July 19-20 2014 Summerfest Trillium

We left off after the last show with three run outs and one 8th place ribbon. In summation a rather crappy show for us. But at this point in the season I was getting point hungry and qualification for Championships was in sight. So I went into the weekend hopeful to advance our standings a little more.

Obligatory Tucker face

Summerfest Trillium was held at Pickering Horse Centre. Like the previous show at Pickering Horse Centre there was a hunter derby on the Saturday. Unlike the previous show I laughed in the face of my anxiety and signed up.

The derby was the last class of the day to run, it took up two rings and you got scored on a single round. There was a course set in each ring and the rings are connected by a shoot. You enter the lower ring jump a few fences and then go up the shoot to jump a course up top, come back down the shoot and finish the course by jumping a few more in the lower ring.

First jump of the Hunter Derby

Over all we had a pretty good round. Tucker gave a good look at the first jump which had quite a few flowers and a lot of brush in front of it. But I added leg and he jumped it without a problem (see photo evidence above). We had one bad/long distance up top which the judge remarked to my coach later that it was too bad because he would have liked to have marked us higher (squee! The judge like my horse!).

I think that we ended up scoring a 68. There were 32 entries in the derby and we went close to the beginning. So we had a long time to wait and a lot of rounds to watch before we’d know if that was good enough to pin. Pinning would mean a pretty neck ribbon and a victory gallop.

Spoiler alert!

About 8 rounds to go we were still in the ribbons so I ran back to the barn, threw tack on Tuck and brought him back to the ring to wait. 4 rounds to go we were still in the ribbons so I mounted up. 2 rounds to go we’d for sure have a ribbon. We ended up coming in 8th place. So proud of my boy!

John was such a good sport to trek all the way up to the top ring in the rain for this picture

And then it poured.

Sunday was when the adult amateur 2’6″ hunter division ran. It had rained all night and was still pouring first thing in the morning. Have I mentioned how much I hate riding in rain and mud and puddles? I get so nervous and backed off and make stupid decisions (photo evidence below).

“Mom are you nuts?! We are NOT leaving long!”

I made dumb mistakes and rode like crap. I asked him for a long spot that would normally have been fine but in the mud resulted in the above picture (believe it or not we cleared that jump) and a number of chip strides.

There were only 7 entries in the division so we went back to the barn, grabbed his rainsheet and went back to the ring to wait. I assumed that I’d be jogging in 7th for all three rounds but when the first jog order was called I was 4th. Wait what?!?! And then 3rd and then 2nd. Ummm how?!?! So we might have had some yucky spots but I guess everyone else was also thrown off by the weather.

How cute is my horse??? I really wish this picture was from a better angle

And then we hacked. Our hacking had been getting better and better but he’s still a draft-cross and not the best mover. I assumed we’d be getting the 7th place ribbon (ribbon by default). And then we got called 6th. Say what?!?! Our first real hack placing!

“Look at me! I am fancy hunter!”

This show had highs and lows and a lot of riding that I wasn’t happy with but overall a good learning experience.