WILLMAR -- Starting young, Tammy Rudningen has been competing in riding events for over 30 years now. On Sept. 25, she had one of her most rewarding days ever at the final day of the five-day Western Saddle Club State Championship Show in St. Paul.
On her pet horse, Bumper, she rode to first place in both the Senior Speed Dash and the Senior-Plus Barrels race. The annual event is held at the State Fairground's Coliseum in St. Paul.
"There were about 100 entries in each division," said Rudningen, of rural Pennock. "The outcome is usually decided by thousandths of a second. I knew we had made a special run in the Speed Dash, but I had to watch about 25 more riders come through before our time would stand up."
Bumper is an 11-year-old registered quarter horse gelding that Rudningen has owned for nine years.
"He was purchased locally and I guess I take a lot of pride in knowing that I trained him myself," said Rudningen, a native of Brainerd.
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She and her husband, Scott, own the Star Quarter Horse Farm located between Sunburg and West Norway Lake. She competed in Iowa last weekend, but most of the events she attends are in Minnesota.
At the state meet, she took home two blue ribbons and a small amount of cash.
"I also got to take a victory lap for each win," she said.
Rudningen is a coordinator for Willmar Community Education and Recreation.
