Friday after work I headed up to the barn as there was going to be a few of us riding down about 2km to Sandy Day's property, Lanyard Stables, for a practice session before our show on Saturday. Now usually the barn has one or two people at it, other then Jimmy or Brianne, but as I drove up there was I think 4 other vehicles already there, and more yet to come. Hope was there and had just started to braid up one of her horses, Lauren was there exercising another horse, Mary had arrived but her horse Aieros hadn't yet arrived. Kim arrived shortly after myself and we started to get our horses saddled up, and waited for Joanne and her daughter Megan to arrive with Rex and Pony. This is the most amount of people I have seen at the barn, but as more boarders arrived this weekend, I think this will be close to the norm for the summer.
So Joanne, Megan, Kim and myself on Oz taking the lead off we rode down to Sandy's property for a night practice session... de-spook the horses of the environment, and perhaps settle some of our own nerves. Brianne drove along beside us, riding her brake, and ensuring that other drivers respected the horses riding on the shoulder. We got down to Sandy's in approx 30 minutes and not a spook from a horse.
Once we arrived we treated it like a regular lesson night, we all took some time in the ring, getting our horses accustom to the stranger danger that might be lurking in the corners, possibly under a jump, definitely always a scary troll at one end of the arena. George, Sue and Robyn arrived with Jewels and Star, their horses were going to spend the night at Sandy's and they would drive down in the am. But the horses were great, our practice time well spent, and we all, I think were able to breathe a little better. We arrived back at the barn at 9pm and Hope's hands weren't yet crippled up with Braid ache, Lauren was catching a late bite, and Mary was trying to ensure that her boy stayed clean. After a quick visit off home we went, but the night was not yet done, I was cleaning boots and his bridle till about midnight. But I was just doing jumping classes the next day, so I could sleep in till 7am, even 7:30 - pick up Kim and off we would go.
The next morning arrived EARLY! For whatever reason I woke up with the sun at 4:45am and could not get back to sleep, as I lied in bed listening to Al and Niles snore I was playing the days events in my head, of course getting myself worked up! Finally the clock could not move fast enough before it was time to pick up Kim and head to Lanyard to watch the rest of the Bresing crew do the morning flat classes. I had checked my class list that am to advise Al when to come up and watch. (I swear there would be more husbands show up to these events if there was a beer gardens at horse shows.) Thats when I saw what I had done! I must have sent in my entries prior to Topline, as I had signed myself up for both flat classes and hunter (jumping) classes. Hmm, Ozwald was at the barn and not ready, it would take us till 8:30 to get to the barn, my class would start at 9am... was I going to do these flat classes? Ahhhh no! I would scratch us out of the flat classes once I got there. I picked up Kim and I don't think her butt hit my seat before she burst out with her news - her parents agreed to buy or help her purchase Chili !!! YEAH KIM !!! YEAH PARENTS !! Yeah Chili!! This means Ozzy's best friend gets to stay with him and Kim gets to show HER horse today.
Off we drove to the farm. Hope, Mary and Lauren were in the first class which was Green Horse I believe Equitation or Pleasure, it was a huge class with approx 15 riders in the class. Hope and Lilly looked great and in control, Mary had an interesting ride on Aieros who looked like he just liked to pop a flying lead change whenever he wanted, this was his first show ever also, and they looked like they were having fun - which is essential! And Lauren had Mister looking absolutely fabulous! By far my favorite pair out there. Green Horse for flat classes stayed a large class and there was some very very stiff competition out there for the ladies. I think they all looked fabulous and should be proud. Joanne and Sue entered Green Rider classes, and I believe Joanne walked away with a ribbon in one of their classes. They too were an amazing couple of ladies, and certainly did NOT look like green riders.
Kim and I headed up to the barn to wash our horses and start to ride down. I wanted to be there at least a half hour before our class so it gave them a bit of time to get used to the commotion and crowd. They were good boys heading down to the stables. And of course Ozwald has a way to let the crowd know he's arrived. Once we got there, he sniffed the children that wanted to pet him, we answered the questions (how tall, how do you get up, how do you pick up those feet, is he a clydesdale???), we had people want their photos taken with him. Hmmm he's starting to sound a lot like a politician, maybe we should run Ozwald Clyde in the next City Council election - I mean honestly could he do any worse then most politicians?
Our first class was the same as Kim's Green Horse Cross Rails with 8 cross rails to complete. Kim and Chili did very good, this was Chili's first show and he had a few ADD moments, oh there's a crowd, oh look they have a concession, um where is Ozzy? Oh hey that's Brianne in the center of the ring, HI BRIANNE, HI ! I'm being such a good boy, oh was I suppose to jump here, okay, but oh wait a minute there's a photographer. Kim kept her cool and they did get over all the jumps and his first time at a show was a successful one. The pair showed such such great promise, and its only a matter of time of them working together as a pair before they are out their kicking everyones butt!
