It was a tight and challenging competition as riders contended to qualify for a national competition.

Boots and Bridles Equestrian Club hosted the fourth and last Reining & Western Performance Horse Qualifier at Pondarosa Ranch on Saturday.

The qualifier competition was held in order to determine the riders that will qualify for the Western Festival that will be on August 6 to 10 at the Afridome in Parys.

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Anita van Eeden, of Boots and Bridles Equestrian Club, said the participants need to compete in at least two qualifiers in order to participate at the national competition, also known as West Fest.

“The show was well supported by young riders this time around. At each qualifier there are two groups of classes offered.

Ride and Try (Novice) is for the riders who have never participated in Western classes and would like to try it before spending money on all the correct equipment and the qualifier classes. Riders are only allowed to enter Ride &

Try classes twice. Thereafter they need to move to the qualifier classes, which have three levels: Novice, Intermediate and Open.

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“These levels are also divided into age groups, short stirrup (riders up to 11 years), youth (11 to 18 years) and adult (18 years and older).
“Once you have entered qualifier classes you cannot go back to Ride & Try classes. You can also not go down to lower levels once you have moved up, unless you ride a new horse,” she said.