Introducing Talent Team: Elena Wuorimaa

Biohansa's Talent Team project started last spring, and we have now been able to follow its activities for half a year. We will continue with the same team until the end of this year, after which we will make decisions about the Talent Team's next season. The team's aim was to gather as diverse a team as possible to represent Biohansa in competitions in their own discipline and in their own region, and possibly also in international competitions depending on their level. A total of over 70 applications were received from various riders, harness riders, dressage riders and trotting enthusiasts. Selecting team members from such a large number was very challenging. Four representatives were selected from the applicants to join Biohansa's Talent Team . Each of them is skilled in their own field and actively competes successfully. The Talent Team's goal is to support these team members and at the same time make Biohansa's products known through practice. We have introduced all the team members on our blog, and the last one in this article is Elena Wuorimaa, who works in western . No rodeo Western, also known as western riding, has been an official sport approved by the Finnish Equestrian Association since 1994. The images of rodeos and iron-strong cattle herders are exaggerated, although western riding certainly originated from the work of American cowboys. Western riding involves competing in about ten very different sports, ranging from horse presentation to horsemanship and cattle handling classes. In Europe, animal welfare laws prohibit the lassoing of live calves associated with some sports. Live cattle may be used in cattle separation classes (cutting), as in these classes the animals are not at risk of injury. At the racetracks, you often see the most breeds that are specially bred for the sport, such as American Quarter and Paint horses. However, nothing prevents you from practicing western riding with any breed of horse. The number and characteristics of the competition disciplines ensure that there is a suitable discipline for every rider. Every year, championships are competed in Finland in ranch riding, western pleasure, western horsemanship and western riding. Reining championships have been competed in since 2007. Finnish trail championships have been competed in since 2015. Seamless collaboration Elena Wuorimaa, 20, is from Inkoo. She has 12 horses at home, the number one of which is the 9-year-old One Last Niten , aka Calvin. In addition to Calvin, the horses Haidachino Hollywood and Jerseygirlwithagun are also used in competition. Calvin was bred and trained in the United States by Tom McCutcheon Reining Horses. - In addition to these, one of my horses Gunners Doll Lena is in the competition stable in the United States, Elena says. Elena's sport is a so-called sub-sport of western, reining. Reining could be compared to dressage, because it involves riding a certain type of course. The course includes, among other things, circles, tempo changes, spins, rollbacks, reversals, canter changes and sliding stops. From 2000 to 2021, reining was a western riding sport under the FEI. It was removed because the FEI and NRHA had fundamental differences in the rules of reining. The NRHA, or National Reining Horse Association, is an association whose goal is to develop reining and bring it to the public. In reining, the rider must complete the course with seamless cooperation. The rider's task is to ride through the tasks in a controlled and precise manner, without mistakes and with as few aids as possible. The horse must also be willing to do the tasks obediently. Every small mistake is interpreted as a lack of control and points are deducted, whether it is due to the course or the horse's reluctance. Equally, additional points are awarded for smooth progress, long sliding stops and fast spins. In this sport, audience encouragement is allowed. Elena and her horses' list of achievements is long and impressive, check them out on Instagram, for example. Good luck to them for the rest of the season! For example, check out Biohansa's feed products via this link . Remember to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media to receive information about new products and current topics in your email. Also give us feedback on what topics you would like to read about on Biohansa's blog! Sources: Western Riding - Finnish Equestrian Federation Sports | Western riding (lannenratsastus.fi)Sports | Western riding (lannenratsastus.fi) Photo: Elena Wuorimaa archive