Panola Partnership guests (standing from left) Mr. and Mrs. Veejay Vaghela and Don Brummett learn about cutting horse competition from an experienced rider. Arena One hosted the mixer while it also hosted the North Mississippi Area Workoff Qualifying Show. For cutting horse competitors who are serious about earning points to advance National Cutting Horse competition, scoring well in the show is a must, an Arena One spokesman said.

Cutting horses do just that — they “cut” a calf from the herd and block its instinctive return with coordination between a thoroughly trained horse and skillful rider whose movements become as one. Here host Lee Garner awaits his turn as the next rider in a juried afternoon event.

While cutting horse competition was underway in the background, Partnership guests visited with other spectators. In the foreground (from left) Judy Reed and her daughter, Mary Gracen Reed, talked with Robbie Knotts. Mary Gracen is also an equestrian, having recently returned with a medal from American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio. In the background (from left) are Annette McMahan, Gary Kornegay, Don Brummett and Mr. and Mrs. Veejay Vaghela. For some Partnership guests, the mixer v

Hostesses Nancy Bridges and Rebecca Bickerstaff presented an excellent table — and kept refilling it — for their Thursday guests in the Arena One Dining room.

The Arena One dining room gave guests from the Panola Partnership to meet horse owners and riders who were competing in the qualifying show.