November 14-16, 2008,  GHJA Final, Wills Park Equestrian Center, Alpharetta, GA

The fun started Thursday night when we got to Wills Park and discovered that Magnum was still at the barn.  Lea Ann thought we were bringing him to the show and we thought she was bringing him.  By the time we went home and got the truck, went to the barn and got the trailer and Magnum and got back to Wills Park, schooling time had expired.  We put Magnum to bed and headed home.  Friday morning we discovered a nail loose in his left front shoe.  As it turned out he had sprung his shoe so we had to find a farrier to remove the shoe, straighten it, and reinstall it on him.  Friday's only division was 2'6" Open Hunter.  We did that as a schooling class for Magnum and Samantha.  The first round missed a couple of leads but the second round was really good.  OK, we can now take a deep breath and contest the finals with confidence.

The pictures are pretty poor because it was a foggy morning and the sun didn't come out all day.  In addition, all of their divisions are in the covered ring where the light is very bad.

Saturday morning 12-14 Equitation Final - Fourth on the flat of 29 entries!

Sunday morning JD Pounds Equitation Challenge Final 

November 8-9, 2008,  Horse Show Ventures Final, Wills Park Equestrian Center, Alpharetta, GA

Results:

Saturday:  12-14 Equitation:  Flat - Second,  O/F - Fifth.  JD Pounds - Fourth.  Atlanta Saddlery Equitation Challenge Final - Second.

Sunday:  12-14 Equitation Flat - Fourth, O/F A - Second, O/F B - Fifth.  JD Pounds - Fourth.  

Samantha on Pablo in Junior/Senior Hunter on Saturday

Saturday night the top six Atlanta Saddlery Equitation Challenge riders for the year competed in the Atlanta Saddlery Equitation Challenge Final.

Samantha on Magmum earned Second - Congratulations!

Sarah on Grant earned Fourth - Congratulations!

November 2, 2008, IEA, Hilmar Farm, Gainesville, GA

This was the first IEA show that Samantha did not have a GHJA horse show conflict so she could ride for South Forsyth High School's Equestrian Team.  The Team finished second overall.  Samantha drew Ditto O/F placing Second, and drew Sam on the flat placing fourth.  Ditto was a great ride but Sam had his speed control backwards, when you asked him to speed up he slowed down and when you asked him to slow down he took off..  Somebody must have installed his buttons in the wrong places!

October 11-12, 2008,  Elite Show Jumping,  Chateau Elan,  Braselton, GA

Results:

Saturday:  12-14 Equitation:  Flat - Second,  O/F - Sixth.

Sunday:  12-14 Equitation Flat - Third, O/F - Fifth.  Modified Hunter:  O/F A - Fifth,  O/F B - Fifth,  U/S - Third.

September 20-21, 2008, Horse Show Ventures, Alpharetta, GA

Results for Samantha and Wrisque (Made Ya Look):

Saturday:  12-14 Equitation:  Flat - sixth, O/F A - sixth, O/F B - sixth.  Children's Hunter:  U/S - first.  JD Pounds - sixth.

Sunday:    12-14 Equitation:  Flat - first, O/F A - sixth, O/F B - fifth.  Children's Hunter:  U/S - second, O/F A - fifth.  JD Pounds - fourth.  GHJA Jr. Equitation Challenge - second.

September 6-7, 2008, Elite Show Jumping, Chateau Elan Equestrian Center, Braselton, GA

Saturday was not a lot of fun.  Too many mental errors and the results were sixthish all day.  Sunday was a much better day with excellent rides on both horses.  

Magnum: Saturday did not get called back for the flat phase of JD Pounds; 12-14 Equitation:  Flat sixth of nine, O/F fifth of nine.  Sunday got called back for the flat phase of JD Pounds: sixth of eleven.  12-14 Equitation:  Flat sixth of nine, O/F fourth of nine.

Made Ya Look:  Saturday Children's Hunter: U/S sixth of twelve, O/F A&B did not place.  Sunday Children's Hunter: U/S fourth of fourteen, O/F sixth of fifteen, Stakes O/F sixth of fourteen.

July 11-13, 2008, Horse Show Ventures, Wills Park Equestrian Center, Alpharetta, GA

This was a three day show.  Friday started with the GHJA Junior Equitation Challenge - third and ended late that afternoon with Children's Hunter O/F A - first, O/F B - second and U/S - first.  Unfortunately, the third competitor did not scratch until after the first two had completed O/F A and B so the results of this division were not valid.  Friday was hot but Saturday was miserable!  Temperatures were in the mid nineties and to make it even worse humidity was the same.  Results on Saturday were 12-14 Equitation on the Flat - second, O/F A - sixth, O/F B - third; JD Pounds Equitation Challenge - third.  Sunday morning had extremely heavy rain making for cooler temperatures but extremely slippery footing.  Children's Hunter did not make.  The results for Sunday were GHJA Junior Equitation Challenge - second; 12-14 Equitation on the Flat - first, O/F A - third, O/F B - first resulting in a Champion.

