Show Report MSSP 2016

Saddle Seat Wednesday

Summary
Two victory passes: one riding, one driving. Highest placed adult in the Championship. Technique/equitation continues to improve. Pleasantness/showmanship remains a work in progress. Smile!

Having Problems
On Thursday, we drove up to spectate. Coach Courtney was at her most supportive, congratulating riders for their efforts. I commented that I don’t get atta girls for 4th place. I either win or get yelled at. My ever supportive spouse opined that I probably do something worth getting yelled at in every class. When I win, I’m spared the lecture. Hey, I resemble that remark [Hot Mess].

(Honesty compels me to admit that I exaggerate for effect. As a counter-example from two years ago at this show, “My coach was so pleased at my demonstration of an ability to learn that she said the yellow was as good as a blue.” [2014])

No More Magic Bullets
Alas, alack, despair. No more caffeine pills to get me through horse show mornings. Looking back, I realized that the shows where Sam & I have gotten into fights [WT#3, ASAC, ProAm], have all been shows where I mega-dosed on caffeine to stop my jitters [Physiology of Nerves]. Not to mention driving poor Annie crazy at the Horsemanship Challenge [HC]. I don’t feel that I rode any differently. However, it is possible that 200mg of caffeine causes me to vibrate at a horse-annoying frequency. After I abstained on Saturday morning, Sam & I were back to status quo ante.

With supplemental caffeine = feel better, ride bad.
Sans supplemental caffeine = feel bad, ride better.
No contest.

Driving
Alvin: Slowing down to take you through the corner.
Me: Nope. Maintain speed.
Alvin: Seriously?
Me: Yup.
Alvin: You got it! (Engage Tokyo Drift Mode.)

Greg asked Posh for too much extended trot and got canter. Right in front of the judge. Been there. Done that. Have entered a walk-trot driving class at a working canter. [Link unavailable. I clearly remember doing this, but not which ring Alvin & I went storming into.]

Bragging voice: I am the current leading contender for the ASHAA Driving Year-End High-Point …
Voice of moderation: … because the other drivers have not checked off all of the requirements. Yet.

Tack Change
I have a new excuse reason design feature. To speed up the tack change, I used the saddle of the Walk-Trot rider who followed me. I hated it. It was a lovely saddle. It was the SAME fancy model as the one I use. However, it was not THE saddle I use. This comes up whenever I ride in a different saddle seat saddle [2015, Nerves Update].

In my previous life, I never cared about the saddle. I rode in whatever the horse came with. People who insisted on switching to their own saddles were being precious. Suck it up & ride, Cupcake.

Different brands of saddle seat saddles are far closer than different forward seat saddles. I have no explanation, other than I’m getting precious with age.

Also, it had a pair of very nice hinged stirrups. Hated those as well. I haven’t seem much of these in saddle seat. Perhaps they would work better if I had calf on the horse to stabilize my lower leg. I’m used to my feet staying where they are put, not wafting gently in the breeze.

New fangled stirrups, yea or nay?

Volunteering
Spent Saturday evening in center ring giving away the non-first place ribbons, referred to as the fly-bys. The biggest downside was not being able to hoot & holler for our people during their classes. Although, I did cheer for a one or two well-deserved ribbons, stuff the appearance of favoritism.

Details
Mid-South Spring Premiere
Saturday, May 21, 2015
Northeast Alabama Agribusiness Center
Rainsville, AL

Katherine
64. Academy Driving with Alvin Ailey, 1st of 2
65. Academy Showmanship Adult WTC with Sultan’s Miracle Man (Sam), 2nd of 4
66. Academy Equitation Adult WTC with Sam, 1st of 4
69. Academy WTC Championship with Sam, 4th of 8.

Greg
64. Academy Driving with Memory Lane’s Spice Girl (Posh), 2nd of 2

Thank you to the Wamble family, to Jessica Hill & the Kasparian family, and to Courtney Huguley of Stepping Stone Farm for their wonderful horses.

Show pix by Sandra Hall Photography. Easy to spot as I am, once again, the only helmet in my regular classes. Although, more helmets are creeping in. There were a few in the WTC championship. I was too preoccupied to take an accurate count. In the WT championship, 10 of the 14 riders had helmets, including 2 of the adults. All of the SFF Academy drivers wear helmets 🙂 . Copyright rant.

2015
Show Today: MSSP 2015
Show Report: MSSP 2015
Show Tweets: MSSP 2015
Foto Friday: Progression Three years of horse & rider.
Foto Friday: Trophy Interior Art.

2014
Horse Show Today, MSSP 2014
Show Tweets: Mid-South Spring Premiere, Rainsville, AL
Show Report: MSSP, Rainsville, AL

Foto Friday: Do You Know Where Your Towel Is?
Text Art: Towel Day

2013
Show Report: Mid-South Spring Premiere, Rainsville, AL

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BTW – the border color for the towel photo is what happens when you put 42000 in the color choice box. 000042 is blue. 004200 is green. 424242 is grey. My understanding is that these numbers refer to the hex color code. I have no idea what HCC is. Any tech geeks care to explain digital color theory?

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott