PG . 61
“ In June 2019 at Coonamble Rodeo , he let me down , and I told Mum and Dad I would never ride him again . I was so upset . Mum was beside herself , wondering how we could fix it . Jodie and Kane Mobberley were disappointed that Cinch wasn ’ t working out either , but they knew they had sold us a good horse . I just had to work it all out .”
“ I had a little spell from Cinch and went back to Dads mare . Mum then spoke to Wendy Caban , and everything changed from there . Cinch went on a holiday to Wendy ’ s home at Moree for a month . Wendy told Mum straight away that he needed lots of work , but he had the makings of a Champion . When a Barrel Racing Champion says that about your horse , you don ’ t give up .”
“ I was blessed to be welcomed into Wendy and Troy ’ s home , where I also had lessons with Cinch . Cinch and I loved it , and both learnt so much ! Wendy calls a spade a spade , and my skin had to become thick very quick , but when I walked into her lounge room and lost count of the buckles in there , I knew I was in the right spot !”
“ In August , we took him to Weengallon Rodeo QLD , we placed 4th , from there we went on to place in 13 Rodeos in a row and qualify for my first National Finals . Just before the Finals in Tamworth , making sure he kept me on my toes , he started to duck inside those drums again , so Moree bound he was . I remember Mum and Dad dropping him at Wendy ’ s at 10 pm one night .”
“ One thing I will never forget Wendy doing for me was at Mclean Rodeo he ducked inside a drum on me in the Jnr Barrel race , I wasn ’ t even out of the arena , and Wendy said I ’ m riding that horse in the Ladies tie him to my truck . When she has such a good string of horses at a $ 1000.00 Barrel Race and offers to ride my horse , I know I have someone exceptional in my corner . He placed 6th .”
Wendy always said , “ Cinch has it ; you just have to get it out of him .”
The first round of the finals didn ’ t go to plan ; Michelle and Chase Russell generously offering their horse Matey for the second round . “ From this day on , I felt what it was like to ride a seasoned Barrel horse , and everything changed . Cinch and I clicked , and we have been going great ever since ,” Skyla recalls .
In late 2019 the duo won their first Jnr Rodeo at Rockley and then won at Upper Horton in February 2020 . “ I won the Novice Barrel Race at Quirindi Championship Rodeo out of 66 riders and took home my first buckle . It was a great day !”
The exceptional team won the Novice Barrel race at Cobar in October 2020 , which meant that Cinch had broken Open with 12 months of consistency .
“ That was a pretty exciting moment for me , and we won another beautiful buckle .”
They were adding to their success and buckle collection , winning the Maturity Barrel race at the ABHA NSW State Championships and recently the Youth AQHA Buckle at Q21 .
“ My Pop passed away in December 2017 , and the statue that the AQHA awarded sat above my Pops coffin along with the leather headcollar Jackaroo wore out on the boat to Australia . These two special items still sit in my Nan ’ s Lounge room today ! I know when I won that AQHA buckle , my Pop would have been smiling from ear to ear .
2021 AQHA YEARBOOK ~ MAY / JUNE ISSUE