State 4-H Gymkhana

Well, we had an exhausting weekend in Milwaukee at the State 4-H Gymkhana competition. We arrived late on Friday, even though we were pushing like heck to get there before dark, after practices and loading up animals and tack it just wasn't possible.

The girls were able to tack up and get into the arena before they closed it for the evening. This was nice because A our friend was in the first class of the day at 7 am. Everyone settled in their stalls and we ordered pizza and got to bed a little after midnight.

Rise and shine was at 5:15 when the girls got up and fed the horses. Then it was back to the dorms for a crappy continental breakfast. Oh well, it was included in the dorm price so that was okay.

A started the morning class with a nice clean pole run. It didn't put her in the top ten, but it was a great run on her horse who had only run poles about five times before.


N followed in her age division and ended up with a seven out of a class that held 26 entries. Gunner is becoming a very respectable pole horse. He improves at each show and N says like Classy before him she just needs to stay out of his way and lean away from the poles and he does the rest. It's exciting to know that he will just get better and better as the years go on.

Barrel was up next and unfortunately neither girl was in the top ten. Driver error bit both girls in the butt, one had a tipped barrel and the other tangled her whip around the rein losing precious seconds...


N had to leave shortly after barrels were done, but A continued to compete and gathered two top tens in the remaining three classes she was in.

While we were waiting for A to run her last class, Beth a fellow blogger over at The Dog and Pony Show showed up. It was fun to meet her in person and introduce her to the horses and S. N was long gone by this point. Beth recommended a fantastic little Italian restaurant and when the riding was done for the night we went and gorged ourselves. Oh and I got to meet her Dog Ozzie, who is just as sweet as the day is long.

Sunday was S's day to shine. Again the girls sans N were up at 5:15 to feed, and we were off to watch S start her class at 7 am. There had been question the day before about the official start spot of the races. We were told the gate could actually be open and they could start at the orange pylons just outside the gates. I helped S and Dixie get up to the line and off they ran. She had clean pole run but was DQ'd because Dixie kicked up the mat as she entered. I wasn't looking down to see if her front feet were over the line so I couldn't argue the ruling. She would have placed third.


S had two more classes on Sunday, Barrels and Plug. Despite the fact that she was sick as a dog, she dug down deep and placed third in both classes. I was most proud of her plug run because she missed reserve by a mere .066 seconds. She rarely does plug and while it is an easy in and out race, and a lot of less skilled horses will do well in it. We talked strategy and she really nailed down the run, until she got right before the barrel and Dixie had other ideas on which side she should go around. S figured it out and still placed third.

Despite the fact that I ran out of money at the food stand where water was $3.50 a bottle, all three of us enjoyed the weekend. Next year we might make some adjustments and camp instead of using the dorm, but over all it was a fun and exhausting weekend.

Thus ends our barrel racing for this year. The girls are both in sports and have no time to ride their horses when they get home. I am hoping we can find time once a week to go on some trail rides, but trying to push to get final points in the local series we have been going to isn't appealing anymore. Not when we get home at 8 pm two nights a week after tennis or volleyball matches and practices put them home at 6pm. That's before supper and homework have even begun!

Emmett continues to act depressed but is still growing like a weed. He is about 5 months old now. I still haven't made a final decision on what to do with my little buddy, except yesterday I decided to spend the next month trying to teach him some basic maneuvers on the ground. My goal is to determine if he can learn...meaning retain what I have taught him from day to day and progress in training. I think that will give me answers to my questions on him.