U.S. Nationals Checklist:
1. Get out of School
2. Arrive in Tulsa
3. Get settled and practice
4. Shower horses with treats
5. Make my cut
6. Witness a "ride off"
7. Ride to a Top Ten
This fine list of accomplishments above are the products of my first year at U.S. Nationals. All in all, I think it's safe to say that it was a major success. I am so pleased with my rides, proud of my horses, and honored that I was chosen top ten in both of my English classes. Pretty amazing!
Wednesday, I rode Ames Celebration to a top ten in the purebred English maturity class after riding him a total of less than 10 times, and only showing him twice at the Minnesota Fall Fest show. So, as you might guess, we had a couple bobbles in the class. Those canter departures are simply tortuous for a young horse and his new rider! But I won the favor of two judges, sending me back into the arena with a top ten. I feel so very proud of the little man and look forward to a promising future with him with the gracious help of Leah Boyd and Cedar Ridge team.
My second final, the half Arabian English 18-39, was today, and from what I'm told, was one of the most exciting classes of the show. I was well aware of the horse power that would fill up the class and really, I was just glad to be a part of it. The big trotting beauties powered around the arena, feeding off the energy of the crowd and tiring out their riders at the same time. I'm hoping that I wasn't the only one who felt all sorts of relieved when we were called to line up! But the class only got better from this point on. After we lined up, brief confusion and a quiet judge's conference led to two incredible horses, Papa Rhazi and Polkapalooza being selected to engage in a "ride off." Oh my, I couldn't have been more excited! I watched these two parade their best stuff around Ford arena, fighting for National Champion. I'm sure my mouth was wide open, but what can I say, I had the best seat in the house! As soon as this contest was over and scores tallied, out into the paddock we went for a few more moments of uncertainty. My trainer Deb and I both screamed in excitement as my number was announced, something I would have never dreamed about attaining when we bought him last March as a rough project who had yet to amount to much and would take a lot of "time, patience, and getting to know one another" to get anywhere. It's amazing how far he's come under Deb's training. I'm so proud of my 'Big Taco' and what a fun horse he has become for me!
With two full days of classes of Nationals yet to go, there is still a lot of excitement left. I better live up this heavenly horse show vacation, I know it will be over all too soon!
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