By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
CASSOPOLIS - Kristin Jessup carted away the blank Kelly and Brittany McCormick traveling trophy and sash Monday as Cass County Fair horse trail champion.
It's blank because it's new.
Kristin is its first recipient.
Kristin, 17, of Marcellus, will be a senior at Marcellus High School.
She belongs to Silver Spurs 4-H horse club.
She's been around horses since she was a 5-year-old pee wee.
She rode Tango, a paint, for her sixth year, garnering second in Western attire ages 17-19.
She anticipates starting college at Southwestern Michigan, then transferring to Western Michigan University.
Horse events fill her "dance card" every day but Saturday, and Tango will be ridden that day by a pee wee, not basking in the barn.
Kristin participates in gymkhana, English, Western, reining - 18 classes in all in 2004.
Everything, it seems, but dressage. "That's more movement with the horse and patterns."
In other words, showing horses five days means Kristin crams any other part of the fair she wants to enjoy into Saturday, though she's not complaining.
At MHS Kristin is a member of the equestrian team and plays volleyball.
Rachel Kauffman, 16, of Bristol, Ind., will be a junior at White Pigeon High School in neighboring St. Joseph County.
She belongs to Sleepy Hollow 4-H horse club and finished reserve trail champion to Kristin.
Rachel's steed, "Mooney," has been with her for three years. He's a registered quarterhorse.
Rachel "shows every discipline" in horses, including English, Western and dressage. I think I'm better in English than anything else, but I think my favorites are trail and speed and action - even though I'm not good at it. It's fun to run fast. I want to show pigs next year. They're cute! We'll see, but I doubt that will happen. Not enough time."
Her college plans are unsettled, "but I'm looking at something in Indiana," Rachel said. "I'll come back, but I want to go far away" and see the world first.