Mark Your Calendars....

For Bastian's Winter Fun Show featuring the first ever Egg N' Spoon Off Championship!!! Yup, you read that right an Egg N' Spoon Off. Right here in Brookfield Ohio, Bauer Equestrian Center will be hosting the Egg N' Spoon Smackdowns of Smackdowns, winner receives bragging rights, a custom Egg N' Spoon Crown and a cup of victory wine (provided the winner is old enough to partake of said wine). I can already tell how insanely jealous all of you who live no where near hear are.... lol

So that's the highlight of the evening, but there are lots of other classes to be involved in as well! Here is the class list:

1) Barrel Race

2)Flag Race

3)Potato Race

4)Holiday Spirit Class

5)Trail

6)**Egg N' Spoon**

7)Catalog Race

8) 18" Jumpers

9)Choose your Own height Jumpers (2'3" and above!)

The Cost is $30 per entry-you get to ride in whatever classes you want, ribbons and prizes for each class and there will be a junior and senior division :)

The show will be on December 28th at 5:30 PM. We're also hosting a pot-luck at the same time so bring a dish to pass and let the good times roll! If you would like an officail show flyer, just send me an email at bastiandressagedragon@gmail.com

This is out kickoff fundraiser event as we start to work towards making it to Wellington Florida March 14-17 for our first ever CPEDI***. Bastian really has his heart set on going, so lets not disappoint him! lol

Come out and visit even if you don't plan on riding, you aren't going to want to miss the Egg N' Spoon Championships of the World!

And one more friendly PSA: Saddle pads and Polo Shirts are still available for purchase, look sharp in your next riding lesson as you sport some "Luck Be a Dragon in France" wear ;P Email me for order forms!

See you at the show!

Of Boot Camp and WEF

I need to start off by saying I am exhausted! This past weekend was phenomenal and both Bastian and I got our asses kicked. I was feeling pretty good when we got home last night, but this morning I woke up sore and tired and it was a struggle to get through the day, all I wanted to do was take a nap.....

So Kristin and I pulled out of the barn around 11:30 on Friday and began our trek to Coatesville PA and Blue Hill Farm. The weather was great and we made good time until we hit Route 30 at 5:00 on a Friday night...holy traffic batman! It took forever. My first riding lesson was set for 6:30 PM, we rolled into the barn around 6:18....nothing like cutting it close. LOL

No worries though, Kristin and I tag teamed Bastian (and when I say tag team I mean Kristin pretty much did everything, she was fabulous!) and I was in their lovely indoor with fantastically foof-a-licious footing by 6:35.

Our first lesson was a bit of an evaluation, seeing what I could and couldn't do, where my weakness were and where Bastian's weaknesses were. I think I can sum it all up by saying we have quite a bit of homework to do! We rode again early Saturday AM and we really got down to business. Missy had me focusing on my body position, keeping my shoulders back, staying centered, keeping my eyes up and turning with my hips. She had us working very hard. I had to keep Bastian between my legs, pushing forward, putting more weight on his hind end along with being steady and rhythmical. Easy-peasy! NOT! By the time we got to our lesson on Sunday morning, both of us were exhausted, we had done some intense work, I have to step up what we're doing at home! For as exhausted as we both were on Sunday I felt like we showed progress from where we had started on Friday, I was sitting up better and was feeling it quicker when I dropped my shoulders or wasn't moving my hips or shoulders in my turns. Bastian was trying his enormous Thoroughbred heart out, not only to listen to my not always so clear directions, but trying to make his stride more collected and rock back on his hind end.

On Saturday night I also got to take a lesson one of Missy's horses that was donated to the Para-Program. His name was Hugh, Hugh Knows. So if you're an eventing fan you should recognize that name. He was one of Karen O'Connor's Rolex Mounts.

So given my current situation, I doubt I am ever going to get to cruise around the Rolex course, so this has to count vicariously somehow....lol. But I digress, Hugh was awesome, very responsive to my seat and light off of my legs while at the same time being very accepting of my excessive leg movement. His canter was to die for! Super fabulous. And as soon as lost my position, he changed so he was really great for keeping me focused! I got to school trot half-pass, turn on the haunches and counter canter. I even managed to do an unintentional flying lead change, a quite nice unintentional flying change if I do say so.... lol He was just an ideal lesson horse, he didn't get frustrated as we went around and around I tried to figure him out and he figured me out, no crazy reactions to my mistakes. It was quite the honour to have the opportunity to ride such a great horse.

