Southern Ohio sidesaddle group wins Derby parade trophy

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – For the third year in a row, a southern Ohio riding group won a category at the Kentucky Derby Festival parade.

Southern Ohio Ladies Aside, a group that rides horses exclusively side-saddle, beat out 19 other equestrian member groups and won the Best Mounted Group trophy at the April 30 Pegasus Parade.

But their efforts weren’t confined to the parade. The women were called upon to help “rescue” the Wells Fargo Stagecoach when their truck broke down after the parade and they needed to get a trailer full of horses back to the barn at the Kentucky Exposition Center.

In 2013 and 2014, the group won trophies that not only put them above all mounted groups, but above the groups that handled noncommercial and commercial carriages and wagons.

Members, who range in age from 12 to 72, who rode in the parade this year are Maggie Herlensky, of Bainbridge; Cheryl and Cara Fightmaster, of Beavercreek; Holly Ray, of Brookfield; Candy Carlson, of Yellow Springs; Deb Bidlack and Tianna Cooper, of Grover Hill; and Taryn Homier, of Cloverdale. The banner was carried by Alicia Sager, of Columbus.

The parade is conducted two days before the running of the Kentucky Derby.