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Miss Delta Riding Club

In a world where tradition seems to take second seat to anything "cutting edge", one tradition is being revived in Delta's horse community. After a four year hiatus, the Miss Delta Riding Club pageant was resurrected in 2007 and this year, under the leadership of former Miss DRC princess Lisa Hanney (1987/1988), appears to reveling in all its former glory. From horsemanship patterns and written exams to tiaras and sashes, 2008 contestants Jamie Tarlier, and sisters Brittany and Erika Littler were put through their paces in front of a panel of judges, not unlike a long list of Miss DRC predecessors dating back to 1965.

In fact, notes Hanney, the first Miss DRC was Margaret Burnett, who later became Mrs. Margaret Taylor. Nearly forty years after being crowned Miss DRC and after raising a family of seven, Margaret returned to Delta Riding Club's show ring earlier this decade, renewing old friendships and making many new friends. She became a well regarded DRC director and continued to compete at the club level and beyond through a courageous battle with cancer, one she finally succumbed to last Fall.

This spring, as the club celebrated its 60th anniversary, Erika Littler, 19, bested her competition and was crowned Miss DRC. She's now poised to take her place of honour, representing the club at this summer's Tsawwassen Sun Festival parade.

"We want to get Miss DRC and her princesses out in the community," says Hanney, who professes a strong appreciation for tradition, and for the role the club has played in this farm community over the past 60 years.

Long time members

Erika's family has been long-time members of the club. Erika has been riding for 14 years, and started showing at DRC 10 years ago. Her mom, Jan, and sister, Brittany, also ride, as does her dad, Bruce, who is also the club's vice-president. In fact, Brittany is currently competing on a horse she and Erika started showing at Delta eight years ago, LS Desiree Me, a grey Arab/Saddlebred cross.

More recently, Erika had been riding TR Dreams Come True, a horse she bought five years ago as a weanling. Dixie and Erika were progressing well at the "A" circuit level until a freak paddock accident earlier this year resulted in the young mare being euthanized. It's still painful for Erika to talk about it and, she says, made the daily trip to the barn to look after the family's other horses almost unbearable.

However, the show must go on, and this Spring, Erika has been riding CJ Shantilly Lace, a bay mare the Littler family purchased just last year. With only a few shows under their belt, they've won their first championship in a Country Class at a recent Arab circuit, and earned English High Point honours at a huge DRC show in early June, not to mention their coveted royalty status!

While Hanney continues to keep her pageant winner and princesses busy with club and community events, she also has her eye on the future, and is planning to make next year’s pageant competition even bigger.

"It may seem old fashioned, in a way, but we want to help all our young contestants develop some new skills, make some new friends and learn how rewarding it is to be an active part of an association with strong ties to the community," says Hanney. "It was an honour to be a part of this process when I was younger, and I hope it's an honour for these girls, too."