Equestrians strut their colors at Special Olympics

By MINDY POEHL | Central Texas Edition

John Brandon Borden (on horse at left) and Stormy Morris (on horse at right) won the gold medal in the drill team competition at the Special Olympics equestrian meet in Waco. Borden and Morris are both wheelchair bound and competed for All Star Equestrian team in Mansfield. -- Photo by Mindy Poehl

June 2, 2005 - Many different horses were well groomed, painted with sparkling stars, and decked out in Hawaiian flowers at the Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo Complex, May 20-22. The riders' clothes were matching their horses' attire, as they performed.

Over 110 athletes competed in the 2005 Special Olympics Texas Summer Games (SOTX) equestrian competition that was held in Waco. The equestrian events were held at the HOT Coliseum, while the majority of the events were held at Texas State University in San Marcos.

"There are over 31,000 athletes that compete in the summer sports," said Kelly Coffey, public relations coordinator for Special Olympics Texas. "The other sports include track and field, basketball, cycling, gymnastics, soccer and tennis."

In order to join the Special Olympics, athletes must be at least eight years old. However, six and seven-year-olds can train. To be able to compete in the Special Olympics competitions, riders must be 12 years old.

"To compete in the state games, the athletes must compete in the area games. There are 19 different areas across the state of Texas," explained Coffey. "In Texas, there are three state games every year- Summer, Winter and the Fall Classic. There are over 200 competitions yearly throughout the state, and 20 different sports are partaken. The Fall Classic will be held in Waco in October."

During the drill team equestrian competition, different teams from across Texas rode their horses to upbeat songs, as the horses pranced around the center of the arena with the rhythm of the songs.

"Being involved with the Special Olympics has a lot of good benefits. It increases the athlete's self esteem," Coffey said. "A lot of hard work is put into performing. It's a year-round thing. Each athlete trains eight weeks prior to competing."

Erin Denmark, a 22-year-old member of the SIRE drill team, in Magnolia, has been riding horses for 13 years. Denmark brushes her horses, rides them and trots on them. And, Denmark won a gold medal that she was passionately proud of, as well as two silver medals, at the equestrian competition.

Riding horses can greatly benefit those with special needs. It can help improve mental, physical and emotional fitness and is extremely therapeutic. The All Star Equestrian team from Mansfield, who also competed in Waco, has certified therapeutic riding instructors that utilize the movement of the horses to provide physical benefits such as improved muscle strength, balance, trunk and head control. In fact, horse riding can help improve an athlete's overall motor skills.

"The equestrian events are wonderful," Coffey said. "It's a difficult sport and the athletes train hard. It's very impressive to see."