Arts & Entertainment
Half Moon Bay Competitors Place in San Mateo County Horse Show
Three local teens competed in the County Fair's annual horse showing and competition held in Portola Valley.
Three young members of Future Farmers of America (FFA)’s Half Moon Bay chapter travelled inland early Sunday morning to compete in the San Mateo County Fair’s newest incarnation of its annual Horse Show, held this year at Webb Ranch in Portola Valley.
The Future Farmers of America is a national nonprofit organization that educates teenage youth in how to raise plants and animals through hands-on projects. The Half Moon Bay High School chapter is the only one that exists in San Mateo County.
seniors Kelly Noland and Jessie Fresquez, along with recent alum Brianna Camozzi, were among 23 competitors in the Fair’s horse show. The girls showed off multiple skills in events where they were judged on a range of criteria from showmanship and Western horse riding to trail (when the horse is ridden on a trail vs. a circle) and English pleasure (which judges how enjoyable the overall ride seems for horse and rider). Competitors were also judged on how well their horses responded to them and their level of control over the horses.
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Participants, some of whom were members of 4-H, competed not only for placement ribbons and coolers (rain slickers and ponchos for horses), but also for the chance to qualify for the upcoming “Best in Show” competition at this summer’s State Fair.
Each competitor showcased years of experience gleaned from learning to ride at the age when most other children are just attending preschool.
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“I’ve been involved with horses since I was four years old,” said Fresquez, revealing a riding history riding similar to her peers. “I started with English showing and then worked my way up to rodeos.”
While local FFA competitors were mostly of high school age, the show accepted participants as young as nine years old. Twelve-year old Bailey Newlin travelled all the way from Alamo in Contra Costa County to show her horse Luke, and already showed ambitions for a future in agricultural business. “I’m hoping to earn a scholarship to UC Davis,” said Newlin, a member of the East Bay’s 4-H chapter.
Usually held at the fairgrounds in San Mateo, this year’s show was upgraded due to Webb Ranch’s larger capacity. The expanded space provided room for a greater number of competitors as well. While there were only seven riders last year, there were 23 riders and horses this year, according to fair organizer Matt Cranford.
Cranford said that the change in venue also made for a more horse-friendly environment with better terrain and less outside bustle to spook the horses.
“The horses had to walk through the parking lot and all the kids' carnival rides,” Cranford explained of previous years when the show was located at the county fairgrounds.
Camozzi, who placed first in showmanship, will move on to the Master’s showmanship competition at this year’s State Fair. She said that the horses had to walk through shavings in previous years, making it more difficult for them to get their footing.
“It makes it a lot easier being in a space that’s actually made for horses,” she said.
In her last year competing as part of FFA, 19-year old Camozzi, now a freshman at Oregon State University, made multiple trips back to the Bay Area to train with her horse before the competition. Mother Robin Camozzi said that much like many of her competitors, Brianna put in long hours training in recent weeks, practicing from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. the day preceding the show.
“It takes a lot of dedication,” Robin Camozzi said. “This sport teaches leadership, responsibility, working as a team. It’s a really good thing.”
Nolan, who placed second in showmanship for the day and qualified for the state competition, said that the training will not stop now that this show is over.
“I want to do as good as possible at the State Fair,” she said, adding that she and her horse, Bolero, will be working hard over the coming weeks to ensure they are in top shape for the July show.
“I was really nervous because he’s been bad all week,” Nolan laughed after she and Bolero finished their showing. “I’m going to take him on as many trails as possible to get him ready for State.”
Fresquez, who said she had been training hard as this was her first show in a while, said that while the sport required a lot of work, it can also provide a form of relaxation.
“It takes away my stress,” she said. “This is what I grew up doing.”
This year’s State Fair will run from July 14 through the 31 in Sacramento.