Blogging backwards: When a beautiful pile of experiences accumulates and starting at the beginning seems too intimidating.
I shall blog backwards in an attempt to reduce the pile to manageable size.
This past weekend was the TriState Region Pony Club Show Jumping and Dressage Rallies. For my Pony Club pals of the past 40 years, this will signify. For the rest= really cool horse stuff.
Youngest was unable to compete in the Show Jump Rally, as we were still on our way home from France when he and his pony would have needed to arrive in northern Ohio.
But, for Youngest, the important competition was the Dressage Rally, as he is attempting to qualify for the team to compete in Pony Club National Championships at Kentucky Horse Park. And we had a day between France and the Dressage Rally!
He has been working on the required Musical Freestyle portion of qualifying for the competition for 7 months, with dedication and creativity. (Along with #momadvice and his dressage instructor!)
In true Youngest fashion, 7 months of dedicated work in one portion does not bleed over into other bits of the whole. So, on our 4 1/2 hour drive he worked on memorizing the other two required dressage tests and repeatedly listening to his chosen music for his freestyle. This was crucial to his success or failure in that portion, as we do not have at our fingertips a regulation full size dressage arena in which to practice. They are exactly 20 meters by 60 meters, quite sizable, and flat. He had been practicing in indoor arenas over the winter and spring, not 20x60, and our field at Cowfeathers- big enough, certainly, but NOT flat. So, when you go to "dance" to the music, you have to match it to certain places in the arena, on a horse that is moving, sometimes swiftly. It's a lot to do, which is why practice and knowing your music is critical.
As he found out, knowing your other two complicated tests is also vital, and he slacked a bit there, having an error in his second test, which loses two points and could've knocked him out contention for Championships. The pair still managed to score a 62.5, still above the required score of 60 in the second dressage test. Phew.
Just an example of what his test looked like, this is someone else's test from Google Images, but it gives you the idea. This stuff is complicated! Maybe a bit more time to learn the test next time?
Now, at Pony Club Rallies, no parents are allowed in the barn. No adults at all, except for the Horse Management staff of judges that are there to make sure the kids are being safe and thoughtful, and offering help where safety is in jeopardy. So, as a designated "Coach", I am to hang out in the warm up area, help the kids warm up purposefully, help fix issues and give them high-fives. I watch them do their test(the forms they ride in the judged arena-as above), and help assess the test and make improvements for the next test which is ridden fairly rapidly after the first.
The Musical Freestyles are ridden a bit later, so my riders returned to the barns, took care of the ponies and had water, bites to eat, recoup (clean stalls, clean tack, refill water buckets, help teammates that still haven't ridden).
We had 7 riders from our own Pony Club riding freestyles, so there were clusters of our riders getting ready to perform.
But where is Youngest? Hmmmm. Wherewherewherewherewhere...with 21 minutes to go until his Freestyle, he is still not out of the barn. I am trying to coach my first rider, but anxiety grows every minute that he doesn't show, until I go find another teammate who is having a snack and send her to the barn to move him along. Can you work on something, a bunch, for seven months, and not show up? Maybe if you're this kid!
He shows, with a brief time of warm up before riding. Kaylee, Youngest's mentor and owner of perfect pony, Zac, is also at the rally, and her anxiety has joined mine. She is now given the task of getting him focused, as I, Coach Mom, have blinded myself in both eyes from rolling them too hard. Plus, I have another kid that is ready to ride (and didn't cause me anxiety) about to perform!
That rider, KZ and Dreamy perform an elegant freestyle, and I am so proud of them! They, too, are trying to qualify to compete at National Championships, and they've put themselves in a good position to make it on the team.
Now for Youngest and Zac's turn. Fortunately, Zac is an all business performer. He likes the applause and the crowd, and he enjoys strutting his stuff, so even without much warm up, the boys are ready to go. And, we are about to see if the seven months of work will pay off.
His music is from The Jungle Book.
And, they dance.
Beautifully.
To say it "went well" seems inadequate. There were some things they could have done a bit better. But, they were great!
They zoomed down the diagonal in a lengthened trot!
They seamlessly crossed over in their leg yields.
There were extended canters, and counter canter serpentines. There was a walk to canter depart, square halts and ten meter circles. They were stars.
If you want to watch it- (I want to over and over, I'm so proud!) here is a link to my video of their ride:
https://youtu.be/qJulaStC0Ck
Awards time eventually arrives. Youngest's team were excellent all day, not just on horseback, but in their work in the barn. In Pony Club, we emphasize care of the horse and your equipment, and our teams are well schooled in this. So, when awards are given,
first we award the places in Horse Management. Hard work, paying off. The girl on the far left is the Stable Manager for the team. She's the "in charge" of the team while in the barns, keeping everything going- and evidently did a great job! A blue ribbon is a first place award!
Next, they give out the team awards for the riding scores of the day. So proud of this group of riders!
But, although this is Youngest's team, and of prime interest to most of my readers, (Hi Mom!), his was not the only team fielded by our growing and top-notch Pony Club.
We had three full teams! Actually, 16 kids; three teams of five, and one upper level member who was Stable Manager for another Pony Club's team of new competitors. This makes me very happy.
After all the Horse Management Awards, and the Riding Awards, the last ribbons to be awarded were for the Musical Freestyles. These are open to anyone, but required for those attempting to qualify for United States Pony Club National Championships in Lexington, KY. Since they are difficult to choreograph, and take extra time and effort to create, most competitors don't ride a Freestyle. But our Pony Club had 5 Freestyles and a Pas de deux! (That is a Musical Freestyle with two competitors riding together. It is french, for "not of two", as in, they ride as one.)
Our Pas de deux team won the category with an adorable ride. I cried.
And, our Pony Club had the top 4 overall single Musical Freestyle rides!
The Blue? This guy here.
I don't know if I've seen him happier. Ever. And he's a happy kid.
Whoa. Well DONE TEAM!!!!
And, Zac, you're the best. Just the best. Thank you for sharing him with us, Kaylee!
Addendum: Youngest got the official email that he and Zac qualified for National Championships! Really proud of this pair!
