There was no lack of ribbons being doled out as riders from across the north gathered over the weekend at Foothills Farms in Chelmsford, site of the Rick Smith Memorial Ontario Trillium show.
But at the end of the day, the event is as much about the camaraderie and friendship of the equestrian community, coming together to celebrate a sport they love, sharing memories of a man who devoted much of his life to his love of horses.
In reality, riders here arrived in all shapes and sizes, and representing a wide gammut of ages and experience. Thirteen year-old Mckayla Poitras is just a year and a half into her equestrian journey, but already she has learned much of the keys to any future success.
"You need to be completely square on the saddle, and your arms need to follow," Poitas explained, standing next to "Zoe", who she started to ride in January. "Your legs need to stay still, and your heels need to stay down."
"There's many things that you have to think of when you're riding." Competing in her fourth event of the summer and second Trillium show, Poitras is pleased with the performance of her horse. "She doesn't spook, and she listens to everything."
By contrast, Claire Leclerc has been a mainstay on the various local riding circuits over the years, returning recently as her daughter became more and more involved in the sport.
"I've always loved horses," Leclerc explained. "I had an aunt that rode, so she introduced me and got me going. Now, it's a passion." Completing the entire Trillium schedule in 2013, Leclerc has been forced to miss a few shows this summer with prior commitments.
There was, however, little chance that the Rick Smith Memorial was going to be bypassed. "It's an hour away from our home in Wanup, so we still have to travel a little," said Leclerc. "But we know all the people here, my daughter has rode here, and I used to ride with Cathy (Inch) when I was a kid."
Riding since she was ten, Leclerc has dealt with her share of horses, each with their own personality and character. On this day, she is busy with Downton, a member of the family since she was eight months old.
"She's a baby, but she's a very easy baby," said Leclerc with a smile. "She doesn't give us a lot of argument about what she has to do, so that's really pleasant." While the Rick Smith show is the last of the local stops on the Trillium Tour, the NEC (Northern Equestrian Circuit) will see local riders heading to Trevella Stables (Val Caron) on August 17th and October 5th, squeezing in one stop at Hillsview Stables in Lively on September 21st.
Following is a listing of the first and second place finishers from all divisions:
Open 0.90m Jumper DivisionChampion - Mad About You/Camille Bortolotto
Reserve Champion - Pelahca/Caleigh Fera
Open 1m Jumper Division
Champion - Chaidee/Christine Kinsella
Reserve Champion - Promise Me/Takayuki Yamazawa
Trillium Jumper Medal
1st - Aaryn Puccini/Miss Scarlet
2nd - Aeden Ierullo/Revange
Trillium Jumper Division
Champion - Miss Scarlet/Aaryn Puccini
Reserve Champion - Takayuki Yamazawa/Promise Me
Open 2'6" Hunter Division
Champion - Futurist/Kelly Scott
Reserve Champion - Tyger Lily/Kate Boudreau
Training Hunter Division
Champion - Innocent Me/Cathy Inch
Reserve Champion - Emmet/Kendra Mitchell
Low Hunter Division
Champion - Darrington/Taylor Doiron
Reserve Champion - Ingenuity/Miranda Boudreau
Trillium Hunter Division
Champion - Christophe/Leah Blanchette
Reserve Champion - Rainmaker/Susan Legge
Modified Junior/Amateur Hunter Division
Champion - Rainmaker/Susan Legge
Reserve Champion - Darrington/Taylor Doiron
Adult Amateur Hunter Division
Champion - Kayley/Meredith Knott
Reserve Champion - Lookout II Z/Lindsay Rovinelli
Adult Amateur Equitation Over Fences
1st - Lindsay Rovinelli/Lookout II Z
2nd - Kelly Scott/Futurist
Adult Amateur Equitation Flat
1st - Leah Blanchette/Christophe
2nd - Meredit Knott/Kayley
Junior/Amateur Medal
1st - Leah Blanchette/Christophe
2nd - Meredith Knott/Kayley
Hack Division
Champion - Ingenuity/Miranda Boudreau
Reserve Champion - Futurist/Kelly Scott
Beginner Hunter Division
Champion - Whiz Kid/Makaila Coulson
Reserve Champion - Super Trooper/Kara Silliphant
Beginner Medal
1st - Jadeyn Whittem/Believe or Not
2nd - Karen Parfitt/Wavoom
Short Stirrup Division
Champion - Lily Lightly/Taite King
Reserve Champion - Jane Doe/Jamie Moussa
My First Medal
1st - Kaidi Irvine/A Wrinkle in Time
2nd - Mercedes Shulman/Halloween Charm
Pony Pleasure Hack
1st - Lily Lightly/Taite King
2nd - Callander Bay/Ella King
Pony Hunter Division
Champion - Hey There Delilah/Anna Milburn
Reserve Champion - Callander Bay/Ella King
C Equitation Over Fences
1st - Rachael Point/Strongbow
2nd - Madison Rynard/Dream Come True
C Equitation Flat
1st - Rachael Point/Strongbow
2nd - Madison Rynard/Dream Come True
Child/Adult Hunter Division
Champion - Futurist/Kelly Scott
Reserve Champion - Purely Social/Sabrina Eggart
Child/Adult Medal
1st - Kelly Scott/Futurist
2nd - Emily Koski/Reverance
Modified Child/Adult Hunter
Champion - Kayley/Jessica Leonard
Reserve Champion - Cohiba/Evelyn Hoffman
Modified Child/Adult Medal
1st - Jessica Leonard/Kayley
2nd - Anastasia Messier/Soft Touch
Children's Hunter Division
Champion - Ingenuity/Miranda Boudreau
Reserve Champion - Osceola/Bailey McPhaden
B Equitation Over Fences
1st - Anna Milburn/Hey There Delilah
2nd - Kiara Crawford/Off The Grid
B Equitation Flat
1st - Jessica Leonard/Kayley
2nd - Vanessa Toupin/Gandalf's Magic
A Equitation Over Fences
1st - Leah Blanchette/Christophe
2nd - Miranda Boudreau/Ingenuity
A Equitation Flat
1st - Miranda Boudreau/Ingenuity
2nd - Leah Blanchette/Christophe
Cross Rail Hunter Division
Champion - Double Didgit/Austin Milburn
Reserve Champion - Emmerson's Special Edition/Meg McNeil
Forty & Over Hunter Division
Champion - Innocent Me/Mary Jackson
Reserve Champion - Bacall/Darryl Russell
Forty & Over Jumper
1st - Dolby Surround Sound/Tracey MacLeod
2nd - Born To Be Trouble/Sherri Wilson
Hunter Derby
Champion - Soft Touch/Hailey Bertrand-Demers
Reserve Champion - Christophe/Leah Blanchette