By Julia Oudiz
Staff Writer
Freshman Anna Graves has been horseback riding competitively for six years at Martin Performance Horses, Palos Verdes.
Graves started riding more often and slowly developed skills, but according to Graves, she still has a long way to go. In the beginning, she would constantly fall off her horse, but, according to brother of Graves, Jonathan Graves, she has become courageous as she has learned to ride.
“I started horseback riding because I went to Rawhide Ranch with my girl scout troop and the horseback riding was so fun that I started taking lessons,” Graves said. “I kept getting more and more involved with riding.”
Graves specializes in speed patterns over cattle work in competitions, so she often enters in gymkhana competitions, which focus on speed. Recently, she won the championship for her age division at The South Bay Gymkhana Series at Ernie Howlett Park.
“I really love going fast when I’m riding and the craziness of the competitions,” Graves said.
Graves often rides with Kayla Hendric at Martin Performance Horses Stables. According to Hendric, Graves’s best quality while riding is her ability to stay calm when she loses control of her horse and her times at barrel racing have improved.
“She is fun to talk to and she always has a positive attitude while riding,” Hendric said.
Graves has competed in 35 competitions around the state. Competitions usually take place during the weekends, but sometimes occur on Fridays. She spends most of her time practicing at the stables for competitions or competing on the weekends.
“Specifically, in rodeos, I do barrel racing, which is a speed pattern where the rider runs as fast as they can through a series of barrels set up in the arena and the rider with the fastest time wins,” Graves said. “Barrel races are common components in rodeos, and mostly girls compete in them.”
Graves practices for an average of 14 hours every week, including lessons during the weekend. Practices begin with walking, then trotting around the arena, and sometimes technical working and practice for competitions. According to Graves, practice routines, such as barrel patterns, are very repetitive.
“Anna has improved in her turns which continue to become significantly smaller and tighter,” Graves’s mother Cathy Graves said. “Also, as she and her horse work together more and their speed has increased significantly.”
Graves has been leasing her horse, Coosa Going Gold, referenced as Goldie in the barn, since 2014. Goldie is a quarter horse, which means she is able to run a quarter mile faster than any other horse breed, according to Graves.
“Horses are a lot of responsibility and by leasing a horse, you share that responsibility with someone else,” Graves said.
Graves enjoys the connection that she gets with her horse when she’s riding and how both of them are teammates and working together. Also, she likes that horseback riding differs and is unique from any other sport.
“When Anna rides she is completely focused,” sister of Graves, Rachel Graves, said. “She has a game face on and is ready to perform the best she can. Her confidence shows when she rides as well. Also, she rides very fast, yet she is in total control, making her a very consistent rider.”
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