Lost Get Found

Well, the HCHC Cinco de Mayo show was Saturday.

Madison and Sonny didn't come - I really have no idea why - but Katie Frazee and April and Taylor and Pete came. Katie, Taylor, Erica and I all met at the barn at 6:30 am. Taylor and I brushed Pete and Zan and then helped load the cooler and put it in the truck. We also helped Katie put the lawn chairs into the back of the truck; it didn't take long at all. We double-checked everything, loaded out ponies, and set out for the hour and 15 minute drive to the Hamilton County Fairgrounds.

We got to the fairgrounds at about 8:00 am. The drive went very quickly, considering we were all laughing, making fun of each other, and listening to the radio. But as soon as we parked, we were down to business. Classes started at 9 am and we had lots to do before then. Erica ran and bought three stalls for our ponies while Katie, Taylor, Eric and I unloaded some of the stuff and got ourselves some cool beverages.

Erica came back, and we unloaded out ponies. Pete was in the middle stall, between April and Zan. Taylor, Katie and I got hay nets, hay, water, and water buckets while Erica put binder twine in the stalls to hod the water buckets. We gave our ponies their food and water. Taylor and I went to get on our show clothes. Katie didn't show April until long after Taylor and I's classes were done, so she got to chill out for a while. Taylor and I got changed in the trailer and went back to the barn/stalls to let Mom do our hair. Kim and Kim (Taylor's mom and aunt) were there, but they weren't sure how to do horse show hair. So mom did Taylor's hair while Erica put Pete's bridle (for halter/showmanship) on. Then mom had to rush through my hair, because the show started. Taylor and I's first classes were 5 and 6 - 4-H halter and showmanship - and we didn't want to be late! Our class was called to the makeup arena just as I was grabbing Zan's lead chain to put on him with his show halter.

Taylor and I literally ran over to the makeup arena (which wasn't that far from our barn/stalls). But the judge was the slowest judging judge in the world, so we had lots of time to calm down before we had to go into the class. Zan was a good boy and walked to and then trotted past the judge. He even stood quite still in the lineup. Other than the occasional pawing and twisting his head around, he was a very, very good boy. In that class, I placed 6th out of 9, and Taylor didn't place. After halter, we had to do showmanship. While we were waiting for are class to get into the makeup arena, though, Pete stepped on Taylor's toe - one that she'd broken a few days ago - and she started crying. She perserveared, though, and made it through the class.

In showmanship, Zan WOULDN'T STAND FREAKING STILL. He kept pawing, jivvying towards Pete, twisting his head around, un-squaring himself, etc. He just wouldn't stand still. We didn't place in that class, of course. Neither did Taylor. Oh, well. Our ponies wouldn't stand still.

We went back to the barn/stalls and Mom and Kim (Taylor's mom) went to get Subway sandwiches. Mom brought me back a footlong and Kim brought Taylor back a 6".

After I ate half of my sandwich and drank some water and ate some chocolate chip cookies, Taylor and I saddled up our ponies. We warmed up in just our shirts and pants - not our show jackets, not yet - and I was pretty satisfied with Zan's behavior. Taylor did well, too, warming up. The weather was getting hot and humid. Dad and Luke had seen my halter and showmanship classes, but they left after that. So it was just mom, Kim, Kim, Erica, and Katie watching Taylor and I. That made me feel alright.

My first riding class was 17, Beginner Horse Walk/Trot English Pleasure. Taylor - being a beginner rider with  a not-beginner horse - wasn't in that class. I walked away from that class with a 4th place ribbon out of 7. I felt pretty good at that point. Zan did well, but fought me a lot. Next, Taylor went in class 18, Beginner Rider Walk/Trot English Pleasure. She didn't place in that class - I don't think the judge liked Pete - and her spirits were low.

In class 21, Student Rider Walk/Trot English Equitation, I got 4th out of 7 again and Taylor got 3rd out of 7 in that same class. That really raised her spirits, and I don't mind that she beat me; I stink at equitation anyways. Taylor and I's next class was class 23, 4-H Walk/Trot English Pleasure, we had a bad performance and neither Taylor or me placed.

That was all of our classes for the day! We waited for a long, long, LONG time. During that time, Taylor and I watched some Dressage classes - those got boring after the first five seconds, believe me - and chilled out. Finally, it was time for Katie's first class - on April.

We were all unsure of how April would act. She'd been cooped up in her stall all day and wouldn't stand still for braiding. Katie was a bit nervous - she didn't admit it, but you sure could tell - which probably didn't help very much, but oh well. When Katie was warming April up, she trotted. And trotted. And trotted. And trotted. She practically trotted that horse to death; it was hot and humid, so I wouldn't be surprised if that was the reason April acted like she did.

When Katie's flat class - class 31, 4-H English Pleasure - was called into the makeup arena, I wasn't sure if April had enough energy to last her the rest of the day. She had at least four classes that day, and that takes a lot of energy. Anyways, back to Katie's first flat class. They did well. April was a bit speedy on the canters, but otherwise they did awesome. They walked away with 4th(?) place, i think. Then, after a few classes, Katie took April into class 35, 4-H English Equitation. The pattern was simple and easy; plus, you had to stop in front of a fence, so if April went too fast, Katie could use the fence to stop! Yay! Ha. They did alright in that class.

Erica took Pete into a jumping class! I so wish Sherry (Pete's owner) and Claire had been there to see him. He only refused one jump, and flew over the rest with ease. Considering he has only been jumped five or six times, that's pretty swicked awesome! Even though Pete didn't place in that class, he had tough competition and did well.

In Katie and April's jumping class, they took first! Erica took April in maybe three jumping classes and April won all of those, too. She's such a good girl! ;)

Bruce Stewart, a long-time friend of the Frazees, was riding his horse Opi. One of his other horses, Rico, was also being ridden in jumping and Dressage. Opi is a scary horse. Not scary scary, but he's fast and wild and uncontrolled. That's the only thing that makes him a scary horse. Outside the show ring, Opi's a sweetie; I hung around with Bruce a bit, and I would know if Opi was a vicious horse. Rico is a controlled scary. He's fast and his rider uses a crop on him (he really doesn't need it, he's fast as is), but he's controlled. More controlled than Bruce and Opi, anyways. Opi and Bruce were in a lot of classes, and did alright considering Opi's speed. Rico and his rider, Andrea, were pretty awesome, too. Rico's a handsome horse, and Opi's a sweetie pie. ;)

After we watched Bruce's last class (the last class of the day), we all headed home. It took a while, but finally we all went home.

It was a pretty darn good show. It seems like Zan and I's lost communication and bond were finally found, huh? Guess so!

Until next time! ;)