Gibbons dominates 4-H senior division in horse show

WORLAND - The 2015 4-H senior showman grand champion Bailey Gibbons is fresh off her competition at the National High School Finals Rodeo cow reining.

While Gibbons' first time competing at the NHSFR in Rock Springs earlier this month didn't go as well as she would have liked, missing the short-go, her fair competition is starting out well with the grand champion honor.

In addition to showmanship, Gibbons also won eight of nine horse performance events in the senior division Saturday. She won Western pleasure, Western horsemanship, Western riding, reining, trail class, barrels, pole bending and working cow horse.

Gibbons, who was all smiles after the showmanship win, heading into performance events, said the NHSFR was an "amazing experience," but she and the horse she rode, owned by Dean Barent, struggled at the rodeo. She said they had a great run later in the week at an event in Pavillion.

If we would have gotten that score in Rock Springs we would have made the short-go," she said.

On Saturday, Gibbons competed against Sierra Casdorph in the 4-H senior showmanship competition. She said she has won several past showmanship events.

Judge Miranda Workman of Lovell said, "Showmanship is about how the horse and handler work together." She said she watches the poise and preciseness as they maneuver through the standard 4-H showmanship pattern.

"Any kid can with any horse if they practice. In showmanship you have all the chance in the world. It's my favorite class (to judge)," Workman said.

There were four competitors in the intermediate division with Maddie Fantaskey earning grand champion honors and Kelli Frimml reserve champion.

Three competed in junior showmanship with Natalie Tharp named grand champion and Dylan Casdorph reserve champion.

There were two Chief Washakie FFA members from Worland High School competing in showmanship.

Makayla Fulfer was grand champion and Callie Klinghagen was reserve.

Addison and Hanna Griemsman had the top geldings at Saturday's Washakie County Fair horse show.

Addison's horse earned grand champion and Hanna's horse earned reserve champion. There were three separate gelding classes during the show.

Jada Timmons' horse earned grand champion mare, with Hanna Griemsman earning reserve champion.

Workman said in the halter class it's all about the horse. She said she looks for squareness in the hip, angle in the shoulder and looks for a strong trapezoid in the torso - an even neck, round butt and round shoulder muscles.

"You're looking for overall balance, as well as the prettiest one- balance, muscle and pretty," Workman said.

She said the handlers are asked to take the horses through a patter that includes trotting around a corner so she can check conformation - does the horse move soundly and how do the hooves fall.

Both paint and quarterhorses were shown in the halter classes Saturday.

Other first-place winners from the performance division Saturday were:

Senior: ranch sorting, Hanna Griemsman.

Intermediate: Western pleasure, Jon Nicholas; Western horsemanship, Maddie Fantaskey; Western riding, Nicholas; reining, Fantaskey; trail class, Fantaskey; barrels, Fantaskey; pole bending, Fantaskey; goat tying, Fantaskey.

Junior: Western pleasure, Addison Griemsman; Western horsemanship, Natalie Tharp; Western riding, Dylan Casdorph; trail class, Griemsman; barrels, Griemsman; pole bending, Griemsman.