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July 10, 2009

Eight-year-old wins riding competition

Hard work pays off for Olivia Flack

By Robb Murray

LAKE CRYSTAL — This little cowgirl is way past horse camp.

At 8, young Olivia Flack recently won the High Point Equitation Award for her age division at the Midwest Regional Pony of America Show in Winona.

To win, riders had to compete and excel in several types of riding styles — English Equitation over Fences (jumping), Showmanship, Western Horsemanship and English Equitation.

Piece of cake for Olivia, who has been riding for longer than she can remember.

“I just like animals,” she said, when asked how cool it was to win such a huge event.

Olivia rides at a facility owned by her grandparents. Just a bit south of Lake Crystal, the Schuck residence includes an indoor horse-riding arena where Olivia tries to practice at least 30 minutes a day (or so she’s been challenged by her grandfather.)

She actually rides ponies, but they’re a lot bigger than the ones you pay $5 bucks at the county fair to ride for three minutes. These ponies are nearly the size of a regular horse, and they’re covered in spots.

Getting good enough to win, mom said, takes practice. A rider herself, Angie Schuck said it’s been rewarding to pass her love of horses down to her children.

It’s been getting a little dicey, though, as Olivia gets older — every sport has its dangerous moments.

“Yes, there are times,” Schuck said. “Like the jumping. That’s something new.”

Schuck said horse riding has been a good tool for teaching discipline. Becoming a good rider takes practice and consistency, not unlike a lot of other things in life.

Even the accidents are teachable moments.

“She’s fallen off a few times,” Schuck said. “We always make her get right back on.”

The region consists of Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska. Schuck says it is a highly competitive region with riders who are leading the nation in points.

“Olivia has worked hard to develop her riding skills,” Schuck said.

And it’s fun when that hard work pays off. At the Winona event, after a long day of riding, Olivia got the good news.

“Mom was like, ‘Olivia! Get out here!’ And I was like, ‘Oh no, what did I do now.’ And she’s like, ‘You won high point!’”

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