Show Season Starts!

YaYa's celbrated Jan/Feb birthdays with a dinner gathering at Olive Garden Tuesday evening.  Alas, I was working late and could not partake.  I trust that my YaYa sisters had a toast for me and I look forward to our next outing.  Perhaps (a girl can dream) it will be a riding outing?  Ya think?

This past weekend the Rogers County 4-H Horse Club hosted the annual Will Rogers Classic horse show - it's part of the Rogers County Spring Livestock Show.  Two days of halter, english, western and speed events to give everyone the opportity to breath more dust than is good for you.  We moved the horses into the barn on Friday evening and then bathed (socks and manes and tails only since it was very cold) and banded in preparations of Sat./Sunday's classes.

Kathy B and I rode the English classes together and both of our mounts were fairly well behaved.  We alternated placing over each other and determined that we were the over all winners since the women who placed over us were either professional trainers or had been showing horses since they were 3 (or both).  I ended up with the reserve English award because Kathy and Call didn't do showmanship. 

Call was really very good and Kathy was rightly proud of her.  Even Splash was on his best behavior - because I LOUNGED him both mornings for attitude adjustment.  Sat., he was a little more consistant in the Hunter Under Saddle Class but Sunday, we either were rushing or trying to drop gait.  Our Hunt Seat Eq classes were decent.  The pattern on Sat. required counter canter and Splash got it.  Sunday's pattern required left lead from a standstill to start the pattern, followed by a trot sequence and then right lead canter and he got them too.  I did have to use VERY strong leg including some English spurs.

The girls had very successful show days too.  Alaina and Sunny focused on Western only and placed 2nd and 3rd in Trail.  Although she didn't win any of her classes, all of her rides were obedient and smooth.  The competion in 9-11 Western is very stiff.  Ivy and Pico had good rides as well; they did English, Western, and Speed events doing barrels/poles/stakes in a lovely dressage canter.  Ivy managed to win 9-11 English Reserve High Point and recieved a lovely monogrammed garment bag.  Also, Splash and Ivy won reserve halter high point and received a trophy to prove it.

The show ran very late this evening, but, overall, a way fun show.... Now, when will I get a chance to re-organize the trailer and take bands out of manes?