First Show Done and Over

Today was the girls first show of the year.

It was a very, very small show. Most classes only had three to five riders. Last year, there were more like twelve to fifteen at this show. The day was gorgeous, so I am unsure where everyone was. I think between the price of gas and the late winter, people either couldn't afford to come or they just weren't ready.

This was our first year of actually being ready for the first show of the year. Our horses, and I might be biased, were shiny and well conditioned. Even without our usual first show prerequisite bath!

S placed first in two pole bending classes and first in one barrel class. She would have come close to taking first in the other barrel class but tipped a barrel. She lost her stirrup, fumbled with the reins and Dixie smacked a barrel. It's incredible how much these two have improved with the help of some lessons this spring. She knocked a good three seconds off her barrel times and we saw a couple places to help her get faster still. By the end of the year she should be able to knock another second off her run.

N had a meeting this morning, so only ran in barrels where she took two thirds. Gunner and N need a lot of shows this year to gain confidence in each other. N was VERY pleased with how well he did, and that's what it's all about!

A Christmas I got a nice digital camcorder, but do you think I was smart enough to bring it? Their next show is next Sunday and I will have it in hand. It's so much easier to have them watch their own runs to explain how to improve, or to have them evaluate themselves instead of me trying to explain it.