Umapine Riders

Mares 'n Music
2007

In the early spring of 2007 it was rumored that the Walla Walla Symphony wanted to do a concert incorporating horse groups drilling and performing to live music orchestrated by the Walla Walla Symphony. We Buroker sisters jumped on board and called the WWS director and told her we wanted to be included. Dad was going to join us. We invited our next door neighbors Julie and Becky and of course my pony girls Kelsey and Emily. We also had invited 4 other people for a total of 12 riders, but because of other commitments we ended with 8 riders. I had a drill that I had saved from an old drill club I had belonged to in my younger days. It was a difficult one and was actually written for twice as many horses so some modifications had to be made. We began drill practice every weekend in April. The date for the Performance was for June 2, 2007.

We began at the walk until we had our pattern down fairly well. Then we increased to the jog. There was a lot of practice needed in learning to stay with a partner and yet keep spacing correct with the horses in front and behind. It was a lot to remember and keep track of. It was also new to the horses! They had to learn to get along and be in close contact with each other.

We chose a simple costume of white shirts, blue jeans, red bandanas. White straw hats or helmets with red covers were to be worn. On the horses we had red or blue or red, white, and blue saddle blankets and white leggings.

I was the drill master and carried a whistle. Merrilee was my partner. I rode Cisco, my paint gelding. Merrilee rode Nickie her QH mare. Julie and Becky came next on their QH geldings Bart and Hank, then Linda and Dad on QH's Fancy and Sonny, and then Kelsey and Emily on the Welsh pony mares. Fancy and Melody.

When we first started practicing Merrilee had had a little horse accident and was unable to ride for a few weeks. So she was our official photographer for a couple of practices.

Company Front...What's the big hole??

Better!!!

Nice Spacing!

Linda and Dad discussing maneuvers.
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The Big Day had Arrived. Practice the night before had been a total disaster!!
The horses were petrified of the orchestra and we had never practiced in this arena.
We were all turned around and didn't know which way was what!
That is IF we could get the horses to go the direction we wanted ANYWAY!!

Lorri, Merrilee, Dad, Linda, Julie, Becky, Kelsey, Emily

It was 102* this day! We were all DIEING of the heat. Not only did we have the orchestra to contend with... but the whole audience was waving white fans back and forth as we entered the arena through a black curtain!
GOOD GRIEF!

The Chandeliers were elegant and a great way to mark our arena center.

I THINK this was suppose to be a company front ??

When it was over we were so happy with how we did! YES, there were some booboo's but we didn't forget the drill and we at least attempted most of the maneuvers. The music ended up being too short so we had to cut our drill short.... which was probably just as well! The music was from the commercial "Where's the Beef?"

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Mares 'n Music
2008

At the end of March 2008 we began practice once again. Our goal this year was to have our 12 horses and do the drill at the lope. Right away in April we lost two riders to illness and other commitments. So we were down to 10 riders which made the drill a little lopsided on the wagon wheel, but we managed. Kelsey and Emily were unable to drill with us this year so on the Welsh ponies we had Kristie and Cheyenne. Our two additions were Sue and Dayna on a Morgan and Morgan cross. The lope got a little wild in the threading sections of the drill so we compromised and trotted through those segments. We decided to lope through our long obliques and from the wagon wheel to the end of the drill. We wanted the theme from "The Magnificent Seven" for our music. It fit our timing very well. But the orchestra couldn't find the music so we ended up with "Horse and Buggy" which they had to play twice through.

Cisco and Nickie were still petrified of the orchestra. And they were the oldest, most experienced horses. Cisco was actually the worst. Nickie did her best to hold him in position when we were going down the orchestra side. We also had practiced twice in the building so we had our directions down and got the drill perfect! We added all red saddle blankets to the outfit.

June 8, 2008
Perfect weather!!

Sue, Dayna, Lorri, Merrilee, Kristie, Cheyenne