Weekend Full of Win

This update is long overdue, but this past week just got too crazy with all the little projects I had going on.  I actually get to breath a little this week, and a blog update was needed, absolutely.

Bastian and I returned not only unscathed from our first dressage show, but as winners!!  WOOT!  I am so insanely proud of him and so stinkin' happy about how we did I don't even have words to describe it, but as this is a blog, I'll do my best.  I was nervous overall going in, in the past no matter how good I thought we were doing at home on any horse I happened to be riding, I would get to a show and learn that we still pretty much stunk.  Whether I just wasnt' riding well enough or I never had an "exciting" enough typy horse I don't know.  But basically I was always just an "also ran" in whatever class or event I was in. 

Kristin rode him first on Thursday when we got there to school.  We decided that since it was his first time at these show grounds she would make sure he wasn't going to be spooky about anything.  And he wasn't.  He wasn't a good boy though, he decided to have one of his little teenage temper tantrums and not go forward off the leg.  But Kristin worked him through it and when I got on he was FABULOUS.  Absolutely fabulous.  I was feeling better about the whole show thing.  Thursday was also ungodly hot and humid.  Yuck.

It rained all night Thursday and was cloudy and overcast on Friday.  Our first test went okay, it was Training 2 and I was very tense and nervous.  We scored a 58%, came in fifth and received a beautiful pink ribbon.  Its really pretty.  (I know, sorry, I'm having a total kid moment here!)   Our second test of the day wasn't until 3:40 something.  By then the arenas were a mess, it had rained off and on all day.  It was not raining as I started my test but right as I did my first diagonal the skys decided to open up along with the wind.  Every letter blew over during my test a few as my horse walked past them.  He didn't flick an ear in the wrong direction and finished his test nicely (I was proud of myself for not rushing to get out of the bad weather!).  This is where it pays off to know your arena layout since you couldn't see the letters anymore, LOL.  Poor Kristin had to go in right after me and no one was running out to set the letters back up again so she didn't have them either.  Heck she didn't even have a scribe.  Sometime during her test the scribe disappeared and the judge was writing down scores...crazy!
We won our Training 4 class that day with a 64.2%.  So we got an almost as pretty as the pink, Blue Ribbon and our first Qualifying score!!   I was estatic.

Saturday was dry and at lunch they finally dragged the arenas.  I felt that both of my tests rode better that day, but the judge in my arena was being conservative with her scores.  I earned a 62% and a Red Ribbon for my Training 2 test and a 60% for my Training 4.   My Training 4 class was huge, like 15 people, I came in 9th overall in that class.  So despite not getting better scores, I was still very pleased with him.  I felt like we were relaxing more and being more consistent in our tests.

Sunday, we were exhausted.  But Bastian being the quick learner that he is almost has this dressage thing figured out.  We scored an awesome 70% in our Training 2 test and won the class (by the skin of our teeth, 2nd place had a 69.5%!).  He was great.  Here is the awesome video:



Our Training 4 test that day rode almost as well, we scored a 66% and got our second qualifying score (the show was actually two shows: Fri/Sat and Sun) for Training Level.  So guess who's going to Regionals!!!!!??????  WE ARE!  Yeah!  Our Training 4 Class was just as big as on Saturday and we finished in 7th place, just out of the ribbons.  I could not be happier with our performance at the show. 

We still have work to do to fix the bobbles we had, but coming back from a 10 week layup and getting our act together in just three weeks for a show I think shows that we have what it takes to play with the big kids. 
Our next stop is the NODA show at Grand Haven this weekend.  We are only showing on Sunday and are signed up for Training 4 and First 4.  I'm hoping I can eek out a First Level Qualifying score.  As long as I continue to focus and ride every step of the way I think we can do it.  Bastian has been so good this past week as we've been preparing.  Just five more days! 

After that we'll be showing at the WPDA Summer Sizzler at Grand Haven, just on Saturday: First 4 and then the VADA-CH Twin Shows I and II in Culpeper, VA at the beginning of September. 

The BEC team did fantastic in Delaware and I am excited and honoured to be considered part of the team! :) We had so much fun and it was a positive experience for Bastian and I, I can't wait for this weekend!! (Look at that pretty pink ribbon!!!!)