State Show Day 2 - Conclusion

Day 2 started out wet and drizzly.  E's first class of Western Pleasure 2nd Go was to start at 8:45 in the indoor.  When we went there to warm up, Pep was off.  She started out racing but settled down and was going at a reasonable pace.  But now what to do about being off.  I didn't think there was enough time to reset her shoe and I had seen horses win being more lame than what she was doing.  So I gave her some Bute and hoped for the best.  

 E had a good position going into the class.  They entered at the jog and she passed the slow POA and then had the ring to herself as everyone else jogged in.

 Then something happened that I have never seen at this show.  The judged stopped the class and dismissed E and the 1st place horse from the day before for being lame.  One lap around was all she made.  So with only a 4th and a DQ she wouldn't qualify for the Classic which she had been in every year that she has shown Pep.  We went straight to the farrier and had the shoe reset.  But this time he said he really didn't see anything wrong with it.  She did trot off a little better after but we still had 2 more classes to do.  While E and I were taking care of Pep J stayed and watched her class.  He said all h#$* broke loose after we left.  Horses were running off, bucking, breaking, picking up wrong leads, you name it.  In the end, the judge only placed 6 of the remaining 8 horses giving 6th to the POA that was slow and calm.  The 2nd place horse from the day before won so that made her Champion.  The really frustrating thing was I went and watched another class were there was a lame horse (rear leg lameness)  and he placed that one.   Just a little consistency, that is all I'm asking.

Next, was E's go at the trail final.  Instead of pictures I just filmed the whole thing.  

 There were some problems but we were hopeful for a ribbon. (the cantering was suppose to go over all 5 poles).  But the results would have to wait 4 hours.

 Meanwhile, E had her horsemanship class which was another pattern with a counter canter.  This time she got it but Pep had to poop in the middle of the pattern after the pivot so she was slow taking back off at the canter on the correct lead.  There was a big extended trotting circle in which Pep was totally sound.  She ended up 5th.  Only the top 3 go back for the Classic, so another missed class.  Once again, the other horse was DQ'ed for being lame.

E did pose for a picture with Pep.  I have much fewer this year because I was expecting more classes.  This was before the trail results.  She ended up 10th in trail out of 46 (17 made the finals).  We stayed and watched the Classic and the same horse was dismissed for being lame again.  The POA ended up 2nd this time and the Champion that E has always place above was 6th.  You just never know one time to the next what will happen, what the judge will like or how your horse will do.  That's why we have to keep trying. (or in J's case just go to Endurance Riding where none of that other stuff matters)

On a high note, the other girl from out county won Sr. Barrels with the fastest time (17.1)  for all divisions so she won a trophy for that too.
I guess we have one more year of eligibility for 4-H so maybe next year.