The lessons and the riding were phenomenal, but pale in comparison to how welcoming, supportive and kind everyone was at Blue Hill. I got to meet Rebecca Hart and James Dwyer, two wonderful people who made me feel right at home and were incredibly friendly :) Missy Ransehousen is a great instructor! She was easy to follow while she was giving instruction and kept everything positive and upbeat. Everything she had me doing was right in line with what I have been doing-just more intense, more precise. I really liked this-its always nerve-wracking when you ride with a new instructor: are they going to change everything you're doing or are they on the same page as you (or in this case, are you on the same page as them). I also got to meet Hope Hand, one of the most important people in keeping the Para-program going and keeping everyone informed as far as which shows to go to and rule changes and deadlines. Like I said, everyone was so friendly and supportive, it was wonderful! Not to mention everyone has the greatest sense of humour. Not to mention all the others we met in the aisle and in the arena at the farm. Thank you everyone for making our stay at Blue Hill Farm so wonderful.

So, you may be asking what is on the agenda for Team Bastian now. Well, if we can manage to swing it, we're headed to Wellington, FL in March 2013 to compete in our first CPEDI***. All I have to figure out is how to raise enough money to get it done. Saddle pads and polo shirts are still available and we're having a fun show at BEC at the end of December. But that still leaves me quite a bit short....I'm estimating costs of about $4000 so I want to try and raise $5000 so that I don't have to take any shortcuts with B and he can have the best of the best care.

So that's our story. We're going to try and hit the Chagrin Valley Farms Dressage Schooling shows in December, January and March so I can ride my test and get my geometry and flow down. Oh I almost forgot, the new 2013 Para Test are in the large arena!!! I'm soooooooo excited that I don't have to cram everything into a small arena ;P

More updates soon! Thanks for reading!!!

Bastian's Rakish Regional Review

It is with both sadness and a huge sense of relaxation that we finish our 2012 Competiton year. I love to show, it focuses me and drives me to ride and we won't be doing any more showing until 2013. At the same time, I have close to three months to relax and get our Second Level act together before we start test driving it again at the Winter Schooling Show series.

USDF Regional Championships for Region 2 was pretty amazing. This was the highest caliber of competition that Bastian and I have faced so far and I have to say that for the majority of it, we held our own. The only place where we didn't was totally my fault, Bastian on the other hand stepped it up and was a joy to ride.

Wednesday

On Wednesday I bundled up the amazing dragon and we were off to Kentucky. He's such a great traveler, I really lucked out on that. The weather was dismal, it was about 48 degrees, rainy and windy, yuck. We pulled into the horse park around 3:30 and moved into our temporary home, Rolex Tent Stabling 2. Bastian was nestled between my tack stall and Shannon's horse Leo, his new best friend. Or maybe he just liked him because he had some delicious hay in haybag and Bastian spent all weekend working his little nose off trying to get first between the bars of his stall and then between the tiny holes of Leo's slow-fee haynet. I lunged him for a good half hour before I got on because it was so cold and he had a bit of a hairy eyeball walking out of his stall. Which was good thing because it was a LONG and SCARY walk from our stabling to the Dressage Complex. We got to walk on the galloping track for the cross country course, which was pretty cool and then we had to make it through the Land of the Paso Finos, which kinda freaked him out too, but he handled it well.

He ended up warming up like a dream and was sooooo fantastic, he was light and fluffy and very responsive to my seat, I couldn't have been happier and I was just hoping I would be able to get the same result tomorrow when we got to show First 3 in the Rolex Arena. I decided to not school in the Rolex arena on Wednesday night because it was CRAZY in there! Horses galloping everywhere and I wanted no part of that craziness.

Thursday

Thursday was our big debut in the Rolex Arena riding First Level 3. The footing was amazing, I can't say enough about it and Bastian seemed to really like it as well as he was moving quite nicely. We warmed up and headed in.

