GEORGE MISA, president of the Davao Horse Club, pats a horse in a stable. INQUIRER MINDANAO
Beneath a tree that provides cool shade to the makeshift stable of an Arabian horse from Bukidnon province, George Misa grapples for words to describe his fascination with horses.
“When your name is called or when you’re made to stand on one side of the barrel before the competition, the adrenaline rush is simply indescribable,” Misa, president of the Davao Horse Club (DHC), said, shaking his head and smiling.
Hundreds of horse lovers and spectators flocked to the sprawling open field of Riverfront Stables in Barangay Maa here on May 1 for the 15th horse show and game competition. The event is the country’s longest-running “gymkhana,” or games on horseback, mostly done Western-style, reminiscent of American cowboys and the Wild, Wild West.
“Our two mainstay games are the barrel race and the obstacle race,” Misa said. His club adheres to the rules of the Philippine Horsemen Federation, which follow the standard American barrel race rules, he said.
A parade of horses as the opening act transformed the 3-hectare field into a backdrop for Western movies, with people wearing cowboy hats and riding gear—the Davao horsemen, as they like to call themselves, according to Misa.
The DHC has been running the event since 1998, a year after it was formed.
“It’s different from Masbate’s rodeo, which has been running in the last 17 years,” Misa said. “No cattle are involved here,” he said, and horse fight is definitely a “no-no.”
The Davao event featured parlor games involving horses, which included message relay and even “Trip to Jerusalem,” where riders roam around a circle of chairs and dismount when the music stops to scamper for a seat.
Horses also had to compete for the best tricks and the best groomed, but what stirred spectators and enthusiasts were the more riveting barrel, oval and obstacle races in the novice, intermediate and expert divisions.
“Horseback riding, the sport, brings us back to nature and makes us think about protecting the environment,” Misa said, reflecting on projects that the club wants to pursue. DHC members include a 15-year-old girl—the youngest and one of the most competitive members—and a 72-year-old.
“In 2014, the Year of the Horse and the Davao Horse Club, we want to promote the sport and horseback riding,” Misa said. “Secondly, we want to share what we have, this love for horses.”
“What I love about this club is we’re all fired up by our love for horses,” he said.
Unlike in other areas where such an event has been hosted by the local government, the Davao horse show has been largely an activity of the private sector.
“I’m very glad that we reached this far because in other areas, they either stopped or changed names,” Misa said, referring to clubs in Cebu and other cities. “We’re proud of the fact that the 15th edition brings in visitors from all over the country to Davao. It spurs sports tourism. Families, kids enjoy watching games on horseback.”