Meet the teams:
Team Steffen Peters:
Lindsey Holleger, JJ Tate, Rosie Julian-Simoes
Team Guenter Seidel:
Jeremy Steinberg, Cassie Hummert-Johnson, Devon Wycoff
Team George Williams:
Emma Patterson, Ayden Uhlir, Justin Hardin
Team Robert Dover/Debbie McDonald:
Emily Wagner, Bebe Davis, Kalie Beckers
Game 1: Speed Weavers
One of the best known and most exciting of the games is Speed Weavers, or Bending Race, because of its simplicity and speed.
The rider weaves and bends, tracing a slalom path, between five poles along the length of the arena.
Game 2: Flag Flyers
The Flag Flyers, with flags being put into and retrieved from quite small containers, at high speed, is another very popular game.
Game 3: Hug A Mug
Hug A Mug requires an adroit bin turn.
There will be four mugs on the bin just past the line of four poles.
The first rider puts a mug on the pole then rides down to pick up a mug from the bin at the far end (it helps to ride beyond the bin and pick up the mug after facing home. This prevents knocking over the bin).
The rider returns with a mug and hands it off to the second rider. This is a particularly difficult handoff and is best done at first with the outgoing rider at a standstill and the incoming rider slowing for the handoff.
Each rider in turn will put a mug on the pole and take one off the bin and returning to give it to the next rider.
The last rider simply returns over over the line line with the last mug.
Game 4: Bottle Shuttle
Bottle Shuttle involves placing the bottle on one bin and retrieving the bottle from the other bin at the end of the ring in line with the first bin.
Rider one starts with the bottle, places it firmly on the empty bin then rides to the far end and collects the bottle to hand off to their teammate. It helps for the incoming rider to hold the bottle towards the top and slant the top towards themselves. This allows more space on the bottle for the other rider to grab it after it is placed in their hand.
The second rider places it on the far bin and the third rider places in on the first bin with the fourth rider returning over the line with the bottle for the finish of the race.
Game 5: Mug Shuffle
Mug Shuffle is a completely different sort of mug race.
Two riders will be at each end of the ring with a line of four poles with mugs on the first and fourth poles.
Each rider will carefully pick up the mug closest to them place it on the next pole, pick up the other mug on the next pole and place it on the fourth pole.
The rider at the far end will pick up the mug now closest to them and reverse the process. It helps to have a clean lift and keep one finger on top of the mug. It also helps to tilt the mug slightly when putting it on the pole so that the rim contacts the pole first, then slide it on.
Your mount's pace need to be even so you can gauge when the pole is getting closer.