Here we are going into the arena for the first time, Bastian was completely non-plussed by the whole thing, but that didn't stop Kristin from giving him some last minute warnings about taking care of his mom....lol

We went in to put in a fantastic test. We were doing great and then on my second canter lengthen I lost my left stirrup :( There was no stopping though and I managed to pull of a pretty decent canter loopy followed by a so-so trot lengthening and got my halt and salute in. We scored 65% and I managed to place 5 out of 18 entries. I was quite pleased with my handsome boy, we scored a 65% in Kentucky against a lot of my soon to be Championship Competition.

Friday

Friday was another warm up day, we rode Training Level Test 2 and scored a lovely 70% which was good enough to get us a second place ribbon. Kristin has finally gotten me to understand how important getting him to bend is and I employed that knowledge on Friday. It worked! First place went to Bastian's new BFF, Leo. I think that this means there is something to be said for our Trainer/Instructor Kristin, I mean how much better can it get when both of your students take the top to places in a class. Not to mention that I scored a 70% in Kentucky, so again, very pleased with my handsome, handsome boy.

Shannon and I with our ribbons!

Saturday

Saturday was unfortunately, our bad day. I wasn't riding well, I was getting jerky and over-compensatey (is that a word?) instead of soft and subtle and while we earned a respectable 66% in our Training Level AA Championship, it was far from our best performance and was not good enough for anything near a good placing...we finished 18th out of 51. I was extremely disappointed with myself, I had no excuse to ride so poorly.

But all was not lost, Shannon and Leo did lovely and were named Reserve Champ and Shari and Isaac finished just out of the ribbons by a 5th of a percent were in the top ten. Again, I think that this speaks volumes about Kristin's training and Instruction. Three students who all did well out of 51 tough competitors.

Sunday

Sunday was a new day, I had to shake off the bad mojo from Saturday, this was our last chance to shine and Bastian deserved a better ride. It was warm outside but very very windy, like 20 mph winds with 40+ mph gusts. Crazy! He wasn't bothered by the wind though, he's such a good, reliable guy. We made our way into the Rolex Arena one more time and put in our best ever First level test yet. Our combined average score was 67%. We did some awesome canter loopies in both directions and our leg yields were spectacular. I was so pleased with him.

We were sitting in 8th place and it was a nerve-wracking hour and a half while we waited for the rest of the competitors to go and have their scores posted. Finally they were up and we had managed to hold onto 8th place. 8th out of 45 entries, not to shabby for the bargain basement TB from Maryland.

We got to lead the division into the arena for the awards ceremony to Darth Vader's intro music in Star Wars...AWESOME! Then for our victory trot lap (of which we were at the tail end :) )we got to strut our stuff to Lady Gaga's "Pokerface." I'm glad they picked good music, lol

Thank you Donna for all the fabulous pictures! Thank you Gwen for all your help and support over the weekend. Thank you Shari for the support, awesome advice and delicious snacks and beverages. Thank you Shannon for your support, words of wisdom, golf cart and willingness to live on the wild side and off road it! Thank you Kristin for your relentless instruction that has helped to get Bastian and I to where we are today, Bastian and I could not do it with out you. Thank you Char, Leslie, Rachel, Cindy, Gwen, Shannon, Caitlin, Anna, Thomas, Hastilow Saddlery, and my mom and dad for placing ads in the show book and helping me to earn a free stall. Bastian and I are truly appreciative of your support and belief in our abilities.

So You Think You Can Dressage Part II

As promised, here is Part II of the "So You Think You Can Dressage" Saga. :)

The first order of business is to welcome Hastilow Competition Saddlery as my first official sponsor! They've helped me to trick out my ride with a Hastilow Adjustable Concept Dressage Elevation Saddle

I am super excited about this (I mean who isn't excited about a new saddle!) The Elevation is built to be completely adjustable, which will be great as Bastian continues to change through his back and develop more and more topline. Its built on a Bio-Kinetic Tree that employs Simatree technology, this means the tree is laterally flexible providing more comfort for both the horse and rider. It also features 3 different panel types based on your horses build as well as an adjustable gullet, ergonomic knee block, a deep seat and is wool flocked. If I haven't convinced you yet, head over to their website to check out more information and to look at the other high quality saddles they offer. They are also providing me with a lovely new bridle. Thank you Hastilow Saddlery!!

