Gov. Eric Holcomb finally put his cowboy boots to good use.

While celebrating his seventh wedding anniversary with his wife, Janet, in Montana recently, he rode a horse – and didn't fall off.

“My wife has relentlessly teased me about being a city slicker. She was born and raised around horses and goats and chickens,” he said, noting her involvement in 4-H and showing horses.

“She has been determined to get me on a horse, which she did for three days.”

Indiana's first lady spent much of that time trying to capture her husband in an embarrassing photo or video. She even tweeted a picture of the governor atop his steed. 

“I did not fall off and I ended up enjoying it,” he said. “I was sore.”

Open house set

Courtney Tritch, the Democratic candidate for the northeast Indiana seat in the U.S. House, announced last week that she will have an open house Thursday at her new campaign headquarters in Fort Wayne.

The open house will be 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 1838 Bluffton Road. The building is near Clyde Theatre in Foster Park Plaza.

Tritch is challenging Rep. Jim Banks, R-3rd, in the Nov. 6 general election.

Local appointment

Gov. Eric Holcomb's recent appointments to various boards and commissions included only one northeast Indiana representative.

Bryan Shearer, chief of the Ligonier Police Department, was reappointed to the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board. His term expires in 2022.

Debates set

Republican U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski has agreed to debate Democratic challenger Mel Hall three times.

The South Bend Tribune reported Thursday that Walorski, R-2nd, had accepted Hall's invitation from a day earlier to participate in three televised debates ahead of the Nov. 6 general election.

Northern Indiana's 2nd Congressional District includes parts of Kosciusko County.

To reach Political Notebook by email, contact Brian Francisco at bfrancisco@jg.net or Niki Kelly at nkelly@jg.net. An expanded Political Notebook can be found as a daily blog at www.journalgazette.net/politicalnotebook.