Picture Heavy Show Results

Our Saddle Club had its first show of the season Saturday.  We had a moderated turnout.  The weather was beautiful but with all the resent rain the ring was a bit of a mud hole. 

E complained it was too early for a show and Pep hadn't finished shedding out and looked like an Icelandic pony.   And because the ring was so muddy we had the halter classes outside the ring.  E did great in showmanship and won a blue ribbon.

Shay, a girl in our 4-H club wanted to try and show Brother.  She was only able to come practice on him twice while he was doing perfect in the barn.  So at the show when he wasn't doing perfect she wasn't prepared with how to handle him.  

Plus, some of the other horses misbehaving around him and the mud didn't help things much.  

 She made it through the classes but didn't place in anything except Jr. Horse GAYP where she won against one other horse.

 Pep was her usual steady eddy self despite E only riding her twice in the last 6 months.  I'm sure she would say that is an exaggeration but if it is not by much.  She was 3rd in Stock Horse GAYP and 2nd in Ranch Horse GAYP.

 I took Otoelene to  play with and took her in Riding for Charity GAYP.  No pay back in the class and all the entry fees went to St. Jude.  We placed 5th in that class.  

 But the class I was really wanting to do was Ranch Horse Pleasure which was a pattern class.  Even with the mud and bog area Otoelene was a dream.  She sped up and slowed down, changed leads and pivoted perfectly.  She was just a little slow to lope off from the stop but we still got 2nd.

 E had signed up for the pattern class but wanted to scratch because she was afraid Pep wouldn't go through the mud.

 I made her do it anyway and her only fault was that she broke for a few stride to a trot from the lope when she got bogged down in the deepest mud.

 But she had an excellent pattern and I had her 3rd but she ended up not placing.  Some how the judge thought someone that went off pattern and turned to the right instead of the left as the pattern called for and didn't change leads should place instead.

I guess I will here some complaining about that one for awhile.

 Trail class was last for us and Pep went through like a dream, only having a bobble at the side pass and just getting 1/2 way across the logs at the trot before she started walking.

 E was early in the lineup so had to wait for everyone else to go.

 Shay took Brother through the course and she did great with him.

I would have place her 5th and E 2nd or 3rd but the judge place E 5th and didn't place Shay.  Someone that didn't even attempt to trot at the poles and completely knocked over the hay bales was 4th.  A disgruntled contestant wanted to see the judge's card but he had already left and didn't leave his score sheets.  Sometimes you just have to be satisfied with how you did regardless of the ribbon you get.  (and then fuss about it when you get home)
E ended up breaking even on her entry fees and if you don't count the Charity class which I was giving up anyway I was only out $2.  Shay was responsible for her entry fees and because we stayed and worked the concession stand for the gymkhana classes our food was practically free.  So how often does that happen, an almost free day at a horse show.

Kid Count 56