Monday, September 24, 2007 Big finish by Davao horsemen
THE Davao Horse Club (DHC) ended its run in the 2007 Philippine Horsemen's Federation Competition Circuit on a high note as three of its members vie for the Rider of the Year Award in their respective categories.
In Impasugong, Bukidnon, where the last leg of the Circuit was held over the weekend, Koby Troy Tan emerged as a shoo-in for the Youth Rider of the Year Award, accumulating at least 68 points out of the highest possible score of 80.
Other Davao horsemen in contention for the closely fought awards are Kboy's father Andrew Y. Tan in the Expert Division and Ronaldo Gonzaga in the Auxiliary Division.
The awards are based on total points garnered from two major events in each leg of the circuit, namely the Barrel Race and the Obstacle Race.
This year, the circuit went from Cebu to Davao, then on to Cagayan de Oro and Impasugong. Both Tan and Gonzaga were double winners in Cebu and Davao.
Final results of the awards for each of the five other categories will be out soon and their trophies given away in Cebu on the first leg of next year's competition.
As expected, competition among the horsemen from the different host cities (to include Malaybalay and Manila) that came to Impasugong was the tightest in the circuit, with many local cowboys tried out to snare the trophies and cash prizes from their visiting counterparts.
Not surprising though, as the municipality is acknowledged as the cowboy country in the ranches-filled, horse province of Bukidnon.
But Davao was never far from the top positions. Aside from Koby Tan being first in Barrel and second in the Obstacle Race in his division, and who was given the only trophy for achieving the fastest time (21 seconds) in Barrel Race in the whole competition, auxiliary rider Ronaldo Gonzaga (belonging to GWM Stables) snatched the championship in the Obstacle and was second in Barrel.
In the Executive Division, George Walter Misa was consistent in second place on his Arab horse Qilin Prince in both the Barrel and Obstacle.
Indeed, with breed upgrades and improved riding skills among Federation members, standings were won or lost by heartbreaking split-second differences in time among the top three positions in all divisions.
The Tan Stables, meanwhile, knocked out the competition in the Oval Race, Class A (horses 58" and taller) with a one-two punch when their Anglo-Arabs Big Shot and Star Nile raced to first and second place, respectively.
Other Davao riders who competed were young and promising Martin Ledesma and brothers Miko and Nikki Boy Batu Gonzales, the latter a 9-year-old natural rider who started competing this year.
Impasugong as the competition venue proved ideal. It was set in the middle of a pineapple plantation, bounded in the north by a towering mountain range that seemed blue in color, in the east by verdant hills of varying height, in the south by more plantations that stretched to as far as one's eyes can see and in the west by bamboo groves.
The weather was consistently cool and the sun just peeking out from low-flying clouds. And the reddish ground -- flat and soft -- was the best any horse's hooves could ever gallop on. Bukidnon couldn't have provided a more breathtaking view for any outdoor sport competition.
The local government, headed by new Mayor Julia Okinlay and former mayor Mario Okinlay (now Bukidnon's provincial sports director), in partnership with the Impasugong Horsemen's Association president Lawrence Olana graciously hosted the two-day 5th Impasugong Horse Show & Competition which coincided with the celebration of the 105th Year anniversary of the municipality.
DHC president Francis "Bong" Ledesma and wife Jocy led the family-dominated Davao contingent of the family-oriented horse club: past presidents Junjun and Sally Lim and son Nathan, Andrew and Chelo Tan with Koby, Dean and Jingle Gonzales with their four children, Geraldine Valdevieso and Albert and Carol Angel with daughter Aya. (GWM)
