THE TEXAS STAR GAITS

The Texas Star Gaits formed March 1, 2008 in Waco, Texas. Sally Spurgeon, China Spring, TX, Sara McMillan, Valley Mills, TX and Sylvia Perry, Waco, TX, came together to develop a precision drill team using gaited horses.

When the team formed, the first people to be a part of the group were: Sally Spurgeon, Sara McMillan, and Sylvia Perry, along with Carolyn Dossman, Crawford, TX; Paco and his ten year old daughter, Juana Suarez, from Aquilla, TX and thirteen year old Kendall Taylor from Valley Mills, TX. Shortly after forming, Melissa Matus from Riesel, TX joined the group.

The first priority of the group was and still is: to ride with God in front of the group. The second priority is to have a good time and the third priority is to learn how to ride gaited horses better and to educate the public on the use and abilities of the gaited horse in precision drill work.
Sylvia Perry came up with the name of the group—The Texas Star Gaits. Sara McMillan determined the colors for the group—Red and Black, Gold and Silver, and developed the logo—a racking horse in the outline of Texas. This was voted on by the first members.

Carolyn Dossman came up with the saying for the group each time we ride: “Cowgirl (or boy) up! Hang on tight! Jesus Rides!” Each time we ride, the group prays and asks God’s blessings on the group.

With determination, the group went to its first exhibition at the Texas Equestrian Trail Riders Association (TETRA) Clinics Weekend and did the opening ceremonies along with the American flag presentation. Many people in the audience cried when the group came out to Lee Greenwood’s “I’m Proud to Be An American, “The Pledge of Allegiance” and finished with “The National Anthem”.

None of this would have been possible so quickly had it not been for our drillmaster and coach, Gloria Preston from Lorena, TX. With her dedication, enthusiasm and persistence with getting the group ready to ride, The Texas Star Gaits were able to perform quickly.

The first horses in the drill team were: Sally Spurgeon’s “Rondo”, a Standardbred-Missouri Foxtrotter mix, age 17, Sylvia Perry’s “Go Boy’s Royal Master” (AKA “Streak”), A Tennessee Walking Horse, age 19, Sylvia’s horse, “Wild Child’s Royal Mist”, age 4, a Tennessee Walking Horse, ridden by Carolyn Dossman; Sylvia’s “Dreamcatcher’s Cricket”, age 3, a Missouri Foxtrotter, ridden by Kendall Taylor, Sara McMillan’s “Whizbang’s Fancy Legs”, age 11, a Spotted Saddle Horse, Sylvia’s horse “Madonna’s Wild Child”, a Tennessee Walking Horse, age 9, ridden by Melissa Matus,  Juana’s “Sunny”, A Tennessee Walking Horse, and a variety of horses ridden by Paco  Suarez. Within a month from the time the group began, Lisa Patterson from Waco, TX, joined the group with her Paso Fino, “Desi”, age 7.

The most difficult part of developing the group was to work with the different breeds to get them to gait at the same speed. The Texas Star Gaits is indeed a most unique group since the group incorporates a variety of gaited animals with a number of different types of gaits.