*Shelby County Drill Team*
Gettin it all started
The Organization was started back in 1975 after Mrs. Mary Ann Griffin, the mother of two young 4-h cowboys, had seen the drill team competition the previous year in Fort Worth. She was "carried away" with it, and came back to Shelby County and said, "Let's start a drill team!" Along with Gene Walker, the father of a 4-h cowboy and cowgirl, plus some interested parents, a Sunday afternoon riding session at the Griffin's arena bagan one of the most actice programs for kids to be found anywhere.
The latter part of 1975, Jack Nichols came to Shelby County as the Extension Agent. He had previous experience with a drill team elsewhere, and after finding so much interest said, "We'll work on it." He helped organize the group for competition, and his successors as county agent have continued to work with the horse preoject, the 4-H clubs, and participate in as many of its other programs as possible.
The parents are the key to the whole thing; they cooperate fully, standing ready to do whatever is asked of them, never complaining about hauling kids to practice or whatever. Family vacations are put on hold for the summer so the kids can be out there preparing to perform. Parents are asked to be there for every practice, also because its a family thing, and that has been one of the main things that has kept the drill team together for all theese years. The kids retain there interest if the family encourages them to ride. One of the main rules of the whole organization is that when a rider and their horse enters the arena then the child no longer listens nor does what the people outside the arena says, they now belong to the drill master. So far the scheme has really worked. The kids dont mind being corrected by the Drill Master but do not want Mama or Daddy doing it.
The maneuvers in the precision riding competition are specified and written out by the Texas 4-H Extension Service. Every team must execute the same maneuvers, and they are judges on smoothness, crispnessof execution and correctness of their performance.
The costumes competiton is a whole different story. They do whatever maneuvers the Drill Master has drawn and are dressed appropriately for the theme of that particular year. The drill may consist of as many as 15 or 16 maneuvers. They walk through it as first and gradually increase the speed as both youngsters and horses learn the patterns. All of the drills are done to music selected with the aim of using songs that fit the mood of the costumes and maneuvers and most importantly WOW'S THE CROWD !!!!!
In 1986, because of the increased interest of kids and parents in the drill team, it was decided that there needed to be two teams, thus allowing the more young people to participate. The "Roughriders," being the original team, continued but the "Wranglers" was begun, which consists of the younger, more inexperienced riders. Each team competes in precision riding and costume drill, thereby assuring that the next year a good supply of kids who know what drill is all about and what is expected is available.
Having had a drill team for 34 years, there has been very little turn over in personnel as far as the Drill Masters are concerned. Drill Masters have been, Mary Ann Griffin, Jack Nichols, Gene Walker , James Muckelroy, and now the current drill master Katha Muckelroy Pyles.
We are proud of our youngsters, and proud of our parents. To have a group that has been this large and held together for this many years, it takes dedication from the parents and along with the kids. Parents haul kids to practice and help with fundraisers. If not for fundraisers and folks out there helping us achieve all our goals, we couldnt take theese kid's to the State 4-H Horse each year to perform, but not only to perform but to KICK BUTT AT COMPETITION!!!!!
Not only are we proud of our kids, we are proud of the wonderful people of Shelby County who donated their money to cover the rodeo arena so we could have drill or team penning practice even when it rains. You have not only provided a place for the 4-H Horse Project, but for all the youth organizations in out county.
*Thank You Shelby County*
