March 19-20 2005, Lexington, Ky. For anyone who ever wondered, games riders are water resistant but not water repellent. Despite rain that would chase away even the most die-hard competitors just under 100 riders defied the rain and chill on Saturday to test their skills (and perseverance) in the BlueGrass Open. Ponies and riders were swimming through the races on Saturday with Sunday's weather showing a much kinder face. In this great gathering of games families, riders trouped on with no complaints (ok a few complaints). Conditions definitely made the 3-leg and the tire race memorable.
The Novice division was tightly matched down to the last race. Candyland won the title in an exciting two-flag tiebreaker against the Spitfires. Third was captured by the Palm Pilots in a tight battle with the Flying Colors. Fifth went to the Rainbow Gang and sixth went to the Rocket Racers. Charlie's Angels dominated the 4-Ever-Young division. The master's A division was won by the team formerly known as the Sar's and Stripes, Aaron's Bruises, who claimed the wonderful saddle bags donated by Paul Greiling. Reserve in the master's A was won by the Cowboy's team. Third place was won by a team that just met at the Open, the Mustangs, with the best dressed team, the Neon Knights coming in for fourth. The B final was a tight battle between the United team (a joint Canadian x American endeavor) and the Carolina Heat. In the end the United team rose to the challenge and won. The Terminators were third with the Holy Cows fourth.
A special thanks to Peter Hern who flew all the way from England to judge our competition and to do a marathon of clinics the following week. It was an incredible opportunity for our riders to learn from someone who practically wrote the rule book. Thanks to Mark Textor, equipment chief extraordinaire, for organizing set-up and creating great laminated set-up maps. Thanks to those who helped set up, Roger Harmon, Paul Greiling, the amazing Flying Color's team (L. Alger, J. Lewis and H. Neuhauser), Joe Benson, Hans Kallenburger, the members of the Cowboy's team, Annie Griffin, Laura Wectawski, Billy Wray, and the many Canadian fossils who helped set up.
Thanks to all those who stood in the rain and line judged (besides set up this might have been one of the coldest jobs on Saturday), Maise Durward, Bob Benson, JoAnn Johnson and Louise Trimbill. Thanks to Jim Dunn for mentoring. Thanks to all our apprentice coaches and to our announcers Susie Warne and Carroll Crowl. Thanks to Pat Neuhauser who took pictures for everyone. We also thank Erin Benson for sewing beautiful bridle bags for reserve division winners.
Thanks again for the incredible food provided by Cindy Miller, Nora Benson and Donna York. Special thanks to Debbie McLeod who took on the herculean task of organizing awards for the finals. Thanks to our scorers Tracey McVittie, Erin Benson, Sharon Leonard and Carroll Crowl (who provided a new computer generated scoring program). Thanks to our guardian angel LeAnn Benevento who fielded entries and manned the show office all weekend, as well as organizing the ribbons.
See ya'll in Barrie for the North American II.
To see some pictures from the weekend click here.
1st Aaron's Bruisers(33 pts.): (J. Emblin, C. Greiling, S. Greiling, L. Montgomery, R. Vit)
