The Show That Wasn't Quite
Saturday dawned early and muddy. I fed the herd and we made preparations. The cart was already loaded, but I had volunteered our poles and cones for the obstacle class. We loaded Charm-N and headed over.
Horseshoe Park was more of a mess than I had hoped and to add to that our arena had some alternate footing that they put in for some other event that doesn't absorb like their regular stuff does. It was a lake. Part of me can see why they swap out the footing to cater to certain events, but the storage of "extra" footing just looks sloppy and the fact that they're dragging the footing in and out of all of their arenas is just ridiculous. If it were me I'd designate one arena of "other" footing and just leave the rest of it alone. Anyway, our arena was a lake. The other outdoor wasn't as obviously bad, but they couldn't get the tractors in to work it either. The third outdoor was holding all of the cattle, sheep, and broncs for the rodeo.
It took us quite a while to track someone down for the stall we had reserved. We got Charm-N in the stall and pulled out the cart before we played the first waiting game of the day.
At the gate the lady had said that there probably wasn't going to be a draft show and thought someone should have called and warned us. We draft folk are made of tougher stuff and won't let an inch or two of rainfall dampen our spirits.
There was a "conviening of the minds" as Troy called it. There was a chance of us getting some time in the covered arena, but we weren't sure when or how. I ended up taking Charm-N back and picked up Ruby and Gypsy. The next conference occurred around our little work cart (which had a few admirers I might add) and we had a little more information. The rodeo people were predicting a break between 4 and 5 that would allow us to at least put on some sort of demonstration. The catch was we had to help break down the family/kid rodeo stuff (pig catching, goat dressing, mutton busting and the like). The thought was to at minimum have the breed showcase, barrel race, some driving class and a riding class. We were to reconviene at noon around our trailer again with further developments and thoughts.
I decided to throw in the towel on the driving classes with Charm-N so we loaded up the cart and took it home. I informed my students that there was still a chance of things happening, but we wouldn't know for sure until noon.
We pulled out Ruby and I rode her a bit. She was forward, but manegable. She really is an awesome mare. There was a lot going on even with the less than stellar weather. They had a carnival with swirling, swinging rides with lights, not to mention kids screaming as they spun around and upside down. We walked and trotted around as she absorbed it all.
Come noon we all regathered (I was still on Ruby). We were to have the arena between 3 or 3:30 and could be in there until 5pm so we had an hour and a half to run a handful of classes. We trimmed the list down to the breed showcase, barrel race, riding class (western, english, and youth combined), pleasure driving, driving obstacle, and the feed team race. I let Addy's family and Keara's know to be back to the park around 3pm if they were going to participate. Keara and company were going to hang around and Addy's would come back at the appointed time.
Chris and I went home for lunch before putting the first divider back in the trailer and grabbing Kitt. I had second thoughts about taking the mud pony. Her left side had a good inch or more of caked, dried mud on her. We took a good 20 minutes of currying to get her somewhat descent. We hosed her from the knees and hocks down. Wendy arrived as we were tacking Kitt up.I lunged Kitt before climbing on and heading over. She danced a bit on the line, but was good and light in the hand, a far cry from four years ago when she used to drag me around the arena!
Kitt was happy to see another Fjord and Flint, the grey dun gelding Wendy brought was even happier to see Kitt. Wendy brought a cart for Flint and she was anxious to see how he would do. He's been parades and other events in Montana, but this event was quite something else for sure!
We were expecting to have a good half hour to let them settle, but Muari passed by announcing they were getting the breed showcase underway at 2:40. Wendy and I headed down, passing the rather interesting array of things, from the broncs and cattle to tractors and other vehicles. As we went to come in they were bringing a squeeze chute out. They waited for us to enter, which the horses did cautiously. Kitt was fo rward and a little tense, but she only bunched once on me and did pretty well, even when the truck and trailer entered the arena and they started herding the sheep into the trailer. I kept Kitt close to Wendy and Flint, mostly to keep the Fjords together. Flint got a bit ahead of himself and away from Wendy at one point. He nearly brushed Keara and Gypsy and thankfully came back to her before running into a Clyde. Flint did fine the rest of the time and we finished our demonstration. Another truck came in to get more sheep as we were leaving. I guess they couldn't wait to start the breed showcase until everything was out or the rodeo couldn't wait for us to get out before they finished tearing down. One of the two!
We tacked up Ruby and detacked Kitt. Addy wasn't there yet, but showed up shortly after I put Kitt in her stall. I climbed up on Ruby (can still do it from the ground!) With the thought of taking her down for the barrel race and get her in the arena before Addy had to go. Turns out they ran the barrels in record time and the riding class was already starting. I waved Addy down and had them hold the gate as Addy jogged the last stretch and I gave her a leg up. Unfortunately Ruby took a step forward as I was getting her up there, but it was all good. I told Addy to just let Ruby move forward because she was a good lady and to "find a friend." She and Ruby trotted in and we had the fastest class ever. Trot in, walk, change of direction, then come to the stewart. Troy judged the class and Keara took third with Gypsy and Addy on "the little Belgian" took fourth out of the class of seven. Keep in mind Ruby is 16.3, but that is dwarfed by the 18 and 18.2 hand horses that the Parkisons and Thorsens have!
Addy was happy, she said she didn't have time to be nervous and was surprised at how brief it was. Our preparation was definitely more than adequate for what they were asked to do! Ruby stood stock still in the line-up and Gypsy did well for Keara as well, not so many circles as she and Keara were doing during the breed showcase earlier.
We stayed until the end, watching the cart obstacle and feed team race, missing the driving class while we put horses back. Of course we kind of had to stay as they were using our poles and cones.
Some of us didn't get to do everything we had hoped (like me running the barrels) because they pushed it so fast, but it was better than nothing that was for sure!
