Young riders practise their team roping skills using a side-by-side at the recent Paradise Valley Light Horse Camp at Three Cities Park. Jeannette Benoit-Leipert Meridian Source
The Paradise Valley Ag Society’s light horse committee recently ran a youth camp at the Three Cities Agriplex, located just east of the village.
Camp organizer, Melissa Wright, says the camp is about so much more than riding horses.
“First and foremost they’re developing some new friendships, and then obviously strengthening their horsemanship skills. You might have some that are more into English but now they’re roping with their horses, or maybe someone who ropes and goat ties is now into English and cross poles, so diversifying their equine world and exposing them to different opportunities with their horse … and through that, making some lifelong friends,” said Wright, adding it’s a fun time for many of the parents as well.
“Even as parents, we’re connecting— that’s what I get out of it, I connect with different families, and we’re close friends now and it’s through our time spent at horse camp.”
The camp was at capacity this year with 40 registrants ranging from ages six to 18.
Wright said they are very fortunate to have such a beautiful and functional space to run their camp.
“It’s at the Three Cities fairgrounds because it’s about bringing the Paradise Valley, Rivercourse, and McLaughlin communities together as one … one village and two hamlets. That’s why it’s called Three Cities,” explained Wright.
“It is a beautiful facility, so that’s another thing that inspires us to put on these kinds of events. We are so fortunate to have this—we have camping, we built an additional arena, so we now have three riding arenas, plus we use the track for roping and we have another cattle area set up. We have space to our advantage, and I think that helps the camp.”
For many of the young people who attend, it’s something they look forward to each summer.
“It’s fun to come and ride the horses and expose your horse to everything, but there’s also lots of good people involved. So it’s a good thing to come to and hang out with some friends and meet new people, too,” said Marleigh Mann, who travels from Sandy Beach for the camp.
Austyn Eaton of Paradise Hill said the camp is a highlight of her summer as well.
“I look forward to coming here and working on things with my horse that I don’t necessarily do a lot of at home, just trying new things. And I also love coming and seeing friends that I don’t see that often,” said Eaton.
One of the younger campers, Kenzie Byrne, described a few things she likes about the camp while standing with her horse named Pepto.
“I like getting to ride my horse with my friends, and I like learning new things. I learn a lot at camp. I really like cattle penning and gymkhana, and trail,” said Byrne.
Wright said the horse camp wouldn’t be possible without experienced volunteers like Lionel Romanchuk, who has been helping out at the Light Horse Camp for nearly a decade.
Romanchuk teaches the kids leather crafting and team roping.
“A young guy by the name of Ty Bennett took over the team-roping part of it and he’s really great with the kids,” said Romanchuk.
“Ty is a great roper, he’s a great horseman, but he’s really good with the kids—and that’s kind of number one. If you make learning fun then learning becomes easy. These kids come to learn and to have fun, and they do you know.”
Romanchuk said caring for horses teaches children some very important skills.
“Horse kids—they learn all of the great qualities of life: respect, responsibility—horses teach that. And then just the interaction with each other. Horse camps are just a wonderful place for kids,” said Romanchuk, adding it’s a learning experience for the horses as well.
“The horses get exposed to everything from the cattle to the goats, the barrels, the poles—all of that kind of stuff. That’s all part of it too, to socialize these horses.”
