ALEXANDRIA — Horse ownership can be a rocky road, burning through time and money with vigor, but for Lexi Mechem and her mother, Melanie, it was worth every minute and dime.

Lexi, a 10-year 4-H member, competed in her last Madison County 4-H event on Saturday, while her mother watched from the sidelines.

“I’ve cried about it all day,” said Melanie Mechem, the 4-H horse and pony president. “I’m so proud of her, and this has been such a good experience.”

Mechem was in charge of overseeing all of the 101 horse and pony competitions that took place at the fair on Friday and Saturday.

“142 people participate in the different events,” said Melanie, who is finished serving her term as president upon the completion of the fair. “Me and Lexi are going out together.”

Lexi has owned horses since she was eight years old, and her current horse Jerry is a champion American quarter horse.

“He’s such a good boy,” Lexi said while patting Jerry’s nose. “I got lucky because when you buy a horse you just take a gamble on what their temperament is going to be, but he’s a gentle giant.”

Lexi and Jerry will be competing in the World Championships in Oklahoma City at the beginning of August.

“I’m competing in showmanship and equitation,” she said. “We didn’t make it to the finals last year, but this year that’s the goal.”

Melanie Mechem, a teacher at Eastside Elementary School in Anderson, said she was amazed that her daughter had come so far in her ability.

“She’s out there in an arena that is bigger than the coliseum with the lights shining down on her and the judges standing on a platform watching her every move, she must have ice water running through her veins.”

Owning Jerry has not always been easy for the Mechems, though. They live in a suburb of Anderson and do not have the room to keep him at their house, so he is housed in barns around Madison County.

“In that barn are my vacations, Mommy’s new sewing machine, and Daddy’s new corvette,” Melanie said, gesturing to Jerry’s stable. “But I’d give it all up in a minute for her.”

After the world championships, Lexi will be moving on to Purdue to study veterinary medicine. And Jerry, he will have to stay home.

“I always thought we were going to sell him, but he’s sort of a part of her soul,” Melanie said of the big brown steed. “I don’t have the heart to sell him, so he’ll be like a big, expensive puppy that she can go visit.”

During her long career, Lexi has won many awards at the Madison County 4-H Fair, including horse princess and queen. But it is not her accomplishments that makes her mother so proud.

“I’m most proud of how she has given back to 4-H and the younger kids,” she said. “She has become very interested in helping them.”

Eleven-year-old Erin Smith watched from the bleachers as Lexi competed in the Senior Trail competition. She would have been competing in the junior portion of the event, but her palomino Phoebe was in heat and could not participate.

“The older kids are really helpful,” she said. “Everybody roots for each other, and the older kids are always looking out for us.”

Erin was the horse princess, now called the horse ambassador, at this year’s fair, a title that Lexi once held.

“Everyone is so wonderful,” said Laura Smith, Erin’s mom. “The older kids are really helpful, and so knowledgeable. They pass that along to the younger group.”

Although horse ownership is not always easy, according to Melanie Mechem, she would go back and do it all over again, and finally being finished brings different emotions.

“It’s a mixed bag being done,” Melanie said. “We got to spend so much time together, and we have grown closer than most mothers and daughters because of it. But I’ll be glad to be done with the stress, and the crazy schedule, not to mention the financial burden.”

And the results of Lexi’s last event? Melanie Mechem gave Lexi a giant hug as she handed over her last first-place ribbon.