Young riders fair well at fair

Samantha Gross was high point junior rider. She was also the recipient of the Junior Sportsmanship award, had the grand champion mare age 4-9, the overall champion mare, and grand champion in showmanship, western pleasure, English pleasure and command. She won reserve champion in working pairs and her record book earned the Judge's Choice Award.

Bubba Demchuk was the reserve high point award winner for the junior class, winning several ribbons and honors for his work in the performance classes.

Kailey Hakala, Melina Liedtke and James Bell made their first fair debuts. Hakala earned several red and white ribbons in her showmanship, western and English classes. Liedtke won a blue in halter, reds in showmanship, command and western pleasure, and whites in western equitation, trail and ranch horse pleasure. Bell was the blue ribbon winner for costume and halter, won reds in working pairs, western pleasure and English equitation, and white ribbons in showmanship, western equitation and trail.

The high point intermediate rider was Regina Bell. She was grand champion in working pairs, halter, western pleasure, English equitation, English pleasure and costume. She was reserve champion in command and also collected several blue and red ribbons.

Kaylee Demchuk was the reserve high point intermediate rider and won the intermediate sportsmanship award. Both girls qualified for the state performance horse team.

First-year exhibitor Christine Ingebo rode in both performance and gaming events and won four blue ribbons including one for her barrel pattern of 18.2 seconds and one in ranch horse pleasure. She also earned five reds and six white ribbons.

In the senior division, the 2009 Klickitat County Fair and Rodeo queen Kaitlin Johnston was reserve high point and went to state in performance. She won grand champion in bareback, western pleasure, and ranch horse, and was reserve champion in command and English pleasure, third in western equitation, blue in showmanship and fifth in barrels.

Gates Curry was an alternate for the senior state performance team. She won a grand champion in working pairs, reserve champion in halter, and was fourth out of 16 in showmanship.

Rebecca Miller rode a 18.2 barrel pattern earning a blue. She won white ribbons in halter and English equitation and reds in western equitation and pleasure, English pleasure and trail.

Callae Van Pelt showed in the adult division and was one point away from reserve high point. She was champion in bareback, reserve champion in versatility and halter mares. She had several third and fourth places, earning blues and reds.

Savannah Demchuk was the high point pee wee rider. Jaden Johnston earned a medal in leadline and was reserve champion in her costume class.

The Young Riders meet weekly at the Underwood Community Center and are coached by Kyla Leighton and Callae Van Pelt.