AT 12 YEARS OLD, Emelyne Martin of Bethesda rode in one of the vital prestigious exhibits of her horse and trick using profession on the International Finals Rodeo 53 Showcase in Guthrie, Oklahoma, final weekend.
The different riders’ ages assorted from their teenagers by means of their 40s.
“I was the youngest one there,” mentioned the native performer, who started trick using in 2018. “I did pretty good.”
Emelyne mentioned she didn’t place in the highest three riders. But, after speaking with longtime rodeo members, she believes she could have been near taking third place.
“I practiced Friday night and the showcase was Sunday morning. It was a five-minute act,” she mentioned. “I did a new trick I’ve been practicing for about two months now. It’s called the Stroud.”
This entails “standing” on one aspect of the horse, which she mentioned is troublesome to realize.
“I’d say it’s probably been one of my hardest,” she mentioned.
“They pick 30 to perform, only,” her mom, Sarah Martin, mentioned, including that there have been about 21 performers in complete. “Out of the entire United States, 21 acquired picked to do it.
“It’s a competition, but it’s also a showcase just to show what you know how to do, to try and get hired for the next rodeo season,” Sarah mentioned. “She performed and competed against any kind of acts that could have been at a rodeo.”
They mentioned there have been all kinds of performances starting from rope methods to comedic riders and gunslingers.
“They all competed against each other,” Sarah mentioned.
They mentioned riders might apply for the showcase, however these with an International Professional Rodeos Association card holders have been most definitely to be chosen.
“She’s had one for five years,” Sarah mentioned of her daughter. “The fact that she performed so well impressed a lot of people, and she was able to get her card.”
They consider Emelyne was one of many youngest in the IPRA to earn a card in 2018.
“There is quite a few her age now that have it, but back when she first started” she would have been the youngest.
Participating in the showcase additionally allowed Emelyne to make connections and created alternatives to experience in for future rodeos.
“I met a few pretty big and good stock contractors,” Emelyne mentioned. “I would like to ride in some of their rodeos.”
Emelyne rides in about 15-20 rodeos annually, normally in spring and fall.
In Oklahoma, she rode Blitz, her quarter horse/percheron combine, and Twilight, an American pink pony. Emelyne famous she was additionally pleased with Twilight’s efficiency. She had educated with the horse for 2 years, ever since her final pony died.
“She was just supposed to be a farm horse, and I was interested in trying to make her a trick pony,” Emelyne mentioned.
“It took her two years to train Twilight,” Sarah mentioned. “And now she took her and performed at one of the biggest shows possible.”
“She’s came a long way,” Emelyne mentioned of the horse.
Emelyne has been a pupil of Shadow Montag, a trick rider who lives in Columbus however who grew up in the village of Belmont and whose household owns the Rafter M Rodeo.
“I grew up at my grandpa’s farm and he has had horses. My uncle used to put me on them and help me to sit on them before I could walk,” Emelyne mentioned. “We started to go watch Shadow and (his sister) Dallas when I was 2, and ever since then, I’ve wanted to ride like Shadow and Dallas.”
She took to trick using readily.
“He wanted to put me in a few shows and (it) turned into 15 my first year,” she mentioned, including this was in 2018.
While there are lots of riders and horse fanatics in her household, Emelyne is the primary to strive trick using.
“She learned not to give up – to keep pushing and be determined,” Sarah mentioned.
Emelyne’s future ambitions embrace studying new methods and coaching one other potential trick horse. She hopes to at some point take part in the Days of 47 Festival in Utah.
For others in using or trick using, she emphasised the significance of a connection between horse and rider. She mentioned horses have totally different personalities, however the rider and horse should be a unit.
“You really need to get to know your horses and get to the trust level that you need to be at. Lots of practice, and before you start trick riding, I feel like you need to learn to ride really good first, because it’ll help.”
She attends Union Local Middle School.
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