Mounted color guard Soldiers represent 'Big Red One' at Kansas State Fair

By U.S. ArmySeptember 11, 2014

Mounted color guard Soldiers represent 'Big Red One' at Kansas State Fair
1 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. Richard Davis gives mules Julie and Jane a pep talk, Sept. 6, 2014, before the obstacle course event at the Kansas State Fair's Draft Horse Competition in Hutchinson, Kansas. Six NCOs and troopers, two mules and two draft horses of the Commandin... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Mounted color guard Soldiers represent 'Big Red One' at Kansas State Fair
2 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. Jordan Edwards and Sgt. James George keep a close eye on a traffic cone so they don't nudge it, Sept. 6, 2014, during the obstacle course event as part of the Draft Horse Competition at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, Kansas. Edwards guided... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Mounted color guard Soldiers represent 'Big Red One' at Kansas State Fair
3 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Trooper Nicole Torgerson holds on to a hay bale and bag of feed as Trooper Samantha Jordan guide Percherons Jenny and Joy of the Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard through a course, Sept. 6, 2014, at the Kansas State Fair's Draft Horse Competit... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Mounted color guard Soldiers represent 'Big Red One' at Kansas State Fair
4 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Julie the mule tries to get a look at Sgt. James George as he readjusts her harness, Sept. 6, 2014, at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, Kansas. George and other members of the Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard, including Sgt. Richard Davis... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Mounted color guard Soldiers represent 'Big Red One' at Kansas State Fair
5 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Trooper Samantha Jordan hurries to load a hay bale onto a sled pulled by the Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard draft horse team of Jenny and Joy, Sept. 6, 2014, during the farm team race as part of the Draft Horse Competition at the Kansas Sta... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Mounted color guard Soldiers represent 'Big Red One' at Kansas State Fair
6 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. Colin Steffa steers mules Jane and Julie to a spot in the arena so Sgt. Richard Davis can load two hay bales and a bag of feed onto their sled, Sept. 6, 2014, during the farm team race as part of the Draft Horse Competition at the Kansas State F... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Mounted color guard Soldiers represent 'Big Red One' at Kansas State Fair
7 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. Richard Davis and Sgt. Colin Steffa guide Jane and Julie through the arena, Sept. 6, 2014, as Troopers Samantha Jordan and Nicole Torgerson guide Jenny and Joy as part of a special exhibition during the Kansas State Fair's Draft Horse Competitio... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

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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