The Barangay Council of Lagao in General Santos City did not want to miss the golden opportunity. It was the 80th Founding Anniversary of the Barangay and a most fitting highlight of the celebration must include a horse show, they thought. Rightly so. Barrio Lagao, as it was called in older times, was the site of the first settlement occupied by the pioneers led by General Paulino Santos in what was then the town of Dadiangas.
From there, other settlements spread out and not long after, cattle ranches mushroomed in the vast pasture land. One stood out, the Saranggani Cattle Ranch. There, horse breeding took root. As the town grew, so did its reputation as a cattle and horse outpost. Cattle hands-turned-cowboys were aplenty, so much so that as late as the 60’s, when cowboys came to town for supplies and a bit of R and R, they tied their horses on posts created for the purpose outside commercial establishments. Yes, much like what the cowboys did in Western movies.
And so on March 3, 2019, the Barangay Council of Lagao, in cooperation with the newly-formed General Santos Horsemen’s Association, brought back to life in its own unique way, the golden days of Dadiangas, since then renamed General Santos in honor of the Father of the City, by organizing a horse show as it celebrated its 80th Year. Horsemen from both near and far came together for a horse spectacle the likes of which had never been seen in the City.
Horsemen’s associations from VIHA (Visayas Horsemen’s Association of Cebu), Malaybalay, MOBHA (Misamis Oriental/Bukidnon Horsemen), South Central Mindanao (Digos, Malita and Kidapawan), ASHA (Agusan Sur and Davao Horse Club – they all came to support the very first horse event in the SOCCSKSARGEN Region. Though not the standard 2-day affair as how the major horse shows and competitions go in the Philippine Horsemen’s Federation, the event managed to squeeze in the usual games on horseback such as the Barrel Race, Obstacle Race and Oval Race in one dust-laden day (blame it on the kind of soil Gen San is also known for) – all to the delight of the first time horse show spectators. In the opening program after a colorful Parade of Horses, Mr. Tito Santos, President of the Sons and Daughters of Pioneers of General Santos City and Barangay Chair Rolito Blando fittingly spoke of the relevance of the horse show in Barangay Lagao.
Awards Night brought pride and joy to the large Davao Horse Club contingent. Led by its newly-installed president, Rachel “Chelo” Tan, the Club took center stage by garnering fifteen (15) trophies won from across various categories of the competition.
The Davao winner that received the warmest applause was Chase Powers Tan, 3 years old, who, even as the youngest and smallest competitor, won third place in the Kiddies’ Barrel Race. Other winners in the Barrel Race were: Enzo Asentista, second, Youth Division; Monica Chu (mother of Chase Tan), second place; Chelo Tan (grandmother of Chase), third; Melody Gonzales, Champion, Royal Division; Dean Gonzales, Champion, Executive Division; Jeric Olaguer, third, Executive Division; Nikki Boy Gonzales, Champion, Intermediate Division. In the Obstacle Race, the Davaoeno riders took home more trophies, as follows: Monica Chu, 2nd place and Chelo Tan, third, Ladies Division; Melody Gonzales, Champion, Royal Division; Andrew Tan, Champion, Executive Division followed by Dean Gonzales, second place; Nikki Boy Gonzales, Champion, Intermediate Division and Jason Manguilimotan of the Auxiliary (horse grooms) Division, Champion.
It is worthy to note that Davao had a couple of back-to-back (Barrel and Obstacle Races) champions as well as back-to-back second and third placers, namely: Champions Nikki Boy Gonzales and his mother, Melody Batu Gonzales in the Royal Division (strictly for 45 years old and above, men and women who ride only occasionally); second placers Monica Chu and Dean Gonzales and third placer, Chelo Tan. Comebacking Andy Tan who was champion in the Obstacle Race, missed a record three back-to-back championships after solid performances in Misamis Oriental in January and in Cebu in February.
The Davao Horse Club had long awaited the General Santos horsemen to organize such a horse show, considering the former’s affinity with the latter, Davao members having had long ties with horse enthusiasts in the cattle and horse country. As Philippine Horsemen’s Federation President Jeric Olaguer of Davao said: It was high time!