Local horsewomen to ride at the Canadian Competitive Trail Riding Championships

by Meghan Balogh

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Two women from Mountain Grove have made it to the top of their sport.

Elaine Steele and Dagmar Downes have been selected as two of the three riders for the 2006 Ontario Team, which will travel to Buckingham , Quebec for the Canadian Championship Competitive Trail Ride.

Elaine and Dagmar have been avid horseback riders and competitors for several years. Their passion is long distance riding – Competitive Trail and Endurance, the equestrian equivalent of marathon competition. The distances that they compete at range from 25 miles in 5 hours, to 80 miles over a 2-day period.

In 2004, Elaine and her Arabian gelding, Fleetwood Shadow, rode on the Ontario Team at the Championships in the Competitive Trail division. The Ontario team brought home gold, and Elaine and Fleet were individual high-point horse and rider at the entire event, coming away with a perfect score.

Early this year, Fleet was diagnosed with cancer and the decision was made to have him humanely put down.

Elaine’s new competitive mount is a half brother to Fleet, Chanticleer Shadow. “I’m hoping he will follow in his half-brother’s hoofprints,” Elaine said with a smile while discussing her hopes for the upcoming competition.

Dagmar Downes rides a Morab gelding (Morgan crossed with Arabian) called Obi Wan Gunobi, or Gunner, who has excelled since his and Dagmar’s beginnings in the Ontario Competitive Trail riding circuit in 2003. Together he and Dagmar have completed 28 rides and have traveled 957 miles in competition in the past three years.

 Both Elaine and Dagmar have been conditioning their horses since early spring. “We’ve done at least 600 miles in conditioning,” said Dagmar, while Elaine estimated that she and Chanticleer had traveled a good 800 miles.

The third Ontario Team rider is 16-year-old Nicole Laforge, riding Arabian gelding Adidas. As a Junior rider, it is a testament to Nicole’s horsemanship skills that she was selected for the team. “She is so excited,” Nicole’s mother told the News.

Nicole will have to carry weights on her saddle to meet the 140lb. minimum weight requirement for the Championship ride.

Elaine’s husband Rick is the manager for the Ontario team. He will be keeping the three riders on schedule and organized, while discussing trail routes and rules with ride officials and other team managers.

Normally, a rider in Competitive Trail has a pit crew that assists with the care of their horse at various stops during the ride. Not at the Championships. “You can’t touch the riders’ horses,” said Rick. “You can’t discuss the ride or give them tips or pointers – the rules are very strict.”

Elaine and Dagmar leave on August 29 for Buckingham , Quebec . The ride begins on September 2 and covers two days and 80 miles, 40 on each day. L to R: Elaine Steele with Chanticleer Shadow, Dagmar Downes with Obi Wan Gunobi, and Nicole Laforge with Adidas.