Last weekend was the Holiday Classic Horse Show at the Fairgrounds (we never did really figure out what Holiday we were celebrating, other than April Fools Day). I couldn't really take two days away from teaching, so Maggie Brooks went by herself on Saturday, and I was super excited to see a text come through from her mom saying that she'd placed 5th out of 16 horses in the Hunter Hack. A few hours later, Maggie called to say that Star had been very good, and she was done for the day. I was glad that Star had been good, but also thrilled that the phone call came in around 3 o'clock - maybe that would mean that Sunday's classes would be over early also!
Sunday morning, Maggie met me early so we could go load Story and Wiley and head to the fairgrounds (where Star had spent the night). A slight truck malfunction (thanks John, for waking up and jiggling the wire!), had us slightly late, but we got there in plenty of time for Maggie to pull off a 3rd in the Hunter Hack out of 14! She then went and had a LOVELY hunter round in the 2'3" except for being asleep at the first jump.
I then tacked up Story, who was lovely enough to make the cut out of 27 horses in the flat class, but not enough to place - Maggie did though! You know what's better then placing yourself - having your student place in front of you!!! Story was once again lovely in her second class, however she kindly informed the little pony running up our rear that it wasn't appropriate (a little cow hop, tail swish and ear pin), but did so right in front of the judge! Kim and John said the judge had really been watching us the whole class, so it's unfortunate that it happened about 3 strides before they called everyone to line up. Oh well... them's the breaks.
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Best friends... Story snuggling up to Star in the line-up.
and we happen to be standing under the banner I designed! |
While Maggie and I were showing in the big ring, Miss Yancie and crew were pulling into the fairgrounds just in time to make her showmanship debut with Wiley. I must thank Kim for running around like crazy to get Wiley and Yancie ready. I had to scratch one class to watch, but it was well worth it! Wiley didn't exactly want to jog in hand (a trend that continued to her Walk/Trot flat class), but Yancie did an awesome job.
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| Yancie and I after her showmanship class |
We then began to wait... and wait... and wait. Apparently I'd gotten ahead of myself by being excited the show may move along quickly. I soon realized that making my 4pm lessons back in Z-town weren't happening, so I called to cancel, while we waited some more for Yancie's flat class. We really broke Yancie's dad in the right way, as at one point, he thought we'd all left him in the stands as some sort of cruel joke.
Finally it was time to go tack up Wiley and start schooling. We rode outside.... then sat around.... then rode in the covered..... then sat around.... then rode in the open schooling time in the big ring... then sat around. AND finally it was time for Yancie to go in the ring. She did awesome! Our saint of a school horse, Wiley, couldn't really feel Yancie's legs (they don't come off the flap), so he simply walked the entire first direction, but got they hint the second time around. They came home with a lovely red ribbon, a goody bag, and a HUGE cheer from the whole ground in the coliseum.
We finally wound up getting home around 8pm, with some tired ponies in tow. It was a long day, but well worth it!
I have a light schedule this weekend (wedding shower!!!!), and then we'll be back at it next weekend for the ReRun show (Saturday) and Whinstone Dressage (Sunday)!
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| warming up outside |
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| trotting! |
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| Kim, Wiley, Yancie and I after her class |
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| Re-doing the pig-tails |
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| walking down to the warm-up ring |
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