I haven't owned a Hastilow in several years, but I had both a dressage and jumping saddle when I was in College and loved riding in them both. Bastian was measures for his new equipment and now we are just anxiously awaiting their arrival. He doesn't even know how much more awesome its going to be. The saddle I currently ride in is okay, it doesn't fit him poorly, but it doesn't fit him well either. It gets the job done. I can't wait to feel how much better he'll go in his new saddle.

I'm still in need of sponsors and help! This is only the beginning of the journey ;P I am selling polo shirts and saddle pads, please contact me (bastiandressagedragon@gmail.com) if you are interested in ordering anything! I will have photos soon...just ordered a proto-type the other day. I'm hoping to begin riding with Missy Ransehousen in October and begin full time training with Kristin in either December or January so that we are ready to rock the Para-Dressage world in 2013!!!

So, you're probably asking yourself, how did an crazy eventer type like me end up riding Para-Dressage? Well, here's our story....

This picture is the from the day I bought Bastian. Ain't he a cutie!

In May of 2007 I was riding a very green gelding, he only had a handful of rides on him. We had successfully walked and trotted on the lunge line and I went to dismount. While dismounting, he spooked, I grabbed onto the saddle to stick with him which spooked him more, he bucked and threw me over top of his back up into the air and I came down like an arrow right on my head(yes, I was wearing my helmet-I honestly believe it saved my life that day!), I was instantly numb from the waist down. I wasn't in a lot of pain, and I tried to keep myself calm by repeating "its only a pinched nerve" inside my head. 911 was called and then the Life Flight Hellicopter.

They flew me to the hospital where the doctors quickly assessed my condition, took x-rays and I was rushed into surgery. The first surgery was to alleviate the swelling and insert pins into my spine-I had a burst fracture of my first lumbar vertabra. 24 hours later I was back into surgery, this time to insert a metal cage around my spinal cord where all of the bone fragments were placed to "re-create" my vertabra. I don't remember much of that week in intensive care other than how stressed out my parents were and not knowing what feeling or use of my legs I would actually regain. I couldn't move anything on my left side and only slightly better on my right.

From there I spent just over a month in the hospital, going to physicial therapy everyday and working to relearn how to walk and move again. Finally I was released to go home, there was a lot of adjusting to do, I had always been active and independent and know I was relying on so many people for basic aspects of living. Also at the back of my mind was the big question of "When was I going to ride again?"

Not riding again had never crossed my mind. I was going to get back in the saddle, I wasn't sure how well I would be able to ride and what I would be capable of, but I always knew for sure that I would get back on. I was banned from riding for 9 months by my doctor. At 7 months, I started "riding" again and by riding I mean I tacked up my 26 year old pony and sat on her. We didn't actually go anywhere, I just sat on her while she munched on hay. It was a glorious feeling to be back on a horse. At 9 months I started actually riding again, nothing like a 26 year old pony to restore your faith in the equine world!

Throughout this time, Bastian was also constantly lurking on the edge of my mind. I had bought him as an untouched 3 year old directly from his breeder just two weeks before my accident. I had bought him as my event horse prospect and had been looking forward to starting him myself and storming the event world... now I wasn't going to be physically able to do that. Bastian is quite the level headed guy, always has been, but he was also a baby thoroughbred and he may be level headed, but damn is he athletic! Watching him play in the paddock is amazing, he can do some pretty cool tricks! So I was constantly struggling with what to do with him. I was already in love with his personality, he let me in his stall with my walker to groom him and love on him and he never snorted the wrong way or gave me the wonky eye, that's pretty good for any 3 year old, much less a thoroughbred ;P

Our very first dressage show at Grand Haven together. We showed in an Intro Class. He was very good!

Luckily I had some excellent people to work with and in the Spring Bastian was officially started under saddle. Bastian went through his own trials and tribulations before he started his real training. In the fall of 2007, he was diagnosed with EPM. With proper medical attention, he was able to make a full recovery, but he has a permanent memory of his disease. When you view him from the back, you can see that his left side has much less muscle development than his right and for almost two years after his recovery he was always a little uneven. Through a lot of hard work and careful development, he now tracks up evenly. You would never know unless you stand behind him that he has difference between his right and left side.

