During the 2018 season, the Gold Star Pacesetters were very busy. They performed at many demonstrations, clinics, and competitions throughout the year. They were even invited to be on JOCO radio. Mr. Frank Pace, coach and founder, Patti Pace, wife and founder of Wings of Hope Equine Therapy program in Burleson, Deb Dyrssen, parent, and Adelee Dyrssen, vaulter, spoke for a session about what equestrian vaulting is, when they meet, how it has benefited participants throughout the years. We heard first hand from a Deb, a parent, of how vaulting has changed and benefited her daughter over the past year and a half. Adelee,the vaulter, also spoke of how she came to learn about the sport,found the Pacesetters, and how she has benefited from it. Mr. Pace spoke of how the team all came about and how it has grown into what it is today.
They started the year off with their annual demonstration at Burleson's own City on a Hill Festival. At this event the Pacesetters would demonstrate compulsory and freestyle moves on the practice barrels. They would get the public involved in the event by teaching them how to do these moves on the barrels as well. Many children were able to try vaulting first hand and get a feel for what it takes. On the hour,every hour, the team members would then demonstrate on Gus, their horse, the compulsory moves and freestyles that are set to music. The public was able to see how the work on the barrel transferred over to a performance on a horse. This was a fun filled day of teaching and practicing for upcoming events.
In June, the Gold Star Pacesetters attended their first competition of the year, Texfest. They also hosted this competition in Claridon, TX. Three vaulters from the Pacesetters participated in the competition. Adelee competed in the trot division, and Alyssa and Carolina competed in the walk division. Each member did the compulsories and a freestyle at gate of their level on the horse. Each also competed in barrel freestyle competition. Alyssa and Adelee had also created and performed a Pas de Deux (double freestyle) barrel performance. This event was the first competition for one of the vaulters, but all the vaulters did well.
Later in the month of June, the team traveled to Athens, TX and performed a demo at the World Equestrian Drill Team Competition. here the team performed their compulsories at each vaulters gate, with some doing it at the walk, and one vaulter doing them at the Canter. then each member was able to perform a freestyle to a selections of music on the horse, GUS. As a finale, the team surprised the audience by doing a very upbeat and fun synchronized barrel routine to the 50's hit "Rockin' Robin". In this performance, 4 members of the team performed the same moves at the same time, each on their own barrel. What a fun event. Ready to go back next year and do it again!
They started the year off with their annual demonstration at Burleson's own City on a Hill Festival. At this event the Pacesetters would demonstrate compulsory and freestyle moves on the practice barrels. They would get the public involved in the event by teaching them how to do these moves on the barrels as well. Many children were able to try vaulting first hand and get a feel for what it takes. On the hour,every hour, the team members would then demonstrate on Gus, their horse, the compulsory moves and freestyles that are set to music. The public was able to see how the work on the barrel transferred over to a performance on a horse. This was a fun filled day of teaching and practicing for upcoming events.
In June, the Gold Star Pacesetters attended their first competition of the year, Texfest. They also hosted this competition in Claridon, TX. Three vaulters from the Pacesetters participated in the competition. Adelee competed in the trot division, and Alyssa and Carolina competed in the walk division. Each member did the compulsories and a freestyle at gate of their level on the horse. Each also competed in barrel freestyle competition. Alyssa and Adelee had also created and performed a Pas de Deux (double freestyle) barrel performance. This event was the first competition for one of the vaulters, but all the vaulters did well.
Later in the month of June, the team traveled to Athens, TX and performed a demo at the World Equestrian Drill Team Competition. here the team performed their compulsories at each vaulters gate, with some doing it at the walk, and one vaulter doing them at the Canter. then each member was able to perform a freestyle to a selections of music on the horse, GUS. As a finale, the team surprised the audience by doing a very upbeat and fun synchronized barrel routine to the 50's hit "Rockin' Robin". In this performance, 4 members of the team performed the same moves at the same time, each on their own barrel. What a fun event. Ready to go back next year and do it again!