2nd The Cowboys (29 pts.): (J. Couch, M. Cruikshanks, M. Durward, J. McVittie, L. Pascoe)
3rd Carolina Heat (20 pts.): (K. Cabanniss, L. Harmon, A. Kunst, A. Scruggs, D. Sargent)
4th Holy Cows! (17 pts.): (B. Mcleod, D. Phillips, L. Phillips, B. Sanderson, J. Voss)
1st The Mustangs (29 pts.): (G. Briand, D. Johnson, J. Maddox, M. Muffley)
2nd The Neon Nights (28 pts) : (J. Benson, L. Griffin, J. Miller, H. Textor, K. York)
3rd United (26 pts.): (B. Clevenger, D. Clevenger, C. Nelson, A. Veiweg)
4th Terminators (16 pts.): (J. Cruikshanks, S. Cruikshanks, K. Nauta, M. Nauta, J. Stephenson)
1st Aaron's Bruisers (36 pts.): (J. Emblin, C. Greiling, S. Greiling, L. Montgomery, R. Vit)
2nd United (22 pts.): (B. Clevenger, D. Clevenger, C. Nelson, A. Veiweg)
3rd The Mustangs (19 pts.): (G. Briand, D. Johnson, J. Maddox, M. Muffley)
4th Terminators (13 pts.): (J. Cruikshanks, S. Cruikshanks, K. Nauta, M. Nauta, J. Stephenson)
1st Cowboys (27 pts.): (J. Couch, M. Cruikshanks, M. Durward, J. McVittie, L. Pascoe)
2nd Carolina Heat (26 pts.): (K. Cabanniss, L. Harmon, A. Kunst, A. Scruggs, D. Sargent)
3rd The Neon Nights (19 pts) : (J. Benson, L. Griffin, J. Miller, H. Textor, K. York)
4th Holy Cows! (17 pts.): (B. Mcleod, D. Phillips, L. Phillips, B. Sanderson, J. Voss)
1st Aaron's Bruisers (39 pts.): (J. Emblin, C. Greiling, S. Greiling, L. Montgomery, R. Vit)
2nd The Neon Nights (26 pts) : (J. Benson, L. Griffin, J. Miller, H. Textor, K. York)
3rd United(20 pts.): (B. Clevenger, D. Clevenger, C. Nelson, A. Veiweg)
4th Holy Cows! (14 pts.): (B. Mcleod, D. Phillips, L. Phillips, B. Sanderson, J. Voss)
1st Cowboys (31 pts.): (J. Couch, M. Cruikshanks, M. Durward, J. McVittie, L. Pascoe)
2nd Carolina Heat (25 pts.): (K. Cabanniss, L. Harmon, A. Kunst, A. Scruggs, D. Sargent)
3rd The Mustangs (24 pts.): (G. Briand, D. Johnson, J. Maddox, M. Muffley)4th Terminators (19 pts.): (J. Cruikshanks, S. Cruikshanks, K. Nauta, M. Nauta, J. Stephenson)
1st United(34 pts.):(B. Clevenger, D. Clevenger, C. Nelson, A. Veiweg)
2nd Carolina Heat (27 pts.): (K. Cabanniss, L. Harmon, A. Kunst, A. Scruggs, D. Sargent)
3rd Holy Cows! (23 pts.): (B. Mcleod, D. Phillips, L. Phillips, B. Sanderson, J. Voss)
4th Terminators (14 pts.): (J. Cruikshanks, S. Cruikshanks, K. Nauta, M. Nauta, J. Stephenson)
1st Aaron's Bruisers(39 pts.): (J. Emblin, C. Greiling, S. Greiling, L. Montgomery, R. Vit)
2nd Cowboys (26 pts.): (J. Couch, M. Cruikshanks, M. Durward, J. McVittie, L. Pascoe)
3rd The Mustangs (25 pts.): (G. Briand, D. Johnson, J. Maddox, M. Muffley)
4th The Neon Nights (22 pts) : (J. Benson, L. Griffin, J. Miller, H. Textor, K. York)
1st Charlie's Angels (50 pts.): (C. Couch, M. Cruickshanks, C. Durward, B. Pascoe, B. Wray)
2nd The Devils (44 pts.): (R. Couch, D. Davis, P. Nauta, A. Nauta, D. Pascoe)
3rd The Young and the Restless (37 pts.): (D. Clevinger, R. Crosley, L. Englert, D. Leonard, M. Lange)
4th The Good Time Oldies (28 pts.): (T. Defores, A. Griffins, C. Johnson, C. Nelson, S. Williams)
5th Gluttons for Punishment (14 pts.): (K. Bradley, D. Lewis, L. Neuhauser, T. Sanderson, K. Textor)
6th Hi-Riders (11 pts.): (T. Anderson, A. Cook, L. Mourn, J. Seggie-Flemming, K. White)
1st Charlie's Angels (50 pts.): (C. Couch, M. Cruickshanks, C. Durward, B. Pascoe, B. Wray)
2nd The Devils (44 pts.): (R. Couch, D. Davis, P. Nauta, A. Nauta, D. Pascoe)
