Inter-State Triple Points Show

So the past weekend found me in Randolph, Ohio at the Inter-State Triple Points Show.  Dalal's first class wasn't until Friday afternoon and it was the Jack Benny, so I decided that it wasn't worth it for me to take the day off work.  I did talk to Carol about leaving an hour early, so I could make it out for the evening class.  As it turned out though, there were some scratched classes so we weren't sure I would make it in time.  And Nikki ended up riding Dalal against Kelly and Lark.

Saturday was HOT!  We didn't have any classes in the morning, but a bunch of C&G kids were showing halter.  And one little girl took Image in Pony Halter, Jr. Exhibitor.

Dalal and I didn't have to be ready until late in the afternoon session.  So that was kind of a nice relaxing morning.  Unfortunately that means that it was HOT when we rode.  Up first was the Ladies Western Pleasure and I was going up against Nikki on Lark.  It was kinda interesting once I got into the ring.  Because although you could hear Terry everywhere else on the show grounds, once you were in the ring, you couldn't hear anything!  So I was pretty much just guessing what gait they were asking for, and looking around to see what everyone else was doing.  I figured the judge couldn't penalize us if we all were loping when he wanted a walk.  Loudspeaker problems aside, I had a really good ride.  And the judge agreed with me when he pinned us first!  Woohoo!  And I beat Nikki, only like the 3rd time Dalal's ever beat her.  Of course I'm sure the outcome would have been different if she had been riding her own horse, but I'll still take my victory.  LOL.  We then had a break for one class before it was time to head back into the ring for the Open Western Pleasure.  Dalal and I had another great ride, unfortunately the judge liked the saddlebred better and we were second.  Still very respectable.  Tom was up next in the evening session with Men's Western Pleasure, which he won.  then just a few classes later was the Open Western Pleasure Championship.  It was a close class until Lynn's horse took a disliking to the mud puddle on the rail.  And so Tom came home with the Championship ribbon. 

Sunday morning we only had one class, Arabian Western Pleasure Championship.  Tom let me have the ride, mainly I think because he didn't want to have to get dressed in show clothes in the hot weather.  I had a good ride in the Championship class, bringing home the Championship ribbon.  But it was somewhat disappointing as Kelly and Lark were the only other pair in the class.  No other western Arabs at the show!  But we still had a good round and so I was pleased with that, regardless of what competition we had.

All in all it was a good weekend.  And the best part was getting home by 1 on Sunday!

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End of the Season

Well, it looks like the horse show season has finally come to an end. I went with Tom to the Pink Ribbon Horse Show in Meadville the second weekend of the month. I had a lot of fun there, even if we didn't place all that well. The ring was pretty crappy, the footing at the rail was so deep. Dalal did not like going through that stuff, so I was staying about 5 or 6 feet off the rail, and I guess the judge didn't like it. We ended up 4th in both the Arabian Western Pleasure and the Adult Western Equitation. And then we were 5th in the Arabian Western Pleasure Championship. I blew a lead in the championship class and so that put us at the end. Oh well, we had a good time.

Then last weekend we went to Randolph Classic Charity Horse Show. Nikki took Image and KC, and she also brought her friend Kelly, and her horse Lark. Now I love Nikki dearly but I have to say, it's so much more relaxing to show without her! She takes it all so seriously! So Friday we didn't have any classes. Nikki and KC had the Half-Arabian Halter in the evening session, but no performance classes. I went to work Friday and just left early so I could make it there in time for KC's class. They ended up 3 out of 3 in the class. She was pretty pissed though because according to the show rules, you couldn't show in the Open Halter if you showed in Breed Halter class. Tom and I tacked up Dalal and I rode him a bit in the warm-up ring. Tom asked if I was willing to ride without stirrups. He asks me this like it's something that I wouldn't be able to do. Like Bonnie doesn't torture me with things like that all the time, like I don't jump without stirrups. Anyways, Dalal and I had a good ride that evening, made me feel pretty good about the show.

Saturday morning I had the first class, Adult Equitation and Nikki was in my class. We had an okay ride in the class. Only when we went to lope the first direction, I was a little too close to Dr. Holly and Dalal picked up the lope before I asked for it and we got the wrong lead. It was a big class, and it was a good class so that was enough to keep us out of the ribbons. Then in the afternoon we had the Arabian Western Pleasure class. Again it was a good class, Nikki & Image, Emily & Tony, Tom C, Paul C, and then the other Tom with his untrained horse. The untrained horse won the class with Nikki second. It was pretty bad, I don't think the judge really knew what he was looking at. Tom ended up taking Dalal back in for the Arabian Championship that evening. Again the untrained horse won and Nikki was second.

Sunday morning Tom had the first class with the Open Western Pleasure, they had a decent ride and were third behind the untrained horse and Nikki. Then I went back for the Western Equitation Championship. Of course Nikki won and then Shelley and her QH mare were second. Dalal and I ended up third. Then we were 4th in the Ladies Western Pleasure that afternoon. Actually that one really pissed me off. We had a good ride, except right as we were jogging down the far rail some people under this one canopy squirted some baby powder, like they use to get the saddlebreds up and showing. Dalal saw it an shied off the rail. Then the next time around he shied at the same spot. Then when we lined up at the end of the class, one lady brought her mare right next to Dalal. So of course his attention was on the mare all throughout the line up. She ended up second in the class. And I later found out that the people under the canopy were with her barn. Kinda makes me wonder if the powder was an accident or was on purpose to help her place better. Oh well, what can you do.

And so ends the 2009 show season. At least for us. I'm pretty sad that it's over. I know Bonnie didn't like me going to so many shows with Tom, but I really had a good time. It was always a lot of fun. And I really enjoyed hanging out with Tina, the Kims, Mary Lou and Bill. Really was a lot of fun and I'm definitely looking forward to next season. And I'm going to put some time in to really work for it next year. I want to do well, more so than just hoping on for the class and not really practicing at all. Plus I think next year X is going to go out as a hunter pony. As long as I'm going I might as well see if Tom will haul him too. Make X go out an do some work. I'm sure he'll love that!

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