In 2009 I moved to Hermitage, PA and started riding with Kristin Stein (www.steinequine.com). Through her instruction and training Bastian and I began to excel and find our place in the dressage world. I showed all year at recognized Dressage Competitions without being a Graded Para-Equestrian and while we managed to get our qualifying scores at Training level, I was always getting comments on my test about how I had a kind horse and I needed to stop my "excessive" kicking. Finally before Regionals that year, I was classified as a Grade III Para-Equestrian. The main compensations that I use are carrying two whips and securing my feet into the stirrups via velcro. I'm also allowed to carry my whips during Championship Classes.

So began my career as a Para-Equestrian. This year I had the pleasure of riding under the wonderful eye of Kristi Wysocki, an FEI*** Para Equestrian judge who was impressed by Bastian and I's performance and pulled us aside to encourage us to pursue getting my FEI Para-card and working towards making the selection trials for the 2014 WEG. You can read the whole blog about that show here: http://www.bastianthewonderdragon.blogspot.com/2012_07_01_archive.html

So that is how we came to be. This year has been an amazing year so far for Bastian and I, not only have we made huge strides in our dressage work, but we successfully completed 3 recognized events, 2 at the starter level and one BN. Eventing does not recognize my para-equestrian status so I competed in those events without any of my normal compensations. Bastian LOVES to jump and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Para-Equestrian jumping makes it way to this side of the pond soon, Bastian would rock it. Still to come this year is our Regional Championship Show at the Kentucky Horse Park in October. Bastian and I are showing in both the Training Level and First Level AA Championships. This is our last time showing Training Level, a bittersweet parting, but we're ready to move onward and upward. Watch out Second Level, we've dipped our toes into the deep end of dressage and we're ready to dive in head first!

So You Think You Can Dressage Part I

Bastian and I have begun a a brand new chapter of our Dressage career. We are officially Second Level competitors. It was far from the illustrious beginning that I hoped for, but it was all rider error and errors I don't intend to make next time. Our final score was a 51% I went off course twice during the canter work in the test, I made a poor choice about missing our right lead depart which led to me becoming quite frazzled and then botching the remainder of the test, I wasn't able to recollect ourselves to the needed level, we recollected to Training Level horse instead of Second Level horse. So after the 2 for our right lead canter depart and the 2 for our 10 meter circle at S, we scored some 4's and some 5s. The 2's given for the depart and the circle were generous as there was never a canter depart and we "walked" our circle. So thank you Ms. Freeman for your kind 2s! lol

I would like to add that Margaret Freeman is an excellent judge, she nailed us on all sorts of things, but they were all correct. It was a bit tough to stomach when I read my first test (First 1) but by my second level test I knew that it was simply fact and each and every comment was true. It was odd having all three of my tests judged by the same judge all weekend, but it was also nice to have one person's opinion three times and to try and improve on that one person's comments. I know because I've done it and because I have seen other people do it, we read the judges comments and we wonder how much brandy they added to their coffee that morning because we just can't see how our little Muffin didn't score better because that was the best 20 meter stretchy circle EVER.

Competition in Kentucy was tough. And amazing. I got to ride at THE Kentucky Horse Park. My little champion was stabled just outside of the "Big Barn" and its Aisle of Champions. He was a bit looky on Thursday, just taking everything in, but he handled it all so well! There is so much going on and to take in, he's never been in such a busy environment. I put our spring eventing training into action and whenever I got nervous because I thought Bastian might look at something or spook I put my leg on and imagined galloping cross country at Stonegate and Erie Hunt and Saddle Club. This really helped at the canter because he wanted to get stuck behind my leg a few times.

The weather was horrid on Saturday, cold and rainy. They ended up delaying the start of the show for an hour, so my ride times got bumped from 8:56 and 5:34 to 9:56 and 6:34. It was one looooong day! My first test went well, I scored a 65% and took first, later in the day I had Bastian more collected, but we ended up behind the vertical one too many times and came away with a 62% and third place. Our First Place Prize:

Kristin and Zoe scored a brilliant 73% in their Third Level 3 class on Friday, smoking the competition. Unfortunately, they didn't count Friday's scores in the tally for High-Point. Shari and Isaac had a rough weekend too, but came out on top by earning a 66% and their final qualifying score for First Level. Unfortunately, Bastian's partner in Chestnut Dressage Crime couldn't make it to the show do to a mild leg injury, Bastian is definitely looking forward to hanging out with Leo at Regionals and I am looking forward to hanging out with Shannon, so fingers are crossed that everything is better on their end!

