One more ride for Lady at Y-C

Rusty Rae/News-Register##Lady, a 21-year-old appaloosa, and her owner Sophia Crawford, carry the U.S. flag across the Yamhill Carlton High School football field Friday, Oct. 25, during the National Anthem ceremony. It was the final game for Lady, who is retiring.

Lady, an appaloosa, and Lucy, a quarter horse/draft horse mix, have been taking turns carrying the U.S. flag across the Yamhill Carlton High School football field during the National Anthem ceremony prior to Tigers games.

Lady, 21, and her owner, Sophia Crawford, proudly presented the flag Friday, Oct. 25, before YC battled Warrenton, winning 26-21.

It was Lady’s final appearance. She is retiring after three seasons.

“Lady’s pretty angry that she’s not going to get to do her job anymore,” said Crawford, a YC senior. “She’s a very serious horse. She likes working.”

Crawford fell in love with horses at 5 years old when her great-grandfather took her for a pony ride. When she was in fourth grade, a neighbor gave her Lady.

They’ve worked well together over the years, she said. She’s ridden Lady in 4-H and in barrel racing for the Oregon High School Equestrian Team.

Lady no longer does barrels, but she and Lucy both take part in OHSET shows, their owner said.

They started carrying the flag at football games when Crawford was a sophomore. It had been several years since YC had fielded a horse, so both the 10th grader and her horse felt honored to be chosen.

Crawford added Lucy to her stable a year ago. Then 3, the mare was untouched, the teen said, so she started from scratch training her.

“I had to earn her trust and saddle broke her” before she could ride, Crawford said. “Now she’s a fantastic horse.”

Lucy now is happy to give rides to young children, as well as to take part in shows and football games. In fact, her owner said, “she’s like a big puppy dog. She wants to be in your lap.”

Crawford will ride Lucy in the pre-game show Friday, Nov. 1. It will be the final YC game for both of them, since Crawford will be starting college next year.

She’s thinking of going to Blue Mountain Community College, in part because it has an equestrian program and she’d be able to take Lucy with her. Then they would continue on to Eastern Oregon University, where Crawford wants to study nursing.

Although she wants to work with people as a career, Crawford said she will continue to love horses.

“Horses are my passion,” she said.