PICAYUNE — The Picayune Riding Club did great at the 2009 Mississippi State Championship Horse Show at the Kirk Fordice Equine Center in Jackson during September 10 through 13. Of the eight High Point and Reserve High Point trophies awarded this year, the Picayune Riding Club members won five of them.

Hailey White and her bay AQHA mare, Precious Asset, won the 2009 State Mississippi High Point Championship Youth 13 years and younger trophy.

Rebecca Ferguson and her buckskin AQHA/IBHA mare, Little Bit Aglow, won the 2009 Mississippi State High Point Championship Youth 13 to 17 years trophy.

Barb Burgos and her bay AQHA gelding, Wish An Image, and her sorrel AQHA gelding, Pro’s Chip, won the 2009 Mississippi State Reserve Championship adult trophy.

Kristy Kaletsch and her sorrel AQHA mare, I’ve Gotta Wish, won the 2009 Mississippi State Reserve Championship youth 13 to 17 years trophy and Ivy White and her brown gelding pony, Matlock, won the 2009 Mississippi State Reserve Championship Pony trophy.

To win these high point trophies is no easy task. First the riders had to show their horses at the local summer shows and earn enough points to qualify for the state championship show.

Then at the state show, the ladies and their horses must compete against the top riders and horses from throughout the entire state of Mississippi.

This year, making the accomplishment even more difficult were larger classes than in the past, pitting the riders against more horses and riders than in the past. For example, the Walk/Trot 18 years and over class was the largest of the classes with 95 riders. Barb and Pro’s Chip took second place in that particularly large event.

Under class of 65 riders and horses, Hailey and Precious Asset took first place and Ivy and her horse Sammy was awarded third.

Hailey and Precious went on to place first in the Youth Western Pleasure 12 years and under and first in the Walk/Trot 17 and under, second in the Buckaroo Big Horse class and fourth in the Hunter Under saddle 17 years and younger. On Matlock, she took first in the Pony Buckaroo class.

Rebecca and Little Bit placed third in the Western Horsemanship 17 and under, fourth in the Youth Western Pleasure, 13 to 17, sixth in the Trail class, 17 and under, and seventh in the Walk/Trot 17 and under.

Barb and Wish An Image placed first in the Trail 18 and over, and second in the Showmanship 18 and over. On Pro’s Chip. She placed second in the Walk/Trot 18 and over.

Ivy and Matlock took second place in the pony Western Pleasure and seventh in Halter Ponies 48” to 52”. With Sammy she placed third in the Walk/Trot 17 and under.

Kristy with I’ve Gotta Wish placed second n the Youth Western Pleasure 13 to 17, fifth in the Hunter Under saddle 17 and under, eighth in Western Horsemanship 17 and under and tenth in Walk/Trot 17 and under.

Ricki Soileau and her chestnut AQHA mare Classy placed fourth in Halter Mares 2006 and Before class; and on her sorrel AQHA gelding Decked Out To Zip took third in Hunter under Saddle 18 and over and tenth in Ladies Western Pleasure.

Jimmy White and his buckskin AQHA/IBHA mare Fancy Bucs placed fifth in the Hunter under saddle 18 and over; and on Little Bit Aglow took sixth place in the G.A. Liles Men’s Western Pleasure.

Kim Sergo and her buckskin AQHA stallion Fella Impressive Buck placed third in the Halter Stallion class.

Tim Anderson and his brown AQHA gelding Sugs Little Pistol placed fifth in Reining, 18 and over. Jenny Ferguson-White and her chestnut AQHA gelding Uppin the Ante took sixth in Ladies Western Pleasure and seventh in the Two and Three Years Old Western Pleasure and on Decked Out To Zip, eighth in Western Horsemanship 18 and over.

Tonya Waltman and sorrel and white APHA mare, Ima A Little Cool D placed sixth in the Halter Mares 2007 and After.

Cameron Waltman an his sorrel gelding pony, Spirito From Paradise placed ninth in the Halter Ponies 48” to 52”.

Harold White and his sorrel AQHA mare, Good Time Honey placed ninth in the G.A. Liles Men’s Western Pleasure.

Carol Richardson and her sorrel AQHA gelding Southern Flashback placed tenth in Ladies Western Pleasure.

Laura Lott and her bay AQHA mare, Gottis Dream Girl placed tenth in Trail 18 and over.

Denise Hoffman and her chestnut AQHA mare Time To Get Radical placed tenth in Western Horsemanship 18 and over.

Now is the time to get ready for next year’s state championships. You can join the Picayune Riding Club with any breed of horse or pony. The first shows start in early March and go through August. Horse and rider can earn enough points to go to 2010 Mississippi State Championship Horse Show.

The many classes to show in are halter, showmanship, walk/trot, gaited, Western Pleasure, Western Horsemanship, Hunter Under saddle, Trail, reining, barrels, poles, stakes and arena races.

For more information, call Harold White at 601-799-2767.

The members of the Picayune Riding Club would like to express their deepest sympathy to Melissa Price and Chris M. Kuchler for the loss of their show horses. Melissa and her sorrel AQHA gelding Half A Caan won this year’s South Mississippi Horse Show and Rodeo Association High Point Champion Showmanship trophy and the Morris Lott Champion Showmanship trophy.

Chris and her sorrel APHA mare Playboy’s Soxie Girl won this year’s South Mississippi Horse Show and Rodeo Association Reserve High Point Champion Halter Mares 2006 and Before trophy.