Girl, 13, named world champ in mule riding

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Samantha Henricks rides her world champion mule, CR Racheal, on her family ranch outside Rogue River. “People who don’t know me very well, I’ll mostly just say I ride horses because it takes too long to explain,” Henricks says.Jamie Lusch

ROGUE RIVER — For every cockeyed look 13-year-old Samantha Henricks gets for bringing a mule to a horse show over the years, she has a trophy, belt buckle or funny story to toss right back.

Recently named world champion in her age group at Bishop Mule Days in Bishop, Calif., the Rogue River middle-schooler readily admits having an award-winning mule is not an honor most teenage girls would strive for.

She claimed the event's top honors in the 13-and-under category with CR Racheal, one of 10 mules her family cares for on a ranch on East Evans Creek Road. "People who don't know me very well, I'll mostly just say I ride horses because it takes too long to explain," she says.

"But it is pretty cool to be recognized for having the best mule anywhere.

"I have school friends and horse friends," she says. "My horse friends think it's pretty cool and my school friends are like, 'Sam, what are you talking about?' "

Samantha's mom, Lisa Henricks, took the title of reserve champion in the adult category.

Altogether, Samantha, her mother and Samantha's 10-year-old sister, Jessica, claimed more than a dozen trophies, awards and honors at the event, which draws competitors from around the United States.

Samantha's steed is a 13-year-old sorrel-colored mule. Her mother claimed her title with 5-year-old Mocha, and sister Jessica competed on a bay-colored mule dubbed Mr. Bigshot — the resident "goofball" known for his surprisingly loud braying, Lisa Henricks says.

"Usually when we show up at the horse shows people know that we're there because Mr. Bigshot is very vocal and he's always braying — and it's the loudest thing you can hear," she says.

She likens the Bishop competition to "the Olympics for mules." Competitors and their mounts compete in classes that include western pleasure, English, and jumping, as well as traditional mule-focused events such as packing and pulling.

While horses are the stuff of many little girls' dreams, the Henrickses say they could hardly imagine telling family stories without their loyal and talented mules.

"We used to show horses when we were young and my parents raised Arabians," Lisa Henricks says. "When we got mules, we got rid of all the horses."

The Henrickses say, contrary to popular myth, mules are far from stubborn — they're just too smart to put themselves in harm's way. And they're almost dog-like in their affection for humans.

The only family with mules in a 4-H horse group, the Henrickses say they continue to surprise people when they bring their mules to competitions.

"We went to fair last year and (people) were like, 'You're going to jump with a mule?' " Samantha Henricks says.

"You get some funny comments from the horse people," she says. "They're like, 'Oh, you don't have to worry about the mule.' Then when you beat them in the class they get kind of mad."

Samantha Henricks and her mom say they'll take a loyal mule over a horse any day.

"I've always shown a mule and I prefer them," Samantha says. "Anything a horse can do a mule can do better."

Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at buffypollock@juno.com.

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