Poker ride a record breaker

All it takes is a couple of hours on a horse, wending through trees and meadows, and you see the rest of life through different eyes. Happier, mentally healthier eyes. It is even better when you know you're supporting kids and agriculture at the same time.

Under sunny skies and a gentle breeze, more than 100 riders set out on Sunday morning from the farmhouse of Rick Mills, out at rural Reid Lake, one of the tightly clustered lake communities north of the city (surprisingly close). Each one paid to be there, and collected playing cards along the route, hoping to have a winning hand by the time they got back to the corral.

"We sold 134 poker hands to 102 riders," said Mills, vice-president of the Lakes Community Horse Club. "It broke every record we've ever had for a fundraiser trail ride."

There was a long list of prizes for the top hands of poker, the grand reward being a new saddle donated by Greenhawk Equipment and Equestrian. There was also a hearty menu of meals supplied by Joyce Honsell Family Catering. The trail - a three-hour circuit - was supplied by Mills, his neighbours the Ferrigan family, and the Crown. It took riders over gentle hills and through picturesque valleys, across sweet smelling fields and into aromatic forests. Birds sang the riders along, and the eyes dined on a visual feast. It's surprising how many jets fly over Prince George on the average summer Sunday - you notice these things when you're travelling in outdoor luxury. A crane leaped from its perch on an abandoned farm building and glided off over a wetland. A black bear sow and three bounding brown cubs wandered along the edge of a field. These were just some of the sights available.

"We already can't wait for next year," said Mills. "We kept hearing people telling us how much they liked the trail, all the scenery they got to enjoy, it all just worked out. I talked to all the landowners involved and they seemed happy to help us out. We got a heck of a crowd out, and when I went out and checked the field where all the parking was, we didn't have to pick up a single piece of garbage. And as we cleaned up the trail afterwards we didn't have to stop for so much as a gum wrapper. You all were great, great people to have on our property."

The poker ride trotted right into the next horse club event, the annual Little Britches Rodeo coming up Aug. 16 at their Nukko Lake facility (32650 Chief Lake Road). Although it is dedicated to the youth movement in animal athletics, it has its serious competitive side and can lead aspiring rodeo competitors on to the provincial and even professional levels. The local event is for kids aged about 4 to 15.

"You haven't seen anything until you've seen a five-year-old try to tail-wrap a goat. There's something missing in your life if you haven't seen that kid out there doing their best in the ring," said Mills. "These kids get serious about their sport but they cheer each other on. You don't get that kind of attitude of friendship in a lot of other sports. And they take those experiences and lessons everywhere they go in life."

There were close to 80 competitors last year and more are expected this year.

"It's true, the rodeo is our major event every year, but the club also puts on gymkhanas, clinics, several trail rides, we're a full meal deal kinda club. And we have a beautiful arena in downtown Nukko Lake," Mills said.