ROME TOWNSHIP – The Lawrence County Fair kicked off Saturday with the 4-H and "Open Class" horse show.

Sunday, July 08, 2001

ROME TOWNSHIP – The Lawrence County Fair kicked off Saturday with the 4-H and "Open Class" horse show. Riders from across the area met yesterday to compete in different categories such as western pleasure, showmanship, horsemanship and English riding.

The 4-H riders were vying for a chance to complete their 4-H project and to earn a place at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus.

Nick Whitley, a 4-H member with the "Rome Wrangler’s" club, and his horse, Skip’s Lucky Girl, was one of the competitors at yesterday’s show. Nick said he has been in 4-H for about two years and riding horses for only three years.

Horse shows are an event all of Nick’s family is involved with. During the interview, Nick was called to another competition, leaving his mother, Kathy, to field questions.

Mrs. Whitley said her son have always had a fascination with horses. "We used to come to the fair so Nick could look at and watch the horses," she said, watching her son ride in his third class competition for the day.

Mrs. Whitley said showing horses became a natural extension of her son’s love for the animals and her background – "I was raised on a horse farm," she explained.

She said her family is involved in every aspect of the show including the preparation. She said her son spends a few hours a week riding to keep the horse, and himself, in good condition for the shows. She said because with the amount of time required to prepare shows, her family has taken a step back from riding. She said with the exception of Nick, her family only goes on a few trail rides throughout the year with the Lawrence County Horsemen Association, a club that boasts about 265 members.

Although Mrs. Whitley has been watching her son ride for a few years, she said she still gets a little nervous when he’s out in the ring riding. But, she said, she looks forward to watching Nick continue to show the animals he has loved since he was a child.