PUYALLUP – Local rider Emme Conley added plenty of blue ribbons to her collection after a successful performance at the Washington State 4-H Fair equestrian competition earlier this month.
As the only representative from Grays Harbor County, Conley, a sophomore at Hoquiam High School, won four blue ribbons in her first week of competition at the state fair on Sept. 5-8.
Riding her horse, Falena, and competing in the Performance category, Conley won blue ribbons in the Showmanship, English Equitation, Stock Seat Equitation and Herdsmanship events.
Conley was back at it the following week aboard the horse Gus, competing at the fair’s Western Games in the Seniors Division against other top riders from across the state, walking away with seven ribbons total, three of those of the blue variety.
Conley won blue ribbons for Showmanship, Herdsmanship – which is based on care for the horse, barn and public interactions – and recorded a personal-best time of 13.847 to earn a blue ribbon in the Two-Barrel Flags event.
“It meant a lot because I’ve been working on this event for a really long time and my horse just isn’t the most fond of it,” Conley said of the two-barrel event. “So to be able to get a blue ribbon in it when it’s an event I’m not the best at, it was like, ‘Whoa! That’s crazy.’ … I didn’t think that would happen because usually something goes wrong the first barrel, but this time it was all so smooth.”
Conley also won a red ribbon in Poles (29.276) and white ribbons in Figure Eight (24.85), International Flag (12.659) and Barrels (19.03).
SUBMITTED PHOTO Hoquiam’s Emme Conley poses for a photo with some of her ribbons won during the Grays Harbor County Fair in August.
In her fourth year competing at the event, Conley had her best performance.
“That was super fun,” Conley said. “There was a lot more people I got to meet and made some new friends. Overall, everything was a lot more fun and a better experience.”
Winning seven blue ribbons during the state fair is no small feat, and it’s fueled Conley’s competitive fire as she plans on competing again next season.
“I think it just proves how much work I’ve put in over four years. Not just with my personal horse, but with horses I’ve been able to use to go to state. Working with a new horse for only five months and being able to do that is amazing to me,” she said before thanking her family, friends and supporters that cheered her on during the event. “The people cheering me on and giving me the motivation really helps especially when things don’t go the way they’re planned and they’re like, ‘It’s OK.’”
