Draft Horse Challenge Series Wraps Up Year
The last of the four Draft Horse Challenges for the year sponsored by the White Earth Valley Saddle Club was held on Saturday, Oct. 4 at the White Earth Valley Rodeo grounds.
A cloudy October day did not stop the tough draft teamsters from turning out for the Draft Horse Challenge season finals. Over the season, there were eighteen adults with teams, nine youth driving teams, six adults driving ponies, and six youth driving ponies.
The first place overall series winner was Whitt Bagley with Bill and Eric; second, Phil Newman with Duke and Don; third, Kathy Baer with Karl and Joey; fourth, John Woodbury with Jenny and T; and fifth was a tie between Wyatt Nichols and Chris Kubal.
Individual event winners for the series were as follows:
Obstacle challenge first place went to Whitt Bagley, with Phil Newman in second, Kathy Baer in third, John Woodbury in fourth and Wyatt Nichols in fifth.
In the log skid, first place went to Phil Newman, second to Whitt Bagley, third to John Woodbury, fourth to Wyatt Nichols and fifth to Kathy Baer.
The cloverleaf barrels first place winner was Whitt Bagley, with Phil Newman in second, Doug Feiring in third, Chris Kubal in fourth and Kathy Baer in fifth.
In the youth division, first place overall went to Ty Nichols with Thelma and Louise; second, Tylada Nichols with Arrow and Angus; third, Jacie Feiring with Dick and Don; and fourth, Kinsey Woodbury with Thelma and Louise.
Individual event winners were as follows:
First place in the obstacle challenge went to Tylada Nichols with Ty Nichols in second and Jacie Feiring in third.
In the log skid, Ty Nichols was first, followed by Kinsey Woodbury in second, Jacie Feiring in third and Tylada Nichols in fourth.
Ty Nichols took first in the cloverleaf barrels, followed by Tylada Nichols in second, Jacie Feiring in third and Kinsey Woodbury in fourth.
The adults ponies overall winner was Katie Woodbury with Sugar, followed by Kim Lester with Two Shoots in second, James Skalicky with Buddy in third and Tana Conlin with Buddy in fourth.
Individual event winners were as follows:
Katie Woodbury took first in the obstacle challenge with Kim Lester in second and James Skalicky in third.
Katie Woodbury took first in the log skid, followed by Kim Lester in second and James Skalicky in third.
In the cloverleaf barrels, Katie Woodbury was first with James Skalicky in second and Kim Lester in third.
In the youth ponies, the overall winner was Lauren Kubal with Bill and Jim, with Brindle Kubal in second with Digger and Dan, Ashlyn Woodbury in third with Sugar and Brooke Conlin in fourth with Buddy.
Individual event results were as follows:
In the obstacle challenge, Lauren Kubal was first, with Brindle Kubal in second and Ashlyn Woodbury in third.
Lauren Kubal was first in the log skid, followed by Brindle Kubal in second and Ashlyn Woodbury in third.
Lauren Kubal also claimed first in the cloverleaf barrels, followed by Ashlyn Woodbury in second and Brindle Kubal in third.
Prizes for the series were made by North Dakota artisans, including Andy Knutson of Plains Perspective, draft team paintings; Celeste Moody of Moody Customs, cups and gloves; Sidney Schau with Sidney’s Bronco Tamers, horse treats; and Katie Woodbury of Leather Buck Custom Creations, tooled chair. Everyone at the finals went home with a cap and a bucket of treats.
Event sponsors were BNC National Bank; DA Land, Adam Fedler; Woodbury Custom Rolling; Feiring Angus Ranch and Gohrick Fertilizer.
The event is an opportunity for people to get a good look at the hard working draft horse teams and the skills they and their handlers have developed. People in the area frequently see these teams at community events, often participating in parades or offering wagon rides. This, however, is a different look at the teams.