Russell County Fair

This was our first trip to the Russell County Fair Horse Show.  We really didn't know what to expect.  I just wanted to get V and E to a show with their horses before the State Horse Show next week.  It was a full blown fair with midway rides, carnival food and big name entertainment.  The whole fair grounds is carved out of the side of a mountain so we were lucky to get a flat place to park. 

 E used some of her spare time to pretty Pep up.

 We were there early so V and E got some warm up time in the ring.  Hank seemed pretty calm to start with.

 Otoelene was ready for her weanling/yearling class.  Unfortunately, the judge was the same one that judged the last show we had her at.  Needless to say, he makes some interesting decisions.

 This one beat us in the weanling/yearling class.  Otoelene's half sister which is almost identical to her was in the class also, but he split the pair up with a different yearling.  Otoelene ended up with another red ribbon.

 We went ahead and entered the open halter and this thing beat us.  He later fell off it in the barrel race.  There were 2 nice quarter horses in 1st and 2nd, then this, then Otoelene and her sister.

 There was some excitement when the Lone Ranger made an appearance.  You can get a idea of the slope.  There is a retaining wall  3/4  the way around the ring.  It makes for a different type ring than our horses have been to.

 By the time Hank showed it was getting dark and the lights were on.  Of course he has never been in a ring with lights and V has only ridden him once in the last month.   It didn't help that at the far end of the ring as Hank was trotting by a football came flying off the hill into the ring right in front of him.  They didn't have a very good go.  3/3.

Pep was resting up for her turn.  She went a little fast with all the things to see.  Her 1st class was western pleasure walk/jog.  There were 13 and the judged called for a hack off with the top 6. (not sure why he couldn't place 6 out of 13 without a hack off)  E made the hack off but ended up with 6th.  Her next class was Juvenile western pleasure and she placed 2nd.  One girl's hat flew off as she raced by Pep at the lope and landed right at her front feet.  I was surprised she only broke for a stride and stepped right on the hat.
The show did have a good pay back to the classes and we managed to be $15 ahead by the end.  We didn't get home until 2 am (show started at 6 pm).