3rd The Young and the Restless (37 pts.): (D. Clevinger, R. Crosley, L. Englert, D. Leonard, M. Lange)
4th The Good Time Oldies (28 pts.): (T. Defores, A. Griffins, C. Johnson, C. Nelson, S. Williams)
5th Gluttons for Punishment (14 pts.): (K. Bradley, D. Lewis, L. Neuhauser, T. Sanderson, K. Textor)
6th Hi-Riders (11 pts.): (T. Anderson, A. Cook, L. Mourn, J. Seggie-Flemming, K. White)
1st Charlie's Angels (55 pts.): (C. Couch, M. Cruickshanks, C. Durward, B. Pascoe, B. Wray)
2nd The Devils (45 pts.): (R. Couch, D. Davis, P. Nauta, A. Nauta, D. Pascoe)
3rd The Young and the Restless (40 pts.): (D. Clevinger, R. Crosley, L. Englert, D. Leonard, M. Lange)
4th The Good Time Oldies (27 pts.): (T. Defores, A. Griffins, C. Johnson, C. Nelson, S. Williams)
5th Hi-Riders (21.5 pts.): (T. Anderson, A. Cook, L. Mourn, J. Seggie-Flemming, K. White)
6th Gluttons for Punishment (21.5 pts.): (K. Bradley, D. Lewis, L. Neuhauser, T. Sanderson, K. Textor)
1st Charlie's Angels (57 pts.): (C. Couch, M. Cruickshanks, C. Durward, B. Pascoe, B. Wray)
2nd The Young and the Restless (46 pts.): (D. Clevinger, R. Crosley, L. Englert, D. Leonard, M. Lange)
3rd The Devils (40 pts.): (R. Couch, D. Davis, P. Nauta, A. Nauta, D. Pascoe)
4th The Good Time Oldies (26 pts.): (T. Defores, A. Griffins, C. Johnson, S. Williams)
5th Hi-Riders (20 pts.): (T. Anderson, A. Cook, L. Mourn, J. Seggie-Flemming, K. White)
6th Gluttons for Punishment (20 pts.): (K. Bradley, D. Lewis, L. Neuhauser, T. Sanderson, K. Textor)
1st Candyland (35 pts.): (E. Dissel, L. Griffin, M. Griffin, I. Johnson)
2nd Spitfires (45 pts.): (L. Crowl, D. Pingree, L. Pingree, A. Robb)
3rd Palm Pilots (29 pts.): (J. Gates, J. Gates, K. Karnes, S. Melvin)
4th Flying Colors(21 pts.):(L. Alger, C. Benson, J. Lewis, H. Neuhauser)
5th Rainbow Gang(17 pts.):(K. Anderson, A. Crosby, B. Drew-Wolak, J. Nauta, L. White)
6th Rocket Racers(17 pts.):(G. Dunn, J. Leonard, M. Morrison, D. Sanderson, C. Textor)
1st Candyland (36 pts.): (E. Dissel, L. Griffin, M. Griffin, I. Johnson)
2nd Spitfires (35 pts.): ((L. Crowl, D. Pingree, L. Pingree, A. Robb)
3rd Palm Pilots (27 pts.): (J. Gates, J. Gates, K. Karnes, S. Melvin)
4th Flying Colors(17 pts.):(L. Alger, C. Benson, J. Lewis, H. Neuhauser)
5th Rainbow Gang(16 pts.):(K. Anderson, A. Crosby, B. Drew-Wolak, J. Nauta, L. White)
6th Rocket Racers(15 pts.):(G. Dunn, J. Leonard, M. Morrison, D. Sanderson, C. Textor)
1st Flying Colors (40 pts.): (L. Alger, C. Benson, J. Lewis, H. Neuhauser)
2nd Spitfires (27 pts.): (L. Crowl, D. Pingree, L. Pingree, A. Robb)
3rd Candyland (26 pts.): (E. Dissel, L. Griffin, M. Griffin, I. Johnson)
4th Palm Pilots (25 pts.): (J. Gates, J. Gates, K. Karnes, S. Melvin)
5th Rocket Racers(19 pts.):(G. Dunn, J. Leonard, M. Morrison, D. Sanderson, C. Textor)
6th Rainbow Gang(18 pts.):(K. Anderson, A. Crosby, B. Drew-Wolak, J. Nauta, L. White)
1st Candyland (50 pts.): (E. Dissel, L. Griffin, M. Griffin, I. Johnson)
2nd Spitfires (50 pts.): (L. Crowl, D. Pingree, L. Pingree, A. Robb)
3rd Palm Pilots (40 pts.): (J. Gates, J. Gates, K. Karnes, S. Melvin)
4th Flying Colors(37 pts.):(L. Alger, C. Benson, J. Lewis, H. Neuhauser)
5th Rainbow Gang(18 pts.):(K. Anderson, A. Crosby, B. Drew-Wolak, J. Nauta, L. White)
6th Rocket Racers(15 pts.):(G. Dunn, J. Leonard, M. Morrison, D. Sanderson, C. Textor)