On the Road Blog
What: Carolina
Starz “C” Show
Where: South
Carolina Equine Park
People: Kelsi
Peterson (trainer), Rob Jacobs (trainer and a rider), Kirsten Farley (rider),
Rachaell Dockery (rider), Brianna Harrison (rider), Grace Wadford (rider),
Taylor Westover (rider)
Horses: Charmander
CF (Charlie), Indigo Night (Claire), Onyx, Scottish Honor (Scott), Cynasure
(Sam)
The team left SAU
Equestrian Center around 11:00 Friday morning
Arrival Day: We all arrived to the show grounds around 1 in the
afternoon. We set up the stalls with 4 bags of shavings each, unpacked the
trailer, tacked up, and hacked the horses around to burn some energy. All were
behaved and happy to be at the show. After the horses were cleaned up, fed, and
put away until night check, the group of us went out to dinner at Chili’s.
After dinner, we went on
adventure to the local Wally World, formally known as Wal-Mart. We got to the
show and realized we needed a hose, and Brianna needed a jack to change the
tire that was getting low on her car. Within minutes the hose and jack were
purchased. And we all proceeded out to the parking lot where Brianna was going
to change her tire. First, was figuring out how to get the jack to come up. The
lever/handle was being pumped, but nothing was happening… Finally, the jack
began to rise up…but alas it was not giving enough lift to get the tire on the
ground. Some random, kind stranger even offered his assistance, which we denied
due to the fact that we knew how to change a tire, little did we know then what
we know now. Hindsight being 20-20, about 10 minutes later we wished we had
said yes to that man because we still weren’t able to get the car lifted to get
the tire off. Another kind stranger offered to help us get the tire off. We
accepted his offer, and in 15 minutes the tire was change.
Let the Show Begin
Show Day 1: Up bright and early, and by “bright and early” I mean
before the sun came up. So actually it was pitch black out and if it wasn’t for
the white polos and the white pad you would not have seen Onyx coming. Everyone
schooled, and everyone was lovely. Ring 3, which actually started at 8:30 AM,
Ring 1 and 2 started at 8:00 AM, was Kelsi’s first stop for Taylor and Scot in
the Long Stirrup Equitation and Hunter. Taylor got a 4th in the
equitation over fences and a 6th on the flat. For the hunter
classes, Scot and Taylor got 2nd in both of their courses, but did
not flat that day. Ring 1 started with the Starz Hunter and Pre-Greens, which
Rob was doing with Charlie.
Rob and Charlie got two 3rds
in both their hunter over fences and a 5th in the hunter flat. As
soon as Rob’s courses were finished Kelsi jumped over to the schooling ring to
prep Grace, Rachaell, and myself for the Pre-Child/Pre-Adult Equitation and
Hunter classes.
Grace and Ozzie received a 2nd
in their equitation course and 1st on the equitation flat, a 4th
in their first hunter over fences, a 2nd in their second hunter over
fences, and a third in the hunter flat. Brianna and Sam went much later in the
day for the Adult Equitation in Ring 1. She and Sam got 2nd in both
the equitation flat and course.
As for Rachaell and I, our day
was not as great as everyone else’s. During my equitation course, which had
been really lovely, Onyx spooked at a ribbon fluttering in the wind as we were
heading toward our last 3 fences, the outside line around to the center single
of a dead left turn. In the process of his spook, he tripped, and then
proceeded to leap up into the air and buck. As I hung on with my legs and seat,
as well as with my hands on one side of his neck, I decided that things
wouldn’t get much better and hopped off gently onto the ground. The next time I
went into the ring I focused on getting Onyx’s fried brain back on track. This
meant that I broke things up for him by doing simple lead changes instead of
flying lead changes. Thankfully, by doing this I was able to get Onyx refocused
for the third course, but sadly by that point the judge had already written us
off. However, at this point ribbons did not matter, all I cared about was going
back in the ring and making Onyx work through his wild urge he got after that
lovely spook, and that part was successful.
Rachaell and Claire and their
own problems they had to work through. Rachaell was having a difficult time
getting Claire to listen to her aids. Basically, Claire was running through
Rachaell’s hands no matter how hard she told her to whoa. So instead of going
back in the ring and creating a bigger fight with Claire, Rachaell decided it would
be best to stop before things got worse and to just start fresh the next day.
After the show, when all
horses had been fed and taken care of, the group ventured over to the Tack
Room, the Mall of Tack Stores. For all of you St. Androids reading this, you
get 10% off if you say you ride at SAU, just so you know in case you have an
urge to make a trip down to Camden. Everyone bought something; I can sadly
admit that I spent more than I should have, with the discount included. Once
everyone had what they needed, Rachaell, Grace, Taylor and I ventured back to
the show grounds to wrap Ozzie’s and Scott’s legs with Grace’s and Taylor’s new
wraps. We also poulticed Ozzie’s legs, packed Ozzie’s and Claire’s feet,
checked water buckets, and checked hay.
Once we finished taking care
of the horses, showered, and some finished their naps, we all went to dinner.
Where you might ask? Oh no place other than Chick Fil A! This may not be as
exciting as it sounds, but when you are in Laurinburg, there is no Chick Fil A,
so you have to get it when you can. And believe me it hit the spot.
Show Day 2: The last day of our lovely adventure, was started much
like our first day. Before the sun, in the pitch black we fed breakfast, tacked
up, and took the horses down to the rings to school. Onyx was worked longer to
make sure that he was not going to be wild again and Claire had a bit change to
give Rachaell some more control. The schedule ran just like it did the day
before with Rob and Taylor in first and then Grace, Rachaell, and I after them.
Rob and Charlie earned a 2nd and 3rd in their hunter
courses, and didn’t flat. Taylor rode Scott to a 2nd in her
equitation over fences and another 2nd in her hunter course. Grace
and Ozzie had another superb day with a 1st in her equitation over
fences and another 1st in one of her hunter courses. She was
Champion in the Pre-Adult equitation division Saturday (Day 1) and Reserve
Champion in the Pre-Adult equitation division Sunday (Day 2). I managed to make
a comeback with Onyx by getting a 6th for my equitation course and
another 6th for a hunter course, much improved from a rather rough
start to the weekend. Rachaell and Claire also got a 6th for one of
their hunter courses as well. Brianna and Sam were the last of the group to go
again. Brianna and Sam got a 1st and a 2nd in the
equitation over fences. Brianna finished the weekend with a Reserve Champion on
Saturday and a Champion on Sunday.
Over all, everyone had a
blast. It was a great first outing for the most part, with great weather, a
great location, and we learned a lot from the experience. The biggest thing I
believe we took away is that sometimes we have good days, other times we don’t,
but you have to work through them either way because that is how this sport we
love to do works.
We returned to SAU’s Equestrian Facility by
2:30 in the afternoon and finished taking care of the horses and unpacking the
trailer by 3:00. This meant all of us exhausted people could go back to our
dorms shower and nap before having to start crunching out the homework for
classes the next day.
