BY TRACY LEE TATE
Special to the Times
LAKE BUTLER—The Union County Riding Club held its annual Awards Dinner on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024, at the First Christian Church of Lake Butler.
About 50 club members and their guests enjoyed a buffet-style meal prepared by the club members and then recognized the club’s standouts for the year.
The event was attended by members of the Bennett family, descendants of J.P. Bennett, who founded the club in 1947. Bennett’s son Joe was the event’s guest of honor, and he spoke about his father and how the club had begun. He said his father started the club at his home, then moved it to its present location in 1952. Bennett, Sr. was a horseman and rode both for enjoyment and in his work.
J.P. Bennett was the town marshal in Lake Butler for four years when he was young (in the mid-1940s). The town could not afford a car for its marshal, so he patrolled on a little buck-skin horse named Jim.
“Jim was both my father’s transportation and his squad car,” Joe Bennett told the club members. “He even caught a speeder with him one time. He saw the car speeding and cut cross-town and caught up with him at the gas station.”
Bennett, Sr. was deputized by Union County Sheriff John Whitehead and remained a deputy for most of his life. Much of his service to the community was conducted from horseback, although his son was not sure how people were arrested and taken to jail.
After Joe Bennett spoke, Club President Gary Cothern announced the awards.
First recognized were the club’s Princess, Farrah Elixson, and Queen, Cailyn Boggs, who were crowned and given fresh flower bouquets. Next came the division awards for club members who participated in club activities throughout the previous year. Winners were gifted with tack and horse care supplies, with the top two in each class receiving riding club belt buckles and the winners of each division receiving brand-new saddles.
The honorees were called in reverse order, with the winners named last.
In the Youth Division, Sadie Croft received fifth place honors, with Callen Collins taking fourth place. Farrah Elixson placed third, with Addyson Kelly in second. Naomi Croft was the winner of the division.
Cadence Collins placed sixth in the Teen Division, with Emmy Croft in fifth place. Maddie Croft took fourth place, with Cuyler Collins taking third. Second place went to Syndi Faulk, and the category winner was Celia Elixson.
In the Adult Division, Christy Huntley took third place honors, with Summer Andes placing second and Brian Lagassee taking top honors. In the Senior Division, Cherri Ohmer took fourth place, Gary Cothern placed third, Janice Parrish took second, and Tracy Whitley took top honors.
Other awards given included the Most Improved Rider (Addyson Kelly), the Workhorse Award (Bobbi and Steve Faulk), the Harlis R. Ellington Memorial Award (Christy Huntley), and the J.P. Bennett Memorial Award (Shannon Croft).
