A member of the Westernaires rides past the announcer’s booth during a free Western Heritage Show at Fort Westernaire in Golden, home to a legendary precision horse drill team that features many Jeffco students.
Several Jeffco students recently demonstrated hard won riding skills in a free Western Heritage show hosted by The Westernaires. The Westernaires are a mounted precision drill organization in Jefferson County. Team members range in age from nine to 19 years, and many are Jeffco Schools students.
The Westernaires was founded in 1949, and they have been practicing year-round since 1954 at Fort Westernaire, which is adjacent to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Golden.
“Our kids practice a lot. We practice a lot. We practice every Saturday year-round. Most teams practice every other week,” explained Glen Keller, Westernaires Director.
Members learn about the care of hoses, along with their precision team training. The many hours and dedication required of team members provides a constructive extracurricular activity. Creating responsible young adults and community leaders is an important aspect of the organization’s mission.
“These kids don’t have time to be in the malls, or anything like that. They’re devoted to pursuit of perfection…I think is what I’d like to call it,” said Keller.
That pursuit of perfection instills a sense of accomplishment in the Westernaires riders, as well.
“It’s just a lot of pride. I feel like we’re doing a really good job and just kind of want to show off, I guess, said Tabitha Wilbur, a Westernaires performer and a student at Lakewood High School. “It’s just a lot of fun. It’s kind of an unconventional sport, I guess, but it’s what I most like to do.”
Watch the JPS-TV version of this story here.