Achievement Unlocked, ASHAA Banquet for the 2023 Show Year

Awareness of the outside world. Bham Wiki: Hoover Country Club.

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Awards Banquet
American Saddlebred Horse Association of Alabama
Hoover Country Club
Birmingham AL USA
20 January 2024

Me
Academy Driving – 1st of 1
Academy Showmanship – 3rd of 3
Academy Equitation – 3rd of 3

Stepping Stone Farm
High Point Academy Rider, Adult (not me, person in Walk Trot)
High Point Performance Rider, Junior
High Point Performance Barn

“”Am I looking for two local shows in order to scramble onto the bottom of the points ladder of the Adult Academy division so that I have somewhere amusing to go in the depths of January?” [Lesson Thoughts, August 2023]

“The plan was to ride in three shows … If I had come up with this plan earlier, I could have done a smaller fun show rather than one of the big shows.” [The Red Queen Returns, Show Report, Alabama Charity Championship Horse Show 2023]

Did I go to Alabama Charity as a third show to qualify for year-end in driving? Absolutely. Shows usually have only one driving class. I needed three classes; therefore I needed three shows. What if there hadn’t been a year-end carrot? I would have talked myself out of going. The labor and expense is not insignificant, even with someone else taking care of the horse. I’m glad I went. So, I’m glad the lovely, fluffy, year-end carrot was there to lure me in.

Academy Driving was the first division announced, so they didn’t have the slide show going. [A Last Look Back at 2023, Driving photo from here]

Photos of me by Coach Courtney. Why do I have such a goofy expression? Same as last year. I’m starting to think of this as my banquet face. [Dinner and Ribbons, ASHAA Banquet for the 2022 Show Year]

Will I do this again in 2024 for the 2025 banquet? That is not the plan. Twice is enough. Time to move on. Grow. Try new things. Sounds good, doesn’t it? I fully admit that I may weaken when the summer shows come around.

By “this” I mean doing the minimum number of shows with an eye toward year-end awards and the banquet. I’m open to grand & marvelous adventures that end up garnering year-end awards. I have no idea what such adventures would look like. But I digress.

List of shows attended [Saddlebreds of 2023]

Onwards!
Katherine