My First Show!!

     After one year of hard work to prepare Rosie for a show (plus about 14 more years of dreaming about showing), Rosie and I finally attended our first hunter/jumper show. On Wednesday evening, my trainer, Nancy, Rosie and I packed up and headed to the horse park. After 2 hours of elbow grease, shampoo, conditioner and dollops of bleach shampoo, Rosie gleamed as she backed out of the trailer and stepped down onto horse showing grounds!! After checking in and claiming a stall, I saddled Rosie up and we all headed down to the arena for our warm-up. The jumps were just as I had imagined them. Fresh coats of paint and new fake flowers adorned the jumps. Rosie and I had never jumped anything like this in our lives! At home, we jumped barrels and hay stacks. In the warm-up arena, a HUGE bay horse was jumping several large jumps which didn't help the feeling of "patheticness" as Nancy and I lowered a few of the jumps to cross rails and 2' verticals. After a somewhat frustrating start to warm-up, Rosie and I managed to pull ourselves together and finish on a good note. As the sun set on the Nampa foothills, Rosie settled in for the night and Nancy and I headed home.
             At 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, I greeted Rosie and threw her hay, which quieted her hungry nickers. While she ate, I groomed and braided her long mane into a gorgeous Spanish braid, which managed to stay in just long enough until we reached the show ring at around 8:30 a.m. Horses of all sizes and colors patiently waited for their class. As we waited for the Jumper ring to be set up, we watched the Hunters in the far ring clearing the course one by one with clean jumps. My first class was the 2' jumper; third on the list. My butterflies were fluttering so fast that they were literally bumping against the walls of my stomach. Finally, my class started and I was 4th on the list of competitors. As the third rider was finishing her course, Nancy and I walked to the gate of the arena. Nancy gave me a quick run-down about, "Keep your hands up, remember those half-halts and most importantly, have fun. You guys are gonna' do fine!" Those were the best words to hear before, "In the ring we now have # 152......" Rosie and I went through the course of 8 jumps with flying colors and a clear round. Then we went directly into the Jump-off. On jump # 5 we knocked down one pole. Disappointing but not heart-shattering. We finished and were congratulated with ample compliments and a HUGE smile from Nancy. The last competitor did her round and her jump-off and then we all waited to hear the placings. I GOT THIRD!! I could barely speak I was so amazed that Rosie and I did that well and on our first show!! Nancy picked up my yellow third place ribbon from the announcer's table and brought it back over to our "ring-side" set-up spot. Of course as a mother, Mom had to take a picture, I admit embarrassing at the time, but looking back through the pictures of the show, I'm happy to have it! There was a quick pause in between classes while the jumps were being raised another 3" for the (my) next class; the 2'3" jumpers! Butterflies were still goin' at it, but not as bad. I'd done it once and I could DEFINITELY do it again. I was second to go in the class order and again, Nancy walked me to the gate and said, "Good Luck" and then off I went. First round was clear, and again to the jump-off we went. This time, Rosie and I cleaned up some turns and pinched time where we could. Finishing clean, we waited again until our class finished. With a collective breath from all the riders in the class, we waited for our names as the placings were called out. Rider # 152 and Desert Rose...4th!!! We got 4th!!! This time, I went to collect my ribbon, and again Mom took a picture (which I am delighted to have..NOW.. and is actually one of my favorites.) With smiles and congratulations from friends and family, we headed back to the barn, packed up and headed home with grins on our faces!
             Now, Rosie and I are keeping in shape and preparing for the next show in August. I must make a special note to my friends Rebecca and her mom, Lisa, for trekking down from Idaho City to come watch me. I would also like to extend special thanks to Rebecca for taking some AMAZING shots of Rosie and me as we jumped our courses. My mom says that my great experience at a show could be a bad thing. The reason? Means I am hooked on showing and I am CERTAINLY gonna' do it again!!!!