Paint and a beautiful light gray Quarter Horse with a long black mane As the ponies nickered at the newcomer a boy working in one of the empty stalls popped his head up over the wall He was about fourteen years old tall slim and was wearing a pale blue T-shirt and a baseball cap with the bill reversed to protect the back of his neck from the fierce sun Hey Tom Jack said Meet Kami Cooper Her folks run Elk Creek Guest Ranch a couple of hours southwest of here She’s joined us for the summer so you’ll be seeing plenty of her Tom nodded and gave Kami a quick smile Tom’s a regular member of our team Jack explained This is his second season here along with his sister Kellie They live thirty minutes away just outside of Colorado Springs so they get to work here during school vacations and on weekends too So how did Jack and Lizzie find you Tom asked He came out of the stall brushing straw from his jeans and followed Jack and Kami to the pen I entered a contest in Clearwater County Kami replied looking away shyly Tom’s direct gaze and lazy
drawl made her feel even more self-conscious than when she first shook hands with Jack She blushed and swept her light blond hair forward to hide her face Lizzie was in the area scouting for talent Jack explained The Clearwater show attracts some terrific junior riders Lizzie saw Kami win the barrel-racing contest by a mile and thought she’d be a great addition to our team Awesome Which horse will she be riding Tom asked Jack shrugged I have no idea that’s Lizzie’s decision Just as long as it’s not Legend Tom joked I’ll fight anyone who tries to take my palomino away from me As they reached the arena fence his gray eyes twinkling he asked Kami So you think you can make it as a stunt rider I don’t know about that Kami answered tentatively This was all so new the sunny corral nestled at the foot of the mountains the big old barn to one side and the ranch house to the other the round training pen on the near side of a fast-running creek Beyond the creek there was a green meadow where
horses grazed And now there was this gangly boy with a mischievous smile and cute sticky-out ears asking questions and grinning at her Sure you can you’re the best young rider in your county Jack said to her Your dad told Lizzie they put you in the saddle at the age of two But I don’t know any stunts Kami said She gasped as three riders galloped their mounts around the pen under Lizzie’s instruction Not yet anyway she finished The horses came so close she could almost reach over the fence to touch them She caught the smell of sweat and dust and felt dirt that had been kicked up by the horses hooves sting her cheeks Hey A girl in a pink shirt on a sorrel mare waved as she galloped by seemingly glued to the saddle Her glossy long dark hair hung loose beneath her helmet and she wore sunglasses to protect her eyes Horse and rider in perfect harmony it was beautiful That’s Alisa on Diabolo Jack told Kami She’s a pro Watch and learn Hi there A second girl greeted Kami from atop a dark bay Quarter Horse She wore a yellow plaid shirt
beneath a blue vest and she rode her pony bareback Kellie and Dylan Tom said taking over the introductions Kellie’s my little sister She’s thirteen The same age as me Kami said She watched with awe as Kellie suddenly switched from sitting to crouching on Dylan’s hindquarters Then she went from crouching to standing her arms spread wide Lizzie’s teaching them a new trick said Tom Kellie and Dylan caught up with Alisa and Diabolo then Kellie leaned sideways and shifted her weight across so that she stood astride the two ponies Roman riding Jack explained watching Kami’s amazed reaction Kellie’s a natural stunt rider Now take a look at Hayley on Cool Kid Kami switched her attention to the third horse and rider a stocky little Paint ridden by a skinny girl with a long dark braid that made her look younger than the others Her pony kicked up a cloud of dirt as she pulled him to a stop She sprang from the saddle and gave Cool Kid a tap on his hindquarters The pony set off again at a trot Hayley chased after him came alongside then vaulted back into the saddle Think you can do that Tom asked with a grin
