Allyson Shiffrar and Nathan Rowles, both of whom traveled north
from Nipomo to compete in last week’s California Gymkhana
Association State Championship Finals at Bolado Park, certainly
made their nearly three-hour ride home an enjoyable one last
week.
TRES PINOS
Allyson Shiffrar and Nathan Rowles, both of whom traveled north from Nipomo to compete in last week’s California Gymkhana Association State Championship Finals at Bolado Park, certainly made their nearly three-hour ride home an enjoyable one last week.
Each succeeded in defeating Apple Valley’s Makayla Foster – Shiffrar in keyhole and Rowles in bi-rangle – triumphing in a pair of events that neither of them usually advance past the first round in, let alone win.
“This is my first match race I’ve ever won,” said Shiffrar, 45. “And against Makayla Foster, the queen of CGA.
“She’s a very good rider and she’s got an incredible horse.”
Foster, atop her famed horse Aftershock, actually managed to post a better time than Shiffrar, but was disqualified after judges ruled she stepped outside her keyhole boundary.
Knowing her only chance to win was if Foster DQ’ed, an elated Shiffrar, who believed she broke the barrier at the start and “red-lighted,” let out a wild scream after receiving word of her victory.
“I spent an hour in the keyhole,” said Shiffrar, later adding that her horse, who was competing in the keyhole event for the fourth time on Friday, tried to anticipate her turn.
Shiffrar’s horse, though, may have over-anticipated the turn inside the narrow keyhole circle.
“She went one way and I had to turn her in the opposite direction,” Shiffrar said. “It was slow, but I didn’t touch the line.”
Shiffrar earned $290 and a buckle for her efforts.
“I’ve been doing this for four years,” Shiffrar said. “But I ran against some pretty incredible riders, so it’s an honor to even make it.”
Shiffrar’s victory was only a precursor of things to come for Nipomo competitors, though.
Shortly after her keyhole win, fellow Nipomo cowboy Nathan Rowles advanced to the championship round in match race bi-rangle, and was once again matched up with Foster.
“In Figure 8 Stakes I made it to the finals, but lost to Foster,” recalled Rowles, 19. “Getting in a run against Makayla and beating her is something I’ve wanted to do since I started riding.”
Below is this week’s San Benito Score, which includes gymkhana action.
In the end, all that separated Foster and Rowles was three one-thousandths of a second, with Rowles walking away with a buckle and approximately $500.
“I ran against the course, not the competitor,” Rowles said. “No looking (at the competition), just straight through the timing poles.”
Foster, meanwhile, drove home to Apple Valley with plenty of accolades, despite Friday’s outcome.
The 22-year-old cowgirl had six first-place finishes in 13 events, and was named the overall match-race champion for the fifth year in a row after she posted three first-place finishes and two runner-up standings.
She was also named high-point champion for 2009.
“He gave me an awesome week,” said Foster, referring to her horse, Aftershock, 13. “He gives me two match races every night, and as long as he comes out sound, I’m happy.”
Foster said this was her 10th year atop Aftershock at the state finals, which took place last week at Bolado Park in Tres Pinos, showcasing hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls from all over the state.
But for Foster, the Gymkhana state finals is simply a showcase for her horse. The Apple Valley cowgirl, despite the slew of awards she walked away with last week, took very little credit at the end of the day, and instead decided to heap the honors upon Aftershock.
“He gave me 100 percent,” she said. “There is nothing more that I could ask for.
“If I participated, I might screw it up.”
