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Hernando Today

All The Pretty Horse

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By TONY HOLT

Published: May 11, 2008

MASARYKTOWN - Randy Curl is an authentic cowboy.

He talks, walks and dresses like someone who walked off the set of a Western. He lives on a horse farm and makes a living horseshoeing.

Even his heart softened at some of the sights and sounds at Legacy Oaks ranch Saturday.

It was the Special Olympians who had that effect on him. Not even the tennis ball-sized chaw in his mouth could hide his smile.

"Ready cowboy?" he asked Larry Cory during the equitation portion of the show.

Cory rode Bobo along the square-shaped course in front of the judges and crowd. Curl guided him through part of the competition, but it was Cory who had control.

All of the riders instinctively knew how to use their legs, hands and body to control the animal below them.

"Everything is so rewarding," Curl said after he returned the horse to the stable. "It's neat to watch them do it. It really brings out their personality."

Curl was a volunteer. His wife, Nicole Curl, was the organizer of Saturday's Equestrian Special Olympics demonstration.

It was the third year in a row she planned the event, which is sponsored by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA).

Many of Saturday's 21 riders were Special Olympians, including at least one who was headed to the state games.

Curl was chugging water and wiping sweat off her brow, but she worked full speed throughout the day.

"It's all been going smoothly so far," she said. "This is what we've been waiting for all year. This is the big pay off."

It takes months to plan the event, which has been held for the past nine years at Legacy Oaks, located off Psenka Street near County Line Road.

Five acres are owned by Ron and Connie Calub. The husband was helping around the stables while his wife was emceeing the event.

She noted one of the riders, Kristin Hagerty, who rarely spoke when she first met her. The shy teenager came out of her shell after only a few sessions with the horses.

"Now she likes to ride and she likes to groom," Calub said to the crowd. "She's come a really long way since then."

In addition to the five acres they own, the husband and wife also lease another 15 acres. It is a lot of land to care for, but it was a dream of theirs for years while living in Brandon.

They settled in Masaryktown in 1999 and soon began hosting the annual equine competition.

"It's very, very gratifying," Ron Calub said. "There's a lot of community spirit here. The neighbors pitch in, too. It's been overwhelming."

There were about 50 spectators Saturday. They were sitting in the shade and there were coolers filled with ice and bottled water. The temperature reached 90 degrees by noon.

The heat was not enough to keep people away from the show, which usually brings a large audience.

"They have a pretty good crowd every year and the riders get better each year," said Joyce Gibson, whose sister, Kim, was one of the riders.

"She really loves doing this," she continued. "It's something most of them can do. The horses really take to them."

For more information about the program or to find other NARHA center locations, visit www.narha.org.

Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283 or wholt@hernandotoday.com.

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