HUTCHINSON, Kan. (Sept. 11, 2014) -- With its most experienced muleskinners long departed, the Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard took a rookie team to this year's Kansas State Fair here, Saturday, and walked away with seven ribbons.
Teams of Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard, or CGMCG, Soldiers compete yearly in the Draft Horse Competition with mules, Jane and Julie, and Percheron draft horses, Jenny and Joy. For a unit whose responsibilities include being the face of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley in events and ceremonies across the Midwest, the state fair competition is one of the few times a year where troopers can test their riding and driving skills.
The Draft Horse Competition consisted of events including bareback riding, periodic wagon team, obstacle course and feed team race. All of this was done with six non-commissioned officers and troopers who are relatively new to the CGMCG. Sgt. James George, the team's senior member, is the only one who has driven the mule and draft horse pairs more than a year, although this was the first state fair competition for him and Sgt. Colin Steffa, Sgt. Richard Davis, Trooper (Spc.) Nicole Torgerson, Trooper (Spc.) Samantha Jordan, Trooper (Spc.) Jordan Edwards and Trooper (Spc.) Nicholas Roche.
Torgerson and Jordan received second-place ribbons in the feed team race, and Torgerson won fourth place in the periodic wagon category. Roche won a third-place ribbon in the feed team race. Edwards won fourth in the obstacle course, and he and George won fourth-place ribbons in the feed team race.
"The experience was one-of-a-kind," said Torgerson, a native of Monticello, New York, after the competition. "I learned so much in such a short amount of time. Everyone I met was so kind and welcoming, despite the competitive nature of the event. It was awesome."
The CGMCG's mission and training schedules are packed with on- and off-post events. Troopers competing at the state fair have a short time to prepare for the specialized events, some of which are outside of the regular training or tasks they would typically perform with Jane, Julie, Jenny and Joy. The NCOs and troopers were competing against ranchers and horsemen and women from the Midwest who practice and employ the tasks daily.
"We compete against guys who do this for a living," said Capt. Casey Wolfe, CGMCG commander and a Tribune, Kansas, native. "We can only train for a month or so in advance, intensively. We will train all year long, but really focusing on the state fair, we've only got about a month's worth of time. And, so for guys who don't do this on a day-to-day basis, and to come and put on a good showing, like this against these guys, it really shows the professionalism and adaptability of the Soldiers who are down here."
Torgerson attributed her success to her competitive nature, which she used to overcome her nervousness of going head-to-head with experienced drivers. Torgerson said she would definitely participate next year, and would aim to take home blue ribbons.
"I've never competed or participated in this type of event before, though I remember being a little girl wishing I could," she said. "[This is] a dream come true for sure."
For Edwards, one of the CGMCG's newest muleskinners and a native of Irwin, Tennessee, this first competition gave him experience and goals to set for next year's state fair.
"Just keep practicing," he said. "That's what we all need to do. Just keep practicing."
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