Teenage sisters compete and succeed at cattle penning

Hannah and Maggie Johnston know how to herd cattle like seasoned cowboys.

The teenage sisters from Clinton, P.E.I., compete throughout the summer in the sport of cattle penning — which involves a team of three on horseback, trying to corral cattle into a pen as quickly as possible.

"It's just fun," said Maggie, 15, who along with Hannah, 19, and their dad Kimball Johnston, travel to competitions in the Maritimes, Maine, Ontario and a few years ago, Oklahoma.

What is cattle penning?

The concept behind cattle penning is pretty simple. A herd of numbered cattle stand at one end of an arena. A number is called out, and the team of three have one minute to herd the three cattle of that number into a pen.

While the concept might be simple, the sisters said learning how to do it takes a lot of practice.

People couldn't believe that they were as young as they were and were competing as well as they were.- Julie Johnston, mother

"You have to ride your horse every day, or they're not going to compete to the level you want them to," said Hannah.

"It's kind of like yourself, how you have to train if you're going to run a marathon. Same as the horses, they need to get their legs moving every day, and stay on top of their game 

They said they've also had to learn techniques, including from which angles to approach the cattle to make them go in the right direction.

Started young

The sisters have competed during Old Home Week for many years, where they said they are often among the youngest competitors.

"Most people are a lot older than us. There's a few people that are probably in their 20s, but most are a lot older," said Hannah.

The sisters both started horseback riding around the age of two. And started competing in cattle penning at around age seven.

"Especially when they were younger, people couldn't believe that they were as young as they were and were competing as well as they were," said their mother, Julie Johnston.

They have competed against adults right from the start.

'We'll be at it for a while'

Not only are they young faces in the sport — they also do well, often placing in the top three teams. They said being sisters helps them to be a good team.

"We're not scared to get mad at each other. So it kind of helps each other know what our mistakes are. Because we let each other know," said Maggie.

The sisters said it's a hobby they hope to continue for years to come.

"As long as one of us learns to drive the truck and trailer, I'm sure we'll be at it for a while," said Hannah.

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS | Canadian antique car tour arrives on P.E.I. Sunday
• MORE P.E.I. NEWS | Family of 7 struggles to find accommodations after house fire