A Really Really Big Win

I started this blog a long time ago to help me catalog memories of my kids's motocross and horse shows while we homeschooled.  Along the way, we've had lots of wins in both and some heart breaking losses too.

For the past 2 and a half years, I've been posting some awesome pictures of Madison and her horse, Mata Hari and a few have been from a couple of dressage shows but this horse came to Madison from our friend Clarissa to be her eventing horse.  After years of showing APHA, Madison was hellbent on becoming an eventer.  Riding 3 different types of classes - dressage, cross country jumping and stadium jumping - eventing is very challenging for both horse and rider.

After a very slow start (slowed even more by last spring's suspensory injury), Madison and Mata Hari had their very first eventing show today.  They competed at Beginner Novice which isn't the lowest level but was appropriate for their first outing.

They started in dressage.  Up the center line...





Nailed their canter departure at C.




They had a beautiful dressage test with just a few tiny hiccups - and placed first!!


Then it was on to Cross Country Jumping.  I got them off at the starting gate which limited me to just being able to see the first two jumps.


This show was at Honey Run.  An equestrian easement that runs along side and in front of several homes.






This was the 2nd jump and they soon were out of my sight as they went around a bend to the left and then through the woods to jump 3.


I ran towards the end of the course and caught them coming up from the water jump to the last several on the course before they reached the finish line.



And the results for Cross Country - a clean round and within the time limit leaving them in first place!

Last was show jumping. The horse and rider just need to get over every jump without knocking down any poles and not go faster or slower than a specified time.


















And they did it!!!  My kid and her little back mare went out and totally ROCKED their very first eventing show with a HUGE Blue Ribbon WIN!!!  And not only did they win, they had the 3rd lowest score (which is good - lower is better) out of EVERYONE there at any level!

Needless to say, I'm proud as hell.  Madison has done almost all the work with this horse with just some lessons from very capable people.  She has had incredible dedication and perseverance in getting the job done.