Its just 3 and 1/2 weeks until we return for Regionals. I am very excited about going and am working very hard to give Bastian the best ride that I can. This is our moment to shine and I want all the focus to be on him, the phenomenal, awesomest, most fantastical horse in the world!

Well, this wraps up So You Think You Can Dressage Part I. Part II will follow shortly and involves the announcement of my first Major sponsor, a look back at how Bastian and I came to be and information on how you can help to make my goal of becoming selected for the 2014 WEG Para-Equestrian team a reality.

Look out Second Level, Bastian is on the move!

Thank you. I don't think it would be right to start today's blog out any other way but with a thank you to everyone that is rallying to support me and Bastian. Let me say it once more:

THANK YOU!

I've gotten my entry ready for the USDF Region 2 Championships and am $50 away from getting the sponserships I need for a free stall. :) I am overwhelmed by so many people offering to help us out! So cool!

Secondly, I have got some major company sponserships in the works as well. I don't want to reveal any details other than that until the details are hashed out, but its making this entire venture real. And THANK YOU to the individuals that have been working on those. Bastian and I truly appreciate you support!

Currently we are getting ready for the MSEDA Dressage Show at the Kentucky Horse Park September 7-9. We're showing First Level on Saturday and doing our first ever Second Level test on Sunday. EEEKK! I am so excited, I'm finally moving beyond Training and First!

But wow, the move up to Second Level is crazy! Kristin has us working very hard and I am beginning to realize why so many people never advance past First Level. Training and First pose their own questions and difficulties, but its questions that are just confirming the basic training of the horse-go forward, accept the bridle and respond to leg. Now I've got to get Bastian more supple, rocked back onto his hocks, in an uphill frame and I personally have to sit all that crazy medium trot! LOL

My goal is to stay in the 60%s with my score, but I know its gonna be tough. I feel pretty good about our shoulder ins and super good about our 3 halts, the reinback and our free walk. Our canter-walks have potential if I keep it together, as do our mediums. The counter canter shouldn't be too bad....he's very confirmed there, I just need to be able to do counter canter in collected canter, that's the hitch, LOL. But the upswing is that our First Level Work is becoming amazing! That little canter loopy of counter canter, it ain't no thing! Lol

But I'm pretty excited anyway. Next year Bastian and I will be rocking the USDF Dover Second Level Medal Classes whilst chasing our Para-Equestrian goals. To flip back to that topic, I am going to be doing both custom saddle pads and I think Polo shirts (not entirely sure on the shirt aspect yet). Once I consult my design team I'll get order forms ready. I have some ideas for a slogan/logo, but am very open to suggestions so if you have any ideas message me or post them in the comments below ;)

Mai oui, Bastian est tres formidable!

Sorry I haven't kept up with my blogging, its been a rather crazy 2 months and I have no excuse, but believe you me, this post should more than make up for :)

So last time we left our struggling hero, Bastian, he had two refusals XC at the Lost Hounds Pony Club horse trials because his rider didn't do her job and get him around with confidence. I had already sent in my entry for South Farm for BN, but contacted them and asked to be put into the Starter Division. I needed to get my confidence up. So with that done we concentrated on riding forward and me not grabbing him with my right hand. It was like my right hand had a mind of its own and going up to a fence I would yank it back and out repeatedly and I had no idea I was doing it. Kristin made me jump with my right hand holding my left hand and you know what, it was perfect! Really weird feeling, but perfect. I wasn't interfering with him.

So off we went to South Farm with Cindy and Banff. I wasn't 100% there for Dressage, he was a little stuck behind my leg and I didn't put in the best test, we came away with a 30.5 and were sitting in second place. XC was next and I kept my warm-up perfect. All I needed was about 5 minutes, we popped over the warm-ups and did the warm-up log they had. He was forward and I felt good.

5....4...3...2..2..Have a great ride! My plan was to trot our first fence...Bastian decided he wanted to canter so I panicked for a stride then said okay and off we went. Jumped it like a champ, the only one he looked at was fence 2 and he just took a little peek, after that we actually cantered all of our fences, I was with him, we didn't take any from a standstill and we didn't hit any. So much improvement! Here is the video:

Did you see how AWESOME that was????? I actually rode, I was so happy :) So we maintained our second place spot. On Sunday we came back for Stadium. A pretty technical course, but still very inviting fence-wise. Check out our first two fences, they were perfect!

