EO's "Horse Event"

The day before yesterday I had heard there was going to be a "horse event" at the Shake. The Shake is the bar on the beach at the west side of town. Standing on my beach here in EO, one actually is looking south because of the bend in the coast we live on, but since I am from CA no one can convince me I am not looking straight West.....however, for today, I will concede the bar is actually at the West end of town, not North. Anyway - a horse event - of course I would be there! About an hour before it was supposed to begin - 1pm - Ha....nothing EVER starts on time here......I was playing town crier and letting everyone I saw of what was about to take place even tho I had no idea of just what was going on. While I was at El Vago, there I saw my Mardi Gras cowboy - Hymee and his brother Hidou. I am sure I am spelling these names wrong but, phonetically.....this is what they sound like. I love seeing Hymee as he is the one I shared a most magical day riding El Toro - the magnificent horse he had brought me to ride in the Mardi Gras parade here in EO last Feb. and afterwards photos of me and Hymee on his also wondrous horse - racing down the beach with my fairy wings flying. Anyway - just seeing Hymee and his brother was a good sign as to what was to come.

What the "event" turned out to be was about 20 riders - all very, very good on beautiful horses - racing one at a time from one point to another in the parking lot next to the beach just below the Shake bar. In the middle of this area was a clothes line strung between a tree and a truck. The line had two clothes pins hanging - each with a ring - about the size of a wedding ring - hanging from the pins. In the hand of each rider was something that looked like a pencil - seriously. What the rider had to do was start from a standing position, be at a full run in a very short amount of space, then with the pencil or whatever it was....place it thru the ring as the rider and horse passed under the line. Then come skidding into a stop where the other riders where waiting their turn. Kinda like a joust but on a whole different level.

I am sure this "event" has a name but I never heard just what it was called.

This went on for a couple hours. At first it seemed impossible. But once they all got warmed up, it was surprising how many riders were able to do this. Of course I was routing for Hymee, but it was the horses I was most interested in. There was a black and white pinto that looked similar to my Cisco in CA, there was a stunning solid black that reminded me of "The Black Stallion" of which I read every book as a child. Every horse was truly amazing.

Sitting up above, having a beer with friends, tico music blasting............the riders and ocean below us. A simply perfect afternoon!