As ponies compete, it's all for show

The animals were judged on their looks and skills on an obstacle course.
By SEAN BARRON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
ELLSWORTH -- Horse and pony aficionados from the Mahoning Valley and beyond brought their animals to compete in the two-day, 47th annual pony show at Buckeye Horse Park on U.S. Route 224.
Even with the muddy aftermath of Thursday's severe thunderstorms and Friday's all-day rain, the pony show must go on. Thanks in large part to contrasting weather over the weekend, it got under way without a hitch.
The event, sponsored by the Mahoning Valley Pony Breeders Association Inc., featured a variety of showings and competitions broken down into animals' ages and sizes, in which several classes of ponies took part.
Under blue skies, the show kicked off Saturday with six ponies between 30 and 34 inches tall being entered and judged on their ability to turn and trot. Saturday and Sunday's events were categorized by animals' types as well as their size and age ranges.
Miniature horses between 28 and 38 inches tall entered the ring Saturday, while Sunday's events were set up mainly for Draft, Grade, Welsh and Haflinger ponies.
Standing up to 56 inches, Haflingers were the largest breed in the show. Draft ponies are built to pull small carts and Grades can pull carts and be ridden, explained Deb Kale, show chairwoman.
Among those showing ponies were Cheryl Livengood of Butler, Pa., who has eight miniature horses and five Welsh ponies.
"I do more showing than breeding right now," she said.
What was included
The event included about 56 classes for children and adults in which money and ribbons were awarded to those who finished in first through fifth place in the competitions, Kale explained. Included were halter classes, in which the animals are judged on their looks and "if they're perfectly proportional," she noted.
Also in the mix were liberty classes, where ponies run freely while about 90 seconds worth of music plays, Kale explained. After the music stops, she continued, owners have two minutes to catch their ponies or small horses.
The show also featured an obstacle course, where the animals performed a series of jumps and had to avoid cones and other obstacles.
The 60-year-old Mahoning Valley Pony Breeders Association is designed to educate people on the ownership, breeding, exhibition and marketing of all breeds of ponies, Kale said.
The nonprofit horse park, established in 1992, provides training, clinics and other events for all levels of horse enthusiasts as well as competitive opportunities for amateur and professional riders and handlers.
The organization has about 50 members and is looking for more, Kale added.