My apologies to the 3 people that read this blog, I will try and do better at updating but no promises.
This year’s show season was a whirlwind, since we decided to wait for the nice weather in June before really starting to compete, which I now realize means that your show season is a sprint that lasts 2-3 months. I’m not sure why I chose to have our first show of the season be a day show with 4 horses, but I did, so we all schlepped to Longfellow Dressage for the day, and emerged like we do from all day shows- sunburnt and parched. It was Amber’s first ever Dressage show so she took our most seasoned show veteran horse- Falkor, and ended up winning her first ever Dressage test! They went on to score in the 70’s at Training Level!!
Our next stop was Centerline June, where Andrew and Wristow were making their Dressage Debut together and knocked it out of the park! They won their first Training level test with a 68.6%, and scored in the high 60s for the rest of the show! For some reason I forgot to take pictures of the cutest pairing Dressage has ever seen, so here is a crummy screen shot of their test and a picture of Nola, Andrew’s adorable muppet/Goldendoodle.
June Centerline was a huge break through for me and Knight, as it marked the first competition that Knight was a totally normal and rideable horse. Knight and I have been working for four years to process his feelings during shows, and it was easily the highlight of my career so far to have him finally be so comfortable in the show ring. We even won our I-1 class on Sunday with a 66.4%!
Unfortunately, Knight ended up needing his second colic surgery two weeks after this competition (which he is recovering from spectacularly) and he had to sit the rest of the show season out. He is going better than ever though now and I can’t wait for us to get back to it next year. The picture below is the best matching game of our life though, I am just as proud of this outfit as I am of Knight.
Knight also came with me to NEDA so I could babysit him, since leaving him unattended for a week would have given me ulcers, so we used it as an opportunity for fashion.
My student Claire competed my adorable Connemara x Hanoverian pony DryBrook’s Annika’s Angel, or Annika, at Training and First Level and killed it! They scored up to 70% at Training Level, and averaged a 68.6% and earned 3rd place for NEDA year end! Here they are as Champion of everything after Bearspot…
NEDA Fall was both Annika and Claire’s first ever Regional Championships, and they ended up at 7th place for Training level, and 13th out of 33 for First Level!
Lara and her new horse Dior made their competition debut as well this season. Dior is a newly imported 7 year old KWPN mare Jazz x Houston, which if you don’t speak bloodlines essentially means she is made of fire. Lara did a fabulous job navigating her many feelings and demands, and after a few shows Dior really settled in and we got to see a lot more of how incredible this team is going to be even by next year!
Lara and Dior were 6th place at Third level at NEDA for Regionals, and were Champion for Third Level for year end with an average of 70.1%!! I am super impressed with how both of these ladies are doing, and our aim is for the YR tests next year.
Michelle and Cory definitely had the most eventful year. Michelle’s first ever Dressage test was at NEDA spring at the Marshfield fairgrounds, and I am not exaggerating when I say that it was so windy that the ENTIRE 60 meter long side blew up and into them, forcing Cory to jump the rails as they flew towards him. Michelle stayed on, but rightly so had some pretty serious show anxiety as a result. This year was a momentous one, because after a whole season of coming to shows and scratching in tears her and Cory made it down the centerline!!
I am so proud of Michelle for not only pushing through her show nerves, and forcing herself into uncomfortable situations, but also for being so open with the process. So many people struggle with anxiety, and nothing will make it feel more insurmountable than the isolation and shame that comes with it. Talking about it is the only way to remove the stigma and move through the feeling, and see that it’s something we all struggle with, and I could not be more proud of Michelle! She also did a wonderful job, and scored up to 65% at Second Level with her handsome steed :)
