2025 Murieta Equestrian Center Western States Horse Expo

My name is Hailey Bergounous, I am 10 years old, and I am in my second year of 4-H Horse Project with Range View 4-H in Sacramento County. I have been riding horses since I was 4 years old, and I have a 28-year-old pony named Bob. On June 4th, 2025, our horse friend, Cheryl Pritchett, invited my sister Siena, friend Sara, and me to come and bathe her big draft horse’s Rosebud and Ruby to get them ready for the Murieta Equestrian Center Western States Horse Expo, and we ended up helping at the event. The expo had everything horse from all kinds of breeds from mini horses to all types of giant draft horses. There were arena demonstrations like the draft horse demonstration and riders doing dressage. It was fun bathing the giant horses, scrubbing their feathered legs and long manes, and we washed the stagecoach and harness equipment. Cheryl brought her strawberry roan Clydesdale Rosebud and Shire Ruby. When it was time to exercise the horses, Clydesdale’s Rosebud, Rex, Windy, and a Belgian named Chip, were walked to the warmup arena. The horses were running around excited. I got to go in the arena to help keep the horses moving. I walked with Chip and pretended to have a halter and he walked right with me. It was fun playing with him and I got to walk him to his stall. While at the event we also cleaned horse stalls and washed horses. I brushed the Clydesdales, the two Percheron’s Cheryl was driving with the stagecoach, and helped hold the horses while they got their harnesses put on. The next two days I walked Chip in the Big Horse arena Demonstration. He was good for me most of the time. It was confusing figuring out where to go in the arena but it got easier when I followed the wagons. It was very hot and when I got tired walking him in the arena, Sara took him and kept walking. My sister Siena barrel raced Rosebud and Sara got to help with the Percheron hitch horses. Good Day Sacramento came and the news reporter rode in a hitch wagon. I held Chip for the interview part and was on television! This was such a fun time and I hope we are invited back to help next year.

After the demonstration, we walked around to the vendors and were given a lot of free horse cookie samples and candy for us to eat. We were all invited to come help at the 2025 Draft Horse Classic and Harvest Fair at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley September 18-21, 2025. We hope to see you there!