Forming patterns, weaving in and out and making sure everything lined up perfectly with the timing of musical medleys, riders from Hearts 4 Horses wowed the judges at a state-wide competition Nov. 15 and 16.
The mounted drill team performs synchronized routines to music, all while on horseback. Each routine has a theme, such as football or superheroes, and is complete with corresponding songs and costumes. Hearts 4 Horses has teams for youth and adults.
“You have 10 riders and 10 horses in the arena at the same time, trying to all do the same thing. It’s hard,” team leader Meghan Boyette said.
This was the sixth year Hearts 4 Horses has competed at the Sunshine State Mounted Drill Team Association’s state championships. The team won first place in every division it entered, and therefore, had the highest number of points overall.
Though the team took home ribbons and plaques to commemorate their wins, Boyette said the best part for her was the satisfaction of success.
“You’re in an unfamiliar arena with other shows going on around you, and when the team can talk together, and you just nail something you’ve been struggling with in practice … you don’t even care if you place. You did it,” she said.
To prepare for the two-day competition, Hearts 4 Horses practiced two to three times per week at its barn at Painted Gaits Farm. They will continue this kind of rigorous preparation if they are sponsored to go to nationals next year.
The idea for Hearts 4
Horses was born years ago, when Boyette and other women from Painted Gaits went to the Florida State Fair and watched a mounted drill team perform. The event caught their interest, so they went to an informational meeting about it at the fair.
“We just kind of put it together over the summer and started competing, and it’s been a huge hit since,” Boyette said.
There are currently six girls on the team, and four new young riders who have expressed interest. There are also 10 adults, some of which are parents of former youth riders who wanted to join after watching their sons and daughters compete.
For eight years, Hearts 4 Horses also served as a 4-H club. But, this year, Boyette was not approved as a 4-H leader. She and parents at the barn called staff at the UF/IFAS Extension of Hillsborough County, who make the decisions about 4-H leaders in the area, to ask why Boyette was not approved, but their questions were unanswered.
“It hurt my group, it hurt myself,” Boyette said. “They will not give you a reason. They just say, ‘We don’t want you this year’ … The only response back was, ‘Some people make it and some people don’t.’”
Stephen Gran, county extension director, said the application process includes a background check, interviews and a form application. Staff evaluate the materials and select certain volunteer leaders for approval.
Gran said he was unable to explain exactly why Boyette had not been approved this year.
“We have hundreds of volunteers that work with us to help us provide educational programming to our clientele,” Gran said. “Each of those volunteers have to apply on an annual basis, and their application is evaluated. Like any other volunteer, some are approved and some are not approved.”
He said a different volunteer could have applied to lead the club this year and potentially would have been approved.
Even with the challenges of being denied approval as a 4-H leader, Boyette is passionate about Hearts 4 Horses and will not be giving up on her team.
“If you could ever have a group of kids to be blessed with, this is it,” she said. “They’re phenomenal.”
BY THE NUMBERS
2: Number of days at the state competition
5: Number of events in which Hearts 4 Horses placed first
6: Number of routines performed each day
9: Average number of minutes for each routine
16: Number of total riders on the team
Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver.com.