Horses with spots of all shapes and sizes filled the warm up area as young riders prepared to wow the judges during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Horse Show. Boys and girls aged 5 to 10 competed in the Youth Walk Trot Trail Paint Horse Show Wednesday, March 7, in NRG Arena.
Young riders sporting glittery outfits sat still while parents checked tack, straightened hats and reminded their children to sit up straight and smile.
Some of the competitors were seasoned pros, despite their young faces, including 8-year-old Teagan Kallus of Fayatteville, Texas, who has competed in paint horse shows since she was three. Teagan was the first to enter the arena and rode with confidence as her horse, Macho in Pink or “Aspen” for short, glided over the course.
“I was a little nervous, but I think I did pretty good,” Teagan said. “I try to ride almost every day at home.”
Teagan’s mother, Tina Kallus, said Teagan’s entire family shows paint horses.
“She [Teagan] first came to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo when she was a week old to watch her brothers, who also show Paint Horses,” Tina said.
For many families, these shows involve the entire family. Parents and siblings are riders themselves and stand by, ready to help each other prepare and are quick to praise each other at the end of a ride.
View the list of upcoming Horse Shows at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo here: http://www.rodeohouston.com/Visit-the-Rodeo/Livestock-Horse-Show/Horse-Show
