LOPE Benefit Show I

LOPE Benefit Show I

There is too much to tell about my fun day at the LOPE Benefit show!  Instead of writing a novel, I’ll break it up into chunks.  For those of you who like the cliff notes, here they are:

  • I was ridiculously over dressed and wore a shadbelly
  • Had some of my personal best riding over fences (in my opinion)
  • NECK RIBBONS
  • I fell off!

15375384515_7d493e0f2a_z

Now, the nitty gritty details!

7:45am was the first posted ride time for our hunter/jumper gals dabbling in the eventing derby.  So the day started bright and early as the horses pulled in at 6:30am in the pitch black.  Sidenote – my trainer meets us at the show with the horses which easily gives me an extra or two of sleep… and she takes them home!  This is (one of the reasons) why she is the best trainer.  End side note.

Anyway, I realized it had been since May that Simon had been off the property so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  He basically stepped off the trailer in the pitch black and said, “Oh.  A horse show.” and started eating grass.  We lunged.  We schooled.  It was pretty non-eventful.

Dis is Orsini.  He is my best friend.
Dis is Orsini. He is my best friend.

I was proud of staying super relaxed during our brief morning schooling.  Since this was a “come all and do all the classes” kind of show, my trainer was literally speed walking from the dressage ring, to the event derby, to the hunter ring back and forth all morning.  She said to hop over some jumps if I had the opportunity, so we jumped everything in the jumper ring except for a wall I deemed big and scary (which later was not big and scary at all).

Insert a few hour break where my horse stayed tied at the trailer like a good boy (minus one broken lead rope… but hey no broken fingers for me today!) and it was time for the hunter derby.

15188702770_04177ed868

Fun fact, I had heard rumors of a “Best Turnout” award.  A perfect derby round with flying changes?  That’s iffy for us.  Good turnout?  I can do that!

15352166536_c89b45aca5_z
Some of my ugliest braids ever. So naturally, I just had to add sparkles on top of them.
15197782807_ba9a2891a3_z
Thanks Heather N. Photography for this photo

So I went a little overboard and wore my shadbelly… and braided my horse… and put ‘OTTB’ sparkles in his mane.  Though I never heard of any best turnout award announced, I got lots of comments on his little OTTB braid charms.  Plus, I don’t get to wear my shadbelly often.  Let’s be honest, it’s super fun to canter around with tails flying after you… even if it is for a little show.

15188434269_058bb75c30

15382059801_541950873b

As the derby goes, it didn’t run like a traditional derby and wasn’t judged by the show’s hunter judge.  My goal was to get good distances to all my jumps and carry some pace.  We botched the first fence because I picked up the wrong lead and didn’t set him up correctly, but other than that I was really happy.

He was maybe a little expressive in parts, but Simon will never be a dead head hunter.  It’s bothering me less and less.  There’s certainly some counter-cantering since there were a lot of left turns (he likes to land right) but honestly this is about as good as we can do right now.  I feel like I rode well, and was really happy with how it all went down.  We also did all the high options, but then again they were only 2’6″ 😉

15381133211_2068b632dd_z

We ended up 3rd.  The hunter superstar from my barn won, and I didn’t watch the other riders.  This was one of those rides though that I felt really good about, so the ribbon is just a nice bonus!

15384009092_7320eca7f2_z

15197819117_4f940772b9

Tomorrow… jumpers!

38 thoughts on “LOPE Benefit Show I

  1. You two look fabulous! Congratulations. I really love how you’re able to appreciate what you’ve both accomplished in full without worrying about ribbons and placings. I think the world would be a much more amazing place if everyone could notice their personal achievements without worrying about awards of some kind. =) You and Simon are such a great team!

    1. I tend to get really hung up on ribbons. It’s a problem. However, I’m learning more and more that I just can’t compare myself to other people and have to ride for personal bests. I’m planning on owning my horse for a long time, and so long as we are having fun the rest needs to be a nice extra… not a need!

  2. I think you looked GREAT!!!! I am so jealous of your cute turnout, cute horse and really, really nice sympathetic riding of your boy. Love your hand and body position. You guys looked exactly like you knew what you were doing. Boy, would I love to try that and look half as good. Congratulations!

  3. Looking good!! Love the shad (I almost want to do hunters just for the shad!) and the braid bling. Simon’s expression as he goes around is utterly adorable, hr looks so happy and cheerful to be there! Nice riding for you, love the good pace and corrections to bring it back to medium. Thought you hit that purple X bang on! Nicely done and congrats, can’t wait to hear more! 🙂

  4. Just catching up on blogs… you guys look great, especially given everything you two have been through lately!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.