Adventures in Predicting the Future, The 2020 Show Season

Adventures in Saddle Seat

Enjoy the ride.

 

Predicting a show schedule is as useful as reading tea leaves. Who knows what is going to happen. To me. To the horse. To the expansion rate of the universe. Rodney is currently at bat. Maybe this will continue; maybe not. Maybe Milton will step up. Maybe I’ll learn to keep two balls in the air. Maybe my unicorn Saddlebred will show up. Maybe none of the above, for good or for ill. Who knows.

All of which is going around Robin Hood’s barn to say that the Stepping Stone Farm show schedule has been sent out. Most of the decisions were easy.

No to any shows that involve going away overnight. That’s not where my money and effort are going currently. In addition to the base fee, there is travel, hotels, meals, etc. Plus time away from home.

Yes to any local shows that don’t have a conflict. That means one big show and the three summer fun shows, barring a sudden surge in hunter/jumper activity on my part.

Also no to Nationals. I have the same arguments I had last year [Where I Am Not, Stomping]. If I go, I want to take the time to be ready, and then be able to put the pedal down when I get there. Really, no one should be in Academy for 8 years. It’s a pass-thru division. I can believe this and still compete in it. I am vast.

This plan does not look good for the three driving classes I wanted to do this year in order to qualify for year-end awards [Looking Back ASB Driving]. SSF does not always take a driving horse. When they do, others may have the reins. Nor does it leave me much leeway to qualifying in the riding classes.

All logic and sensible, right? Well, there’s one temptation. Our first show of the year, The Louisiana Carnival Horse Show, held in Baton Rouge in March.

Pro
Have not been to this show. Barn went two(?) years ago. Brought back good reports.

Four, count ’em four, riding classes for me. Two driving classes.

My riding classes are adult only. No competing against kids, even in the championship classes.

In addition to being a fun day in its own right, that many classes would set me up sweet for the 2020 year-end awards. I’d be two-thirds qualified before the season barely started. Add one summer fun show and I’m in the mix. I have no illusions that I will win at the level I have in the past, but it would be nice to have something to pick up at the banquet in 2021.

Never been to Baton Rouge.

Con
The horses available for Academy are new to me. The stress level would be high.

Going away, in addition to the expense mentioned above, involves finding a horse and pet sitter, paying same, and getting the house ready. The latter is not an insignificant task, making sure we have all the right food, separated into individual servings, instructions, emergency numbers, and so on.

How much of Baton Rouge would I really see? It’s not like I would be going to fancy dinners if I have to show the next morning. Maybe a few tourists sights if I could pry myself away from the showgrounds.

All of the above are minor. They could be handled.

The main con is a Full Circle Horse Park show that weekend. I have no more desire to do bad dressage than I did last year [Finishing The Season]. However, there are six FCHP shows this year. I really, really, really would like to be jumping something by the end of them. By this I mean actually jumping a course –  maybe stadium in summer and cross-country by the autumn? – not walking over one class of crossrails at the last show of the year. Since Rodney takes so very, very long to acclimate, both on the day and over time, I feel that I need to take every opportunity to expose him to these showgrounds and to show environments in general.

Tea Leaves I
Intro dressage here we come. I don’t know if missing one show would make a difference. But I don’t know that it wouldn’t.

Tea Leaves II
I want it aaaaaalllllllllll. I want attend every one of the shows on a spritely Saddlebred and still be at home to ride my horses. I didn’t say this was physically possible, I just said I wanted it.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott