One lesson and Cricket Postma was hooked on reining. That was about a year ago, and now the freshman at Etna High School is looking at the possibility of competing at the American Quarter Horse Youth World Championships in Oklahoma City, in August.

Cricket’s first reining lesson was with Sam Gemaehlich on Pepe, a horse that Cricket’s family had just purchased. That first time on Pepe didn’t go so well. Although a trained reiner, it had been a while since Pepe had been tuned up. So, Cricket really didn’t get the full feeling of reining. That, however, would change.

After the lesson, Gemaehlich allowed Cricket to get on his horse, Harley, who is a finished reiner. The experience was an eye opener for Cricket.

“It was one of the funnest things I’d ever experienced! The way the horse moved so gracefully and how responsive he was. I now have a different reiner that has major training put into him that I show on. I chose reining as a sport because I love the fact that it is a team sport with my horse, Dillon, and me. We have gained each others trust through numerous hours of practicing and spending time together away from the show ring. Once you start reining there is no going back. It’s too much fun,” said Cricket.

For those who may not be familiar with reining, the National Reining Horse Association describes it as:

“A judged event designed to show the athletic ability of a ranch type horse in the confines of a show arena. In NRHA competition, contestants are required to run one of ten approved patterns. Each pattern includes small slow circles, large fast circles, flying lead changes, roll backs over the hocks, 360 degree spins done in place, and the exciting sliding stops that are the hallmark of the reining horse.”

The American Quarter Horse Association rule book says:

“To rein a horse is not only to guide him, but also to control his every movement. The best reined horse should be willfully guided or controlled with little or no apparent resistance and dictated to completely. Any movement on his own must be considered a lack of control. All deviations from the exact written pattern must be considered a lack of or temporary loss of control, and therefore faulted according to severity of deviation. Credit will be given for smoothness, finesse, attitude, quickness and authority in performing the various maneuvers while using controlled speed.”

Cricket says that memorizing all the required patterns is the hardest part about the sport of reining. But, she also says that the challenge of reining is one of the best parts.

“The best thing about reining is finding a challenge and working at it until you can overcome it. Also it is very nice to be able to walk out of the show ring patting your horse with a smile on your face knowing you and your horse had a great run,” said Cricket.

To learn the art of reining and how to overcome those challenges, Cricket trains with Robby Bianchi of Bianchi Performance Horses in Central Point, Oregon.

Her horse, whose full name is IMA Dillon Dun It, was sired by Matt Dillon Dun It, a world champion reiner.

At her last show, held in October at an Oregon Quarter Horse Association competition in Eugene, Oregon, Cricket and Dillon accumulated two points towards qualifying for the championships in August. She came home with ribbons for a first place, six seconds, a third, two fourths, and a fifth in different classes. Cricket needs to gain four more points by the end of April, 2010 to qualify for the championships.

Along with her trainer, Cricket gives a lot of credit to her mother, Diane Postma, for her success.

“One thing I’ll never forget is that if it weren’t for my mom I would have never made it this far. I couldn’t have done it without her always there encouraging me. I hope that more youth will become involved in reining if they have the chance. It is a great way to stay active, have fun, enjoy the very friendly world of reining, and most of all a great way to work with horses,” said Cricket