Again, we didn't jump any from a standstill and we didn't hit any. This was what we needed, we needed to just get our gallop on and go without being intimidated by anything. We finished in 2nd by just one point (1st had a 29), so close.....So our last event of the year ended quite well :)

After South Farm, I had just two weeks until the NODA Dressage Shows at Grand Haven. This was my big chance to get my Qualifying scores for Training and First for Regionals, no pressure or anything. LOL. Kristin kicked our butts in lessons and we got a lot sorted out, like the elusive element of straightness and making my corrections more subtle. Well all I have to say is that it worked!

I got all my qualifying scores and am Kentucky bound in October! Woot! Bastian and I owned Training Level, we scored a 70% on Saturday and a 73.2% on Sunday, placing first both times. Oh yeah, we did. :P He felt sooooo good. Our Sunday Score also earned us the Training Level Reserve Champion Award for the AA division (Champion had a 73.5%, again...so close!)We got a 65% and 63% for first level on Saturday and Sunday respectively. We placed 2nd in both of those classes. Sunday's score would have been fabulous, but on our first canter loop I half halted too much at X and he did a brilliant trot transistion :( Otherwise it was really really great!

So Bastian was a champ. Now, here is the cool part. Are you ready? Should I build the suspense more? Maybe do a whole 'nother paragraph about the awesome food that they offer at Grand Haven or how well everyone did and how awesome Kristin is as a trainer and instructor to have gotten me to the point where I can score 70s in Training Level....or maybe I should just tell you. Or maybe wait? I just can't seem to decide what to do.....

Okay, here it is: My judge on Saturday for First Level and Sunday for Training Level was an FEI*** Para-Equestrian Judge. After our Training Level test when the runner went to go get the tests (the runner happened to be the Show Secretary at that moment)she told her that she wanted to speak with me during lunch and that she felt that me AND my horse had a lot of potential and she wanted to see us work toward being selected for the 2012 WEG.

How friggin' awesome is that! All my hard work has finally gotten me noticed (and I have to give a HUGE hats off to Kristin because without her guidance and no-nonsense work hard kick ass lessons we would NOT be here). So Kristin and I spoke with her and she kept saying how much potential she thought we had and I mentioned that I would start looking for a more suitable horse and she was like "why?". Even better than thinking that I have potential, she feels that Bastian has the ability to be competitive. We earned an 8 on Harmony between horse and rider on our test, how about them apples?! Not just a safe ride and not just a nice score, but COMPETITIVE!!!! My lil' Bastian boy an international pony! Riding planes and learning how to wear a beret and speak French....lol, okay maybe I'm getting ahead of myself!

So she said Kristin should start riding Bastian and getting him schooled on the second level stuff that is in my test (shoulder in, mediums, simple transitions, collected gaits,etc) and I should start riding horses that can do those things so I can learn how do them. Next year I should ride the tests as often as possible so I get a year of experience and attend a couple of CPDI/CDI, (I don't really know the abbreviations yet, but big time shows!) so I get comfortable with that kind of pressure and work towards getting on the selection list at the end of 2013 beginning of 2014.

Grand Haven's secretary said they would add the tests to the shows next year for me :) So now I have to get an FEI passport for Bastian and I need to get my Classification changed from just USEF to FEI. I am soooooo excited. Lots of details to work out and I've got to start seeking out sponsorships and donations to make all of this economically feasible, but I'm gonna get it done one way or another.

Our next show is the MSEDA Show in Kentucky in September. I'm taking Bastian and doing not only First Level, but we're making our Second Level debut with Second One. I don't expect to dazzle anyone, but I'm hoping I can hold my own. I've watched others make the move to Second Level and its one of those funky levels that a lot of people seem to struggle with. Bastian and I have to learn how to ROCK second level. I'm pretty excited about it.

So that's my news! I'm hoping to start serious training in January as the next two months are devoted to prepping for Regionals and I'll probably give him about a month off of real work (as in light hacks a few days a week) then get ourselves ready for serious boot camp starting in January! If anyone wants to help out send me a message! I've got some great fund raising ideas in mind and am hoping to try and secure some sponsors. Kerrits, watch out, cause you are getting a letter seeing as how I pretty much exclusively wear your clothes! LOL