Aiken Steeplechase

      It's taken me a while to get these images processed and uploaded into a gallery... so much going on!   The day after the Aiken Steeplechase,  I rode Irish in a 2-phase hosted by Alison Eastman-Lawler at the southern branch of her Apple Tree Farm.  This was our first time competing since last September so the trails of rust were evident, though not too deep.  I rode the beginner novice combined test plus the novice A & B dressage tests.  Irish was wonderful in dressage despite a horse galloping/bucking/frolicking in a paddock close by, and his rider forgetting the 3rd test she tried to memorize 2 minutes before entering the ring.  He still managed to score a 28 on the BN-A test and 28.5 on the Nov-A.  Our one stadium round for the BN division went very smoothly, one rail down due to my leg coming off on an uphill approach. Nevertheless we finished in 2nd place.
       Yesterday, we competed at another schooling event at Sporting Days Farm.  This time we rode the novice 2-phase and an additional novice (B) dressage test.  Despite some allergy-related snorts and sneezes, the Big Pony scored well in both.  He then jumped a double-clear round of stadium and we brought home the blue in the combined test. All-in-all, a good confidence builder for this old lady.
     But I digress ... the Aiken Steeplechase, second "leg" of the Aiken Triple Crown, was great fun for the BEventing crowd.  Fortuitously, Babette's mother (Carol Lenna) was given a pass for a rail-side parking spot right at the last fence and before the finish line.  The pass included 2 extra parking spots, so 12 of us piled into 3 trucks with picnic supplies and got all set up.
       The Steeplechase is a BIG thing in these parts, which meant dressing to the Nines, not something that is in my job description!  Fueled by the fact that Babette, and all of the ladies associated, would be dressing up (pedicures and all), I succumbed.  Hats were a big deal so we ladies went all out (thank you Target!)
     Michele and George Cheney traveled down from Maine just to attend the festivities and were generous enough to purchase a Wal-Mart Blue Light Special canopy... in the ever popular shade of "monkey-vomit green" so that we could keep the food in the shade... and take turns keeping our pale skins out of the sun as well. We all contributed food/beverages, but Carol Lenna in typical fashion, loaded the tables with wonderful snacks, wraps, hors d'oeurves and sweets.  Glasses filled with Mimosas started the day... which only got better.
       Click here to enjoy the gallery!

Trying a Different Medium

     I picked up one of those cute pocket camcorders last week, my excuse being that I can use it to video my lessons on Irish. I got a lot of practice with it this past weekend recording the rides of fellow BEventers at Full Gallop Farm Horse Trials, and quickly learned 1) videography IS NOT EASY!  2) post-processing the clips is even more time-consuming than what I already do.
     Being me (just ask my husband), when faced with something new to learn I jump right in and will spend days learning how to do it well.  So I upgraded the never-used copy of iMovie on my MacBookPro, found out how to convert the .avi files from the little camcorder to .mp4 files that can be viewed by most, learned how to edit the clips, add music (we MUST have music and it MUST sync with the video) and upload to an account on YouTube.
   Now for the disclaimers: it was extremely difficult to hold this little camcorder steady. Add to this, high winds that blew me around and you will want to take your motion sickness meds before viewing. Not knowing anything about video cameras, my cute little camcorder has a LCD screen which at first look is very cool because it is also a touch screen.  But take it out into the bright sunlight and ... where the HELL did my subject go!!!  I used my new-found talents with iMovie to edit out most of these horrid clips, but you may want to double your dose of Bonamine.
     That said, anyone really interested in watching Babette compete (my) Little Oliver, Lucy Cheney's Bouncer and Polly Merrill's Matinicus, as well as Emily Merrill on Diggin' on Doug click on the video link below *** DOUBLE click right on the video to go to YouTube***  Once you are on YouTube in my channel "FuzzButt4", look around for the other videos.
      I should probably mention that Babette did a magnificent job on all of her mounts, and brought home  6th on Bouncer (preliminary), 3rd on Oliver (training) and 4th on Matinicus (novice).  She also competed "Ana" (owned by Merance Adams) in the tadpole division.  True to form, they finished 1st! (note to Merance: sorry not to get video, Ana's ride times conflicted with hubby's arrival in Aiken). Emily & Doug moved from 11th in dressage to finish 9th and completed their first training level event in great form!
      The video clip here is Bouncer's perfect stadium round and I mean perfect. He moved up to Preliminary this season and is showing all of us that despite his calm, almost half-asleep demeanor, he is most certainly up to the task!

Sporting Days was Sporting!

     I have to make this a very quick post, too much to do. The BEventing ladies and their geldings had good rides this past weekend at Sporting Days Horse Trials.
     Saturday was very busy with 3 horses going in Training level: Emily on Doug, Babette riding Oliver and Ashley on "Joey".
    Oliver gave Babette a solid ride in all three phases starting with a score of 28.6 in dressage. With one rail down in stadium and a breeze around the XC, they finished 5th!

     This was Doug's first go at training level and he showed us that he is up to the task starting with a steady dressage test - 34.6.  He jumped the beginning of the stadium course like the jumps were prelim height giving Emily a challenging ride.

    Unfortunately, they gently parted company in mid-course and were not allowed to continue on to the XC.  From what we saw, it won't take long for Em and Doug to get synced for this next level.

      Joey surprised us all with a beautiful dressage test (Ashley had something to do with it too I suppose). Then no surprise ... he literally "sailed" around both jump courses to finish 2nd!

      Sunday was "Matinicus Day". Polly had been under the weather earlier in the week, so Babette took the ride on Matty. They posted a very nice dressage score of 30.9 and were tied for 3rd.

     Matty is not an easy ride and tested Babette at nearly every turn on the jump courses.  But she prevailed and surprise, no surprise... they came home with the BLUE ribbon!

(Matty getting taken care of post-XC by groom Hannah Mitchell & helpers)

Background (left to right): Mia, Ashley, HAPPY OWNER Polly, Emily & Connor)