CASEY - W.O. Miller opened his homestead to the newly formed Casey Saddle Club in 1956 so that young equestrians would have someplace to ride. More than five decades later, saddle club youths can still get together to ride, compete and have fun.

The club holds an average of five Fun Shows per year at the horse arena in Fairview Park.

"We are continuing to hold shows because this is what our children enjoy doing," said Robert Zellers, president of the club's board. "We have five core groups of families that are responsible for making each show happen."

Spectators do not need to look far to find 15-year-old Lindsey Tatge's family when they are organizing a show. Her father, Harold, calls races from the announcer's stand. Her mother, Jill, sells sandwiches, drinks and snacks at the concession stand.

Meanwhile, Lindsey and her twin sister, Emily, compete against each other and other youths in the horse arena.

Lindsey said her favorite event is the pole race because she can build up a lot of speed riding on her horse Apache, a brown-and-white paint.

"I can really run fast," she said. "(Apache) is pretty fast once you get her up to speed, but it takes a while."

Zellers said the shows include barrel races and about a dozen other events, most of which are scored based on the riders' times.

Participants compete for ribbons, and the one who scores the most points by the end of the season wins a belt buckle crafted by farrier Steve Hamilton of Casey.

Previously, the club held open shows with cash prizes that attracted riders from several hours away. Zellers said these highly competitive shows often lasted eight hours, well into the evening. He said these were long, hectic days for the club.

The club switched about four years ago to shows with ribbon prizes that are only open to club members, Zellers said. This change has created a more relaxed environment for youths to ride and their parents to watch them, he said.

"It's something you can go out and do as a family," Zellers said.

Zellers estimated the club has 40 to 50 members. Most of the riders are youths, but some adults do ride in the shows. He said the adult members generally help staff the shows.

Members are drawn from Casey and neighboring communities. The club is open to horse, pony, donkey and mule owners.

Lindsey said she rides Apache on her family's rural Casey homestead but likes to ride in the club's shows as well because there are other riders her age and spectators.

"It's a blast. People there are really nice," she said. She added that she also enjoys the club's trail rides.

The Casey Saddle Club, founded in 1956, outgrew Miller's homestead within a year or so of forming. Consequently, the club moved its shows to a stone quarry near the home of one of its founding members, Harland Smith.

About 1960, the club obtained permission to build a horse arena in Fairview Park. The club has held its shows there ever since. The arena also hosts Casey Popcorn Festival horse pulls, 4-H horse programming and other events.

"We have a very good relationship with the city of Casey," Zellers said. "They help us out and we in turn do what we can to help them."

Contact Rob Stroud at rstroud@jg-tc.com or 348-5734.