first big show for both horses and the stress of travelling, unfamiliar bordering conditions and unseasonably warm temperatures put them off of their game. They recovered for Sunday with better weather and calmer moods.
Sparkles and Hansens got a 93 percent on one of the harder tests of the day on Sunday, and Elena did better without amplified sound by completing the test from memory instead of having someone call the test over the speaker.
The first annual Colorado Cowboy Dressage Classic was based on horse/rider teams completing the same two tests. They took third in this separate part of the completion. Overall the Crested Butte Horse Park Team brought back six blue ribbons (first place), two red ribbons (second place), one third-place ribbon for the Classic and a champion ribbon for overall performance.
“Saturday was rough for all of the athletes, human and equine, at the show,” says Hansens. “I am glad we were able to get it together and perform on Sunday as well as we did. For only our third show I feel good about the result, and we are looking forward to the 2017 show season and doing some out of state shows next year.”
