SECTION TWO
FRIDAY, MAY 3, 1991
Ron Klein/KANSAN
Ellenbecker guides his horse Whiskev over a iump during practice
Ellenbecker quenches his thirst while filling a bucket for Whiskey.
The littlest cowboy
Young rider is serious about horsing around
Bix Ellenbecker pulls a black helmet over his shiny blond hair and yanks the strap tight under his neck.
Tied to a tether post, his 17-year old chestnut-colored horse, Whiskey, waits patiently to be sited up with pads and a saddle. Bix, dressed in gray rider's pants and a vibrant pink, orange and purple shirt, brushes Whiskey's mane before leading him into a barn for practice.
Every day after school at Sunset Hill Elementary School, 901 Schwarz Rd., 10-year old Bix squeezes in time for working with his horse between German classes, violin lessons and his baseball team.
In the spirit of his favorite movie,
"The Black Stallion" — he has seen it
28 times — Bix dreams of becoming a jockey.
And he is well on his way
Ever since he was a toddler playing on his 4-foot-high rocking horse, Bix has had a strong interest in horses.
Bix remembers going to a race track in California in 1986 with his
mother and father. Directly after that, his mother found a place for him to take his first horse riding and he was so impressed that was as serious as he had expressed.
He was
"Every kid has romantic dreams," said Bix's father, Joe Ellenbecker. "He seems to come back to that again and again."
Soon, Bix was taking more riding lessons and, with a horse his parents had bought him, competing in small jumping events.
His father remembers feeling amazed while watching Bix's first real horse event a year ago. Bix competed with kids who were three to four years older, but he still won by a win and blue ribbon.
Paula Hofaker, Bix's riding instructor, said she was training him for eventing, a competition in which a rider participates in three different areas: cross country, jumping and skiing, horseback riding, training and circling the horse.
"He's the only kid in Lawrence doing eventing," Hofaker said.
But he is not that disappointed. He has a bigger and more important competition later in May to look forward to.
Sunday, Bix competed in the Mid-America Combined Training Association Schooling Horse Trials at Heritage Park in Kansas City, Kan. He was disqualified during the dressage when his horse stepped over a white wall and got out of boards. He would have placed second in the competition.
Hotaker said Bix would have to work hard to be ready to compete in the eventing category.
But Bix is looking forward to the challenge.
"I'm very competitive at shows," said Bix, with a hint of eagerness in his blue eyes. "I'm a winner."
"At age 17, Whiskey is still spirited." Bix said in his soft hesitant voice. "But I can still handle him."
At age 10, it seems that Bix can handle a lot.
RIGHT: Ellenbecker carries water to Whiskey after a ride.
Ron Klein/KANSAN
Ron Klein/KANSAN
Because Ellenbecker is much smaller than Whiskey, he has difficulty mounting his horse.
Photos by Ron Klein
Hoof cleaning is part of every practice.
Story by Sarah Davis
The young rider leads his horse to another practice and another step closer to fulfilling his dream