Our turn came up, I signed up for this class for two rounds, as I suspected the first round Ozwald would just not be focussed enough on the job. The first round he was awesome, but slightly - just ever so gently touched a jump and it came down. No Brianne his feathers didn't cause the drop, and they are staying on :) ! But he didn't refuse a single jump and I felt like I was having a great personal ride also. Short of me almost forgetting the course as we came up to the 4th jump - the beginning of the verticle. A few riders later we went back into the ring, this time we felt BANG ON! Now I know Oz is not a hunter, I'm not really out there worrying about the right or wrong lead or right or wrong diagnol, I'm in jumper brain and right now focussing on staying sitting right in the saddle, giving him his release, clearing the jumps and what was that other thing, oh yeah staying on! But this ride felt sensational! We did trot everything but I was so proud of my boy, and out there I didn't have one nervous moment. For all this we got a wonderfully pink sixth ribbon! I love pink!
Next class was Open Cross Rails, and yep they set the cross rails higher, again we entered this class twice. Our first go around this time was awesome! We didn't knock a rail down, or refuse a jump, again it was a great ride for us! Our second go around felt just as amazing! I swear its the closest I'm going to get to flying. Although on this round on the diagnol jumps we cleared the first one, and was cantering to the second one, and we got cocky and tried it at a canter (something we haven't started yet). Oz cantered over that jump instead of jumping it, and yep it came down. <br>Both cross rail classes had about 30 rides go through. Very stiff competition, so I'm still thrilled at our one ribbon.
We had two more classes coming up, the first one was the 2'3 and then 2'3 - 2'6, we waited for about an hour before our turn came up. As we entered the ring, I became nervous - there was a lot of fill in this class, and lately flower fill has been proving to be a problem for the boy. Both cross rails classes I went in thinking, this is no different then home, but verticals still have me a bit shy, so I think this is something we will be practicing at home! He refused the first jump, but we turned around and went over it, clear - next jump again a refusal and a retake and yep - clear, the third jump no hesitation, and clear - then the fourth felt like it came up fast and it felt tight suddenly to the corner, it was the diagnol and we did it fine with crossrails, but now it felt rushed and we had our third refusal and we were excused. We were the second last rider of that class and I asked the whipper in if I could pull from the 2'3 - 2'6 class and redo this class. I was fusterated, and we were NOT going to end our day on THIS NOTE! The whipper in was very considerate and let us do this. I wasn't looking for a placing or ribbon or anything, I just didn't want Oz to think thats how we do verticals! So our second attempt, the first jump it was a refusal - I whipped him around, a little snap of the crop, and a ton of leg and we went at it again! This time we cleared it, jump after jump we went clear clear clear, then on one of the middle jumps I felt hesitation on my horse - I FELT IT BEFORE IT HAPPENED !! (I love this saddle!) But I put a bunch of leg on and I think I may have even yelled UP at him, and UP we went, UP UP UP I went, I felt the air between me and my saddle I felt the top of my foot hit the top of the stirrup. All I was thinking was DAMN I AM NOT COMING OFF THIS HORSE ! And wow that photographer is taking a hell of a lot of photos of this! I came back down - and landed in the saddle, and off to the next jump we went! A clear round, some of the jumps weren't pretty, but I absolutely felt better about leaving the ring.
After watching George, Kyra and Robyn take some classes and kick some butt and have SENSATIONAL rides, Kim and I rode home. Our tired tired boys! But such proud proud owners/riders!
The show was sensational, a lot of incrediable riders! A great turn out, and we caught up with a lot of people that we missed from both Hillcrest Stables, and Mission Creek. Plus a few people that knew Oz that I didn't know who they were. Again its all about him, I'm just basically along for the ride.<br><br>It was an exciting day, Brianne's boarders and students turned out great rides and it was great to know we had such a crowd from the Bresing Farms. While we were there we were able to see a couple of shots from Spring Fever Jumping Day that Lindsay Kerns put on that were taken by Melissa Carl (Once I get the links figured out I will be adding hers!) That were absolutely FANTASTIC! FLYING FEATHERS could be the caption for one of the shots, I saw 3 or 4 of them and knew I needed to buy a cd from her of all of them. If your lucky enough to have her at your show, then make sure you check out her proofs! I will post photos once I purchase them. I promise!
A big thank you to everyone at Lanyard Stables and Sandy Day for putting on an incrediable show! There is no doubt on how much stress and energy it takes to put this on and have it run so smoothly and well! And a huge thank you to our coach, Brianne Mensing who not only was up till Midnight on Friday still in the barn! Then was up early to feed our horses and haul herself down to the show to stay all day, I'm not sure she even got a bite to eat. Her students think the world of her, and if your lucky enough to be one of her students you soon find out why!
Our next show isn't till mid June, so we have some definate practice time to get in, and are starting to get excited about Maple Ridge!