June 28-29, 2008, Elite Show Jumping, Wills Park Equestrian Center, Alpharetta, GA

Wrisque blew an abscess out the frog of her left front three weeks ago and it took a long time to heal.  We had been dealing with symptoms of right rear softness for a couple of weeks prior and the true cause finally became obvious.  Because she had only been sound a week prior to the show we didn't think it prudent to come back full speed.  In order to bring her back slowly and safely, it was decided to only use Wrisque for the Children's Hunter Division.  She also did the GHJA Junior Equitation Challenge, a flat class to make sure she was fully warmed up before Children's.  Samantha had been riding Magnum in lessons while Wrisque was on the mend and he was our option in case Wrisque did not recover in time for this show.  Samantha rode Magnum in the equitation divisions so that Wrisque would have a lighter workload at the show.  As it turned out the results could not have  been better!

Saturday:

  Wrisque:  In the GHJA Junior Equitation Challenge Wrisque did the best counter-canter she has done all year but fell out of her canter with no stirrups so they did not place.  Children's Hunter O/F A - fourth; O/F B - third; U/S - second, a great job for the first serious work she had done in a month!

  Magnum:  JD Pounds Equitation Challenge - first.  12-14 Equitation on the Flat - first; O/F - second, also a great job because we had not been able to school in the covered ring and it was the first time Samantha or Magnum had even seen the fences!

Sunday:

  Wrisque:  GHJA Junior Equitation Challenge - third.  Children's Hunter O/F - second, O/F-Stakes - first (prize $20), U/S - second.

  Magnum:  JD Pounds Equitation Challenge - second.  12-14 Equitation on the flat - first, O/F - third.

Excellent work for Samantha, Wrisque, and Magnum!!!

Friday afternoon schooling:

Friday night Samantha and Magnum participated in the ESJ Games.  The first game was the egg-tote.

Magnum by a nose in the egg-tote trot race!

The following game was the bareback ride-a-buck.  Place a dollar under your thigh just above the knee and ride till you drop it.  The last rider with the dollar in tact wins all the other rider's dollars.

Samantha dropped the dollar with two competitors remaining and ended up second.

Saturday started with Samantha and Wrisque in the GHJA Junior Equitation Challenge.

Sunday

Thanks to Wrisque for loaning Magnum her Children's Hunter Champion ribbon just so he could see what he will look like as a champion.

May 31 - June 1, 2008, Horse Show Ventures, GIHP, Conyers, GA

Schooling on Friday was good in spite of the dust!

Saturday opened with a first in the Atlanta Saddlery Equitation Challenge On The Flat, Wrisque now has the coveted blue cooler in her collection.  JD Pounds Equitation Challenge - Second; 12-14 Equitation On The Flat - fourth, O/F A - sixth, O/F B - sixth.  Children's Hunter O/F A - third, O/F B - first, U/S - second resulting in Reserve Champion.  

Sunday results were:  GHJA Junior Equitation Challenge - third.  12-14 Equitation Flat - third, O/F A - fourth, O/F B - third.  Children's Hunter O/F A - sixth, O/F B - fifth, U/S - second.

May 18, 2008, Falcon Ridge Stable, Woodstock, GA, GHJA Local Show

This is a one day show on Sunday so we school on Saturday.  Being a small show we start later and end earlier, a great relief on a show weekend!

Saturday schooling:

Sunday dawned as a beautiful day.   Temperatures were in the high 60 with sunshine most of the day.  The threat of rain was in the forecast but it never materialized.  Samantha rode very well achieving the following results:  J D Pounds Medal - fifth. GHJA Junior Equitation Challenge - second. 12-14 Equitation O/F - second;. Children's Hunter, O/F A - fifth; O/F B - fourth.

May 10-11, 2008, Horse Show Ventures, Wills Park, Alpharetta, GA, GHJA Local Show

Samantha had been out of town for her eighth grade Savannah trip leading up to this show and did not return until Friday evening.  Thanks to Erin for schooling Wrisque over all the jumps Friday.  Unfortunately, Wrisque did not want to cooperate so it was not a fun time for Erin.  The show results were quite good in spite of the trouble schooling.

Saturday:   Atlanta Saddlery Equitation Challenge On The Flat - Third; GHJA Junior Equitation Challenge - Fourth;  12-14 Equitation:  Flat - First; O/F A - Third; O/F B - Second.  Children's Hunter:  O/F A - Third; O/F B - Second; U/S - First; Reserve Champion.  JD Pounds Equitation Challenge - Second.

Sunday:  Children's Hunter:  O/F A - First; O/F B - Fourth; U/S - First; Champion.  JD Pounds Equitation Challenge - Sixth

April 27, 2008, Falcon Ridge Farm, Woodstock, GA, GHJA Local Show.

Schooling on Saturday was very laid back and we all enjoyed the time!

When it came time to show on Sunday the nice weather of Saturday was a thing of the past.  It was drizzly or worse all day.  Results for Samantha and Wrisque:  12-14 Equitation Flat - fifth, O/F - Seventh; Children's Hunter O/F A - sixth, O/F B - sixth, U/S - fourth;  GHJA Junior Equitation Challenge - third; JD Pounds Medal - fourth.

April 12-13, 2008, Chateau Elan Equestrian Center, Braselton, GA  Elite Show Jumping.

Saturday results:  Children's Hunter - O/F A, second; O/F B, first; U/S, first.  12-14 Equitation - O/F, fourth; Flat, first.  GHJA Junior Equitation Challenge, third.  JD Pounds Equitation Challenge - fourth.

Sunday results:  Children's Hunter - O/F B, fourth; U/S, fourth.  12-14 Equitation - O/F, first; Flat, second. JD Pounds Equitation Challenge, fourth

March 8-9, 2008, Georgia International Horse Park, Conyers, GA&n