RONAN — It is Monday morning at the Ronan Fairgrounds and today is all about horses.

Ryan Harrop and her horse, Easy, are waiting to enter the ring with Halli Tyler, and her horse, Lady. Both are first-year 4-H’ers and are looking forward to competing in the Lake County Fair. Ryan has had Easy for two years and learned that there is a lot to do to get a horse ready for 4-H.

“I had to give Easy a bath, brush him and oil his hooves and eyes with baby oil,” Ryan said with pride.

Halli, who has had Lady for about nine months, chimes in, “She eats a lot of everything, but really, I just don’t want her to step on me.”

Another novice is nine-year old Shayla Olson, who is competing with her horse Smokey, with the help of her two big sisters, Cherrish and Faith. The Olsons have been around horses all of their lives. Growing up in Polson they have competed in the 4- H horse competition since they reached the entry age of nine-years- old.

The eldest Olson sister, Cherrish, began riding at age three and has competed for the past six years. So she knows just about all there is to know about showing horses.

“Her first word was ‘Horse,” said her mom, Cindy Olson.

There is a lot going on with the 21 contestants competing in a number of different events. All participant must compete in the showmanship competition, in their respective age groups. Participants also compete in such events as; English Pleasure, Western Pleasure, and Jumping.

It all comes down to Christie List Messer of Helena who is judging the entire 4-H horse competition . Messer began competing in 4-H at the age of nine. She has had more than several horses over the years and it is clear that after 36 years of showing and judging that she knows her horses.

Messer said, “ what is great about 4-H is that there is an opportunity to give advice to help them to improve. 4-H is a place to learn. “

Such dedication and perseverance is evident on the faces of the young competitors. As 12-year-old Faith said while sitting on top of her horse Jake while they wait to enter the ring,“I’m hoping to win the western pleasure because that’s my best, “ either way Faith said of the future; “I am just going to keep on riding.”