We'll see if the rodeo invites us back for next year. If they do we'll keep our fingers crossed for better weather!
Horseshoe Park was more of a mess than I had hoped and to add to that our arena had some alternate footing that they put in for some other event that doesn't absorb like their regular stuff does. It was a lake. Part of me can see why they swap out the footing to cater to certain events, but the storage of "extra" footing just looks sloppy and the fact that they're dragging the footing in and out of all of their arenas is just ridiculous. If it were me I'd designate one arena of "other" footing and just leave the rest of it alone. Anyway, our arena was a lake. The other outdoor wasn't as obviously bad, but they couldn't get the tractors in to work it either. The third outdoor was holding all of the cattle, sheep, and broncs for the rodeo.
It took us quite a while to track someone down for the stall we had reserved. We got Charm-N in the stall and pulled out the cart before we played the first waiting game of the day.
At the gate the lady had said that there probably wasn't going to be a draft show and thought someone should have called and warned us. We draft folk are made of tougher stuff and won't let an inch or two of rainfall dampen our spirits.
There was a "conviening of the minds" as Troy called it. There was a chance of us getting some time in the covered arena, but we weren't sure when or how. I ended up taking Charm-N back and picked up Ruby and Gypsy. The next conference occurred around our little work cart (which had a few admirers I might add) and we had a little more information. The rodeo people were predicting a break between 4 and 5 that would allow us to at least put on some sort of demonstration. The catch was we had to help break down the family/kid rodeo stuff (pig catching, goat dressing, mutton busting and the like). The thought was to at minimum have the breed showcase, barrel race, some driving class and a riding class. We were to reconviene at noon around our trailer again with further developments and thoughts.
I decided to throw in the towel on the driving classes with Charm-N so we loaded up the cart and took it home. I informed my students that there was still a chance of things happening, but we wouldn't know for sure until noon.
We pulled out Ruby and I rode her a bit. She was forward, but manegable. She really is an awesome mare. There was a lot going on even with the less than stellar weather. They had a carnival with swirling, swinging rides with lights, not to mention kids screaming as they spun around and upside down. We walked and trotted around as she absorbed it all.
Come noon we all regathered (I was still on Ruby). We were to have the arena between 3 or 3:30 and could be in there until 5pm so we had an hour and a half to run a handful of classes. We trimmed the list down to the breed showcase, barrel race, riding class (western, english, and youth combined), pleasure driving, driving obstacle, and the feed team race. I let Addy's family and Keara's know to be back to the park around 3pm if they were going to participate. Keara and company were going to hang around and Addy's would come back at the appointed time.
Chris and I went home for lunch before putting the first divider back in the trailer and grabbing Kitt. I had second thoughts about taking the mud pony. Her left side had a good inch or more of caked, dried mud on her. We took a good 20 minutes of currying to get her somewhat descent. We hosed her from the knees and hocks down. Wendy arrived as we were tacking Kitt up.I lunged Kitt before climbing on and heading over. She danced a bit on the line, but was good and light in the hand, a far cry from four years ago when she used to drag me around the arena!
Kitt was happy to see another Fjord and Flint, the grey dun gelding Wendy brought was even happier to see Kitt. Wendy brought a cart for Flint and she was anxious to see how he would do. He's been parades and other events in Montana, but this event was quite something else for sure!
We were expecting to have a good half hour to let them settle, but Muari passed by announcing they were getting the breed showcase underway at 2:40. Wendy and I headed down, passing the rather interesting array of things, from the broncs and cattle to tractors and other vehicles. As we went to come in they were bringing a squeeze chute out. They waited for us to enter, which the horses did cautiously. Kitt was fo rward and a little tense, but she only bunched once on me and did pretty well, even when the truck and trailer entered the arena and they started herding the sheep into the trailer. I kept Kitt close to Wendy and Flint, mostly to keep the Fjords together. Flint got a bit ahead of himself and away from Wendy at one point. He nearly brushed Keara and Gypsy and thankfully came back to her before running into a Clyde. Flint did fine the rest of the time and we finished our demonstration. Another truck came in to get more sheep as we were leaving. I guess they couldn't wait to start the breed showcase until everything was out or the rodeo couldn't wait for us to get out before they finished tearing down. One of the two!
We tacked up Ruby and detacked Kitt. Addy wasn't there yet, but showed up shortly after I put Kitt in her stall. I climbed up on Ruby (can still do it from the ground!) With the thought of taking her down for the barrel race and get her in the arena before Addy had to go. Turns out they ran the barrels in record time and the riding class was already starting. I waved Addy down and had them hold the gate as Addy jogged the last stretch and I gave her a leg up. Unfortunately Ruby took a step forward as I was getting her up there, but it was all good. I told Addy to just let Ruby move forward because she was a good lady and to "find a friend." She and Ruby trotted in and we had the fastest class ever. Trot in, walk, change of direction, then come to the stewart. Troy judged the class and Keara took third with Gypsy and Addy on "the little Belgian" took fourth out of the class of seven. Keep in mind Ruby is 16.3, but that is dwarfed by the 18 and 18.2 hand horses that the Parkisons and Thorsens have!
Addy was happy, she said she didn't have time to be nervous and was surprised at how brief it was. Our preparation was definitely more than adequate for what they were asked to do! Ruby stood stock still in the line-up and Gypsy did well for Keara as well, not so many circles as she and Keara were doing during the breed showcase earlier.
We stayed until the end, watching the cart obstacle and feed team race, missing the driving class while we put horses back. Of course we kind of had to stay as they were using our poles and cones.
Some of us didn't get to do everything we had hoped (like me running the barrels) because they pushed it so fast, but it was better than nothing that was for sure!
We'll see if the rodeo invites us back for next year. If they do we'll keep our fingers crossed for better weather!