Horse riding enthusiasts gathard at JEA Farm for a Cowboy Racing Clinic this past Saturday. An event that challenges riders and their horses with navigating a series of increasingly complex obstacles, a cowboy challenge is a showcase of equestrian skill.

Organized by the Pontiac Equestrian Association, the Cowboy Racing Clinics instructional component was primarily overseen by Joanne Renaud. A competitor in cowboy challenges since 2014, Renaud is a licensed trainer with Equestrian Canada and a certified trainer with Cheval Quebec.

A full day event, the Cowboy Racing Clinic’s cost depended on Pontiac Equestrian Association membership, with non-members paying $110 and members paying $85. The event was sold out.

Each event participant brought with them their own horse.

The clinic started with an introduction to the format and rules of a cowboy challenge. With those having been established, Renaud worked with participants and their horses to help familiarize both with the obstacles they would likely see within a competition. After breaking for lunch, the event concluded with a friendly race to help tie together all that had been covered throughout the day.

“I know for a lot of people, this is their first outing of the season,” said event organizer and member of the Pontiac Equestrian Association, Eva Baldi. “It’s more of a fun, casual clinic. People can take things at their own speed and challenge themselves however they feel comfortable. It’s all based on how they feel with their horse.”

In addition to the clinic, the Pontiac Equestrian Association was also selling upcycled bags and aprons to raise money for the association.

“Our goal is to put on more events to showcase the association and have more of a presence within the Pontiac,” said Vice-president of the Pontiac Equestrian Association, Robert Laurin. “We want to grow our membership and continue to get people into the sport.”

Event participant, Isabel Holt, said that she decided to participate in the clinic for the learning experience and the opportunity to improve her cowboy challenge skills.

“I think it really brings the community together,” said Holt. “The cowboy challenge needs more exposure, so I think it’s great to get this out there and more people learning it.”

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