Redneck games attract students, residents

The 2010 Redneck Horse Games were held on Friday, Oct. 15 at the A&M-Commerce Educational Farm and Ranch.

This is the second year the Equine Show Team has hosted the Redneck games. There were five timed events with four teams competing for prizes from Huffman Farm Supply, Pet Degrees, Family Video and the Tanning Station.

"We had four teams competing last year as well, but there was a much better audience turnout this year," Allison Pricer, vice president of the Equine Club, said.

Team One was represented by the Wildlife Society, Team Two was comprised of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity members, and Teams Three and Four consisted of independent riders. The games were commentated by Swamp and DJ Texas Hic from KBHT radio station 93.5 - The Outlaw.

The Redneck Horse Games began with the Toilet Paper Race. In the event, three members of each team had to hold 42 squares of toilet paper between them, and without ripping it, race to the other end of the arena. While the other three teams completed the event, the Wildlife Society team was not able complete the race because one of the horses spooked at the sight of the toilet paper and had to be scratched.

"We had a problem with this event last year," Pricer said. "Some horses just don't like toilet paper, or they're afraid of it."

Team Four dominated the games winning three out of the five games. Jessica Locke, senior agriculture sciences and technology major and Team Four member, said she enjoyed the competition.

"This was my first time competing in the Redneck games, but I've ridden horses since early childhood," Locke said.

Other events included an egg-on-a-spoon relay race on horseback and a flag race, which involved passing off a pinwheel between mounting horses. 

Anna Flaherty, Team Three member, was the youngest rider at age eight and had to stand on a barrel in order to mount her horse during the flag race event.

"Anna plans to attend A&M-Commerce in the future," Dave Flaherty, Anna's father, said. "We drove from Windom to come out and participate. This is a great program."

 The last two events were goat branding and the remuda race. The remuda race involved catching a horse that had to be saddled, bridled and then ridden to the finish line.

Sarah Salzman, Team Four member and senior agriculture Education major, was thrown off by one of the school horses, Sugar, twice during the event.

"Those were all school horses," Salzman said. "So, I've never been on that horse before, and we had no warm-up time before the events. That was only about the millionth time I've fallen off a horse though, so it was no big deal. I just had to get up and roll with it."

The members of Team Four were presented with the overall $100 cash prize. Salzman said she enjoyed the events regardless of her falls.           

"This was our first time competing in these events," she said. "We had a great time."

The Equine Show Team holds two events per month as fundraisers, usually Trail Rides and Arena Nights. The university barn has 15 horses on hand to rent, and anyone can participate for $5. They plan to host the Redneck games again next fall.

"Hopefully, we can get an even better turnout next year," Pricer said. "It would be great to see new people at the event."