Ponderosa 4-H races to Chelan County Fair

CHELAN COUNTY — The members of Ponderosa 4-H, based in the upper valley, have been working hard in between periods of smoke to prepare for the Chelan County Fair.

According to Ponderosa 4-H Club President Josie Reichlin, the club will nine horses at the fair, with members participating in everything from gaming and showmanship to the costume contest.

“There’s a community around gaming. Everybody is cheering each other on,” said Reichlin

“I'm definitely looking forward to gaming because me and Dunny, we really like to go fast [amid] all the excitement, and it's really fun with the loud music and the upbeat stuff,” said four-year member Raylan Nicholson.

Nicholson says one of her favorite parts of 4-H is connecting with her horse Dunny and learning different skills with him. While Dunny is into the excitement of gaming, getting him to stand still for showmanship has been a challenge she’s been working on lately.

“The last show was amazing because he actually didn’t move at all when we had to wait in line, and I was really happy,” said Nicholson.

The Chelan County Fair is a culmination of the hard work, time and practice the riders put in with their horses throughout the year. Vaughan Eccles says she and her horse Bella have been working on both speed and control around turns.

“We've been practicing a lot, so I'm excited to see her progress show,” said Eccles.

As they work closely with their horses, the members of Ponderosa 4-H become attuned to their physical limitations and emotional needs. For instance, Francis Ayala is working with her horse to be less anxious when he’s away from his friends. Malena Wolfe has worked hard to qualify with a new horse built for ranching.

“He can't canter very well yet because he was a ranch horse…So him picking up the canter and getting it in the right lead is one of the things we keep working for,” said Wolfe.

Wolfe says she’s most excited about the costume contest, where she is creating Renaissance jousting outfits for her and her friend. Wolfe reckons she's put in about 100 hours so far sewing. 

For Josie Ayala, it’s driving.

“It's kind of a forgotten art. Like, it used to be one of our main modes of transportation. Now I can barely find two people who actually do it, other than myself, and it's going to be really fun because it's really cool to show off,” said Ayala.

Ayala is most proud of the work she’s done with her mini, Stevie, who has transformed from roaming the pasture to pulling the cart in parades.

While riding horses is at the heart of Ponderosa 4-H Club, it’s not the only focus. Reichlin said the members work on adding members and raising money for the club throughout the year, but they are also driven to help their community.

“We are not just a horse 4-H club. We are very open to doing community projects…We want to help our community,” said Reichlin.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media