The Morning Sentinel

MONMOUTH

August 3

Fair features new barrel racing event

By Keith Edwards kedwards@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

MONMOUTH -- With nostrils flaring, clumps of dirt flying from their hooves as they accelerated, and an occasional rider getting thrown off onto the ground in a cloud of dust, the hard-charging horses in the barrel racing ring at the Monmouth Fair were an intimidating-looking bunch.

Not to Savannah Poulin, 11, however, and her sister Lilly Nadeau, 5.

Their mother, Serena Nadeau, of Litchfield, is another story.

"When I get on them, I'm scared. She tells me what to do," Serena Nadeau said, pointing to Lilly as her husband, Larry Nadeau, held the young girl next to the riding ring at the fairgrounds Saturday. Serena Nadeau worked in the timing booth of the competition, which she said helps pay for her daughters' riding.

Lilly Nadeau rides but doesn't race barrels, leaving that to Savannah, who rode Gentry, a horse she leases at Sylvia and Nick Morrill's Rocking T Farm in Litchfield, around a triangular course of three barrels.

"It's about the best thing a kid can do," Larry Nadeau said of riding horses. "As soon as she gets off the bus, she's ready to go ride. It's something to focus on. Our kids don't watch TV or play video games; they're out till it's dark, (riding) every day."

Watching 17-year-old Joanna Reid, of Knox, round the barrels atop her horse, 18-year-old Catch Me If You Can, it's hard to believe it's the same white and black-speckled animal that she hugs, nuzzles, and speaks with between runs. In the ring, the powerful animal accelerates fast and leans and digs into the dirt as the duo make the sharp turns required for a good time.

"She loves it. She starts hopping up and down before we go in the ring, she's so excited," Reid said of her horse, which she also calls Monica.

Reid has been training the horse herself since she got her less than three years ago. The animal had never raced barrels before then.

"She's really, really fast now," Reid said. "It's an adrenaline fix."

Chris White, of Gardiner, also trains at Rocking T Farm. Saturday, the last day of the annual Monmouth Fair, the burly 18-year-old rode Copper, a 6-year-old quarter horse just learning how to race barrels.

"He likes it, but he's young, so you know what that means. ... He's a little crazy," White said of his huge brown horse. "He dumped me at the last show, in Pittston. He got mad and bucked me off. I got some bruised ribs."

This was the first year the fair hosted barrel racing events, which also include slalomlike courses through poles, in the Maine Barrel Racing Association-organized competition. The horse ring was expanded to make enough room to accommodate the barrel racing.

Nearby, stouter horses strained against wooden sleds full of massive cement blocks in the pulling arena.

Numerous vendors hawking french fries, ice cream, sausages, toys and gifts crowded onto the small midway with game booths and numerous colorful rides with correspondingly colorful names -- the Aladin, Sizzler, Round Up, Octopus, Chair Swing, Truck Stop, and Super Slide.

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com