Participants of October's Gymkhana Compete in Costumes

ROCK SPRINGS —The Sweetwater Events Complex played host to the second Wild West Outlaws Gymkhana Rodeo of the new season Saturday, October 22. Since this event took place in October, participants were encouraged to wear costumes and many did.

New 2022-2023 Gymkhana Queen Brynn Abott, 15, from Farson, reigned over the festivities and was one of the participants. The Gymkhana event featured barrel racing and pole bending, plus a special event created by Gymkhana organizer Susan Nichols.

Rodeo participants not only came from Sweetwater County, but also from neighboring areas such as Bridger Valley, Pinedale, and Big Piney. The focus of this settling-in Gymkhana seemed to be riders getting their horses accustomed to the competition and the dimensions of the SEC Indoor Arena again, as several mounts decided against running the patterns as laid out, resulting in plenty of five- and 10-second penalties for missed barrels and poles.

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The day’s fastest barrel racing time belonged to Pinedale’s Stephanie Root, riding her horse “Sailor,” clocking in at 15.928 seconds, competing in the 18-39 age bracket. Rock Springs’ Sadie Nichols in the 7-9 age bracket posted the best time in pole bending, clocking a 22.440 seconds timing on her horse, “Magic.” The most consistent winner of the evening was Wyatt Carpenter, McKinnon, who won all three 6 and under competitions, with times in seconds of 42.932 in barrels, 53.453 in poles, and 22.599 in the 3rd Event/Combination.

The consensus among Gymkhana competitors who were asked was that a good barrel and pole bending horse can compete into its 20s.

“It depends on how well their joints are holding up,” explained Kandi Folks, Rock Springs. Kandi Folks’ daughter, Kira, 17, competed on a 20 -year-old horse. Kaizly Loflin, 11, from Bridger Valley, also said she was riding a 20-year-old veteran mount. In honor of Halloween and the request to wear a costume, Loflin wore a scarecrow outfit.

“There’s no best age as long as your horse can do it,” said Kendra Huntington, 15, from Rock Springs. Huntington competed on two different horses, one of them 10 years old and the other 17.

Oaklee Hoffman, 11, from Lonetree, said her horse was 12 years old and she started training her mount when it was four years old, maybe even three years old.

Chet Whitman, Big Piney, rode an 8-year-old horse. It depends on the horse, really, to determine how long it takes to at least get “seasoned”, Whitman said. “You start breaking ’em in at two or three years old, and by the time they’re five or six, they’re ready to compete.”

“She’s five,” Rock Springs’ Kimberly Foran said regarding her mount’s age. “I started training her when she was two. How long they compete depends on how well you take care of ’em.”

“You have them start to do a slow walk, a slow walk to get them used to it,” said Bailey Denison, 14, from Big Piney. Each horse learns at its own pace. Denison said her 8-year-old horse, “Buffalo,” took four years to learn how to compete.

The Wild West Outlaws Gymkhana schedule is as follows: November 20, December 17, January 21, 2023, February 12, 2023, and March 19, 2023.