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!