Pink Ribbon Classic 2013

Octopelle got his chance to go to a bigger show this year. I took him and Tommy to the Pink Ribbon Classic on July 27th-28th in Walla Walla under USEF judge Margo Hepner-Hart. I was so proud of both of the boys. They did so well. Octopelle had only been to a couple of shows in his entire life, (two local low-key schooling shows!) and he acted like an old pro at this bigger one.

There were horses there (um, a couple of arabs..) that were acting like total retarded idiots in the showring (and also in the outside warm-up pens as well), but both of my boys ignored their stupid antics. My horses have come to the conclusion that it's just not worth the effort to act like jackasses at shows...because it's just far too much work. I know that not all arabians are bad horses, but when a few rotten apples show up to events it gives the wrong impression to everyone, (both the general public and also to fellow exhibitors). There were some very nice quiet western arabs at the show, and it was nice to sit next to them in line and also in the ring. Not all are bad, but a few shouldn't have been there.

As an example, one of the "bad apples" that was acting like an idiot in the showring had actually hurt someone very seriously the night before the show started. On Friday evening the rider of the unruly horse was warming it up in the outdoor arena and it started acting like a total retard and threw the rider off. It then proceeded to gallop madly around the fairgrounds like a chicken with it's head cut off, and ran full steam broadside into an innocent bystander rider and her horse. The poor rider and horse got knocked off their feet and the stupid loose horse proceeded to scramble over the top of both of them while they were laying there on the ground. The unfortunate bystander girl (who was going to be a competitor at the show the very next day), was rushed to the emergency room and had a broken collar bone that will take her out of competition for awhile. I felt really horrible for her, as she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
And after all that..... the person that had the problem horse had the guts to show the damned thing on Saturday and Sunday!!!! I was rather disgusted with the whole ordeal. The horse kept acting like a jerk in the showring and would spook and jump sideways into other exhibitors while they were trying to show. Octopelle and I had to maneuver around the nonsense most of the time and avoid the rider and her horse like the plague. I noticed that other exhibitors wouldn't even talk to that rider on both days. All that I have to say is: if one of my horses sent a fellow competitor to the emergency room - for whatever reason - I would be way too embarrassed to stick around for the next two days and compete! Ugh.

Also, there was also a stallion that showed up that was fairly out of control as well. He was REALLY green and probably should've done more schooling shows beforehand. Everybody that was in the arena kept holding their breath hoping that the rider wouldn't come off - or else all the rest of us would have to run like hell and try and get out of the way of the stallion. I'm just glad that I had two geldings and didn't take a mare this time....

But anyway, enough of the heavy. For the most part, the show was good fun, and everybody who was competing was doing it for a worthy cause. All the proceeds from the Pink Ribbons show goes to the St. Mary's Cancer Patients Assistance Fund program. It's nice to say that you are "riding for the cure"! - as most people were wearing t-shirts with that slogan on there...

On Saturday I was using my new english numbered saddle pad with a wedge. Upon using it further that day, I decided to remove the wedge since I was sitting a little too far up off of Ox's back...

A picture of the second day without the wedge. I'm sitting a lot lower now... =:) I also had to start using the crop on Sunday because Ox was getting too lazy to trot into the ring. (He thought that we should just saunter into the arena like an old plow horse taking a coffee break...)

And unfortunately in one of the classes I had forgotten my gloves! I really had to go pee in between classes, and I got back to the gate just in time for the next class - but had accidentally left the gloves on the fender of our trailer. I fortunately remembered them for the rest of the day...

Sibbea got a few pictures of Ox's russian mat. I didn't do as good of a job as I should've on it, because I was in a hurry to get him warmed up on Sunday morning. But it turned out good enough, I guess.

And I also sported my new "thrift store" Akhal Teke show vest in the western classes! I bought this little black vest for $1.50 at the local Salvation Army. I took it home and fixed it up with some swarovski crystals and designed a teke head from sparkly fabric that I sewed on. (I think that there is about $8 bucks worth of materials from Hobby Lobby.) I always drool over the Lisa Nelle and WannaGoSlow shirts and vests on the internet - but they generally cost hundreds of dollars for those beauties, so I bargain hunt for stuff that I can make myself. (My little cheapskate vest is nowhere as nice as some of the professionally made ones, but hey - it's personalized and works great for me...)

Our fledgeling venture one-handed at a big show. Tommy did pretty good, but he still noodles around a little bit with his body when he's allowed some leeway with the single hand. He loves the Kelly shank snaffle, so I showed him in that bit this time. This is his last year with a broken mouth bit (snaffle) that he's allowed, so he has to move up to a solid shank next year if we want to keep showing. (The Oregon/Washington Horseman rules state that a horse is allowed two years as a novice in a jointed mouthpiece, and then they're required to move up into a solid mouthpiece for competitions.)

We did pretty good at the show this year. Both Tommy and Ox got several second and third placings. But I'm still on the hunt for that elusive first place spot at this particular show....

My favorite picture that Sibbea snapped! Isn't he cute...? Tommy in the pleasure horse halter in-hand class. I'll probably end up ordering an 8 x 10 of this one... =:)