Horse Plays at Bridgewater

Members of the Bridgewater College equestrian club put on a series of short plays for an audience of hundreds Saturday at the 9^th annual “Horses’ Christmas.” These eight skits each added a Christmas spin to some of the most well-known fairy tales and included some interesting stars: horses.

A panel of judges determined the top three plays, with a group that acted out “Hansel and Gretel” taking the top prize.

This marked the fourth year in a row that senior Katie Leonard has been on the winning team.

“A lot of the kids here don’t really see horses that much, so they’re excited to see them, and then the horses are decorated,” said Leonard, who portrayed Gretel. “It’s good Christmas cheer for everybody.”

Every skit featured a horse adorned in a seasonal costume that also acted as a character. Robbie, an American Quarter Horse, was Hansel and Gretel’s dog that manages to escape them while they are lost in the woods.

Kayla Deyarmin, who painted a beard on her face to portray Hansel and Gretel’s father, believes her group won because their performance was most popular with the large number of children present.

“In our skit, we got them really involved, and when we get them involved, they get excited,” Deyarmin said, referring to how they asked the children where Robbie had gone after he wandered astray from Hansel and Gretel.

The same group of riders also won first place at last year’s Horses’ Christmas, performing “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” in a Disney-themed event.

Finishing second was “The Three Little Pigs,” while “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” placed third. Other fairy tales acted out were “Rapunzel,” “The Princess and the Pea,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “The Gingerbread Man” and “Little Red Riding Hood.”

According to riders, it took five to six hours to set the stage for the event, which took place at the Bridgewater College Equestrian Center and featured a tall, lit Christmas tree surrounded by an assortment of wrapped packages as a backdrop.

All groups were given a month to prepare for their skits.

Equestrian club coach and event emcee Jerry Schurink noted that all Bridgewater students are required to do some type of community service throughout the year, and Horses’ Christmas serves as a fun way for his group to knock out some of those hours.

Those attending the event were encouraged to bring canned goods to donate to local food pantries for the holidays.

Tara Deckel, who was Hansel in the winning skit, believes that Horses’ Christmas is a great way to kick off the weeks leading up to Dec. 25.

“Christmas is already so enjoyable anyways, and this just makes it so much better,” she said.