Celebration - Day Two
We had a lot going on for Day Two! Jenny, Nichole and Caitlyn rode on this day. Jenny rode one or all three - JR, Nova and Velvet in these classes. Lynne took her beautiful horse, JR, into the Open Showmanship and got a ribbon!
Youth and Open Showmanship
Youth and Open Western Pleasure
Youth Western Horsemanship
Youth Reining World Champion
I was confused all day. To me, Western Pleasure and Western Horsemanship sound just almost the same. One had a pattern. One was "on the rail".
Notice that the very first day is heavy on Youth. Caitlyn was riding JR in these events. Jenny had not got to ride JR very much to get him settled into this new world of millions of horses running around. JR decided thought that he would rebel against Caitlyn on the show day. Where did JR rebel? In the warm up arena? Nope-Caitlyn could deal with that. JR decided to rebel in the show arena. Firstly, he decided that he didn't want to go into the arena at all when it was their turn to do the pattern. When he was persuaded to make it into the arena, he decided that he didn't want to move off Caitlyn's legs. There was a mighty unseen struggle between the two. Caitlyn was using her legs to squeeze JR to move. She was using one hand on the reins very lightly to try to get him to move. Finally, Caitlyn had to pick up the reins with her free arm and spank JR a touch on his rear. After that, he decided to move on. On to the two poles. You have to sidepass over one pole. There is a 4' space that you have to turn an 180 and sidepass the same direction, but with the horse's other side. JR struggled against this for a while, but finally Caitlyn convinced him to go on. The tall rebel that he was on that day had everyone's attention.
By this time, the crowd was internally cheering Caitlyn on. Everyone knew her horse was being difficult and everyone was mightily impressed at how she managed to get him to move on.
I think everyone at the Versatility arena privately came up to Caitlyn either that day or throughout the week to let her know what a great job she did with that rebel JR.
It was a hot day. The judge had the participants ride on the rail a good while for the rail classes. Then the judge made the contestants stand for about 30 minutes in the line up..in the full sun with their show clothes on while the decision was made. The judge went back and forth to all the participants...multiple times. Occasionally the judge went into the judge's building and then came back to look at all the participants again! We were all appalled at how long these contestants suffered in the head..in the line up. I learned that I could topple over sideways on my golf cart seat and take a nap.
Both the pattern classes and the rail classes were held in the line up way way too long.
Of course Nichole did great on Velvet. They had a flawless and breathtaking performance in every event.
Ribbons of Day One
YOUTH SHOWMANSHIP WORLD CHAMPION
#5 Toddy's Velvet Perfection, Nicole Copple
#9 Jim's Last Request, Caitlyn Vaught - this is JR's real name
Open Showmanship World Champion
#6 Jim's Last Request, Lynne Burger
Youth Western Pleasure World Champion (Will Canter)
7th Toddy's Velvet Perfection, Nicole Copple
8th Jim's Last Request, Caitlyn Vaught
Youth Western Horsemanship World Champion
2nd Toddy's Velvet Perfection, Nicole Copple
9th Jim's Last Request, Caitlyn Vaught
Youth Reining World Champion
2nd Toddy's Velvet Perfection, Nicole Copple
7th Jim's Last Request, Caitlyn Vaught
Celebration - Day Three - How many Wet Saddles Can you Stand?
A Full Day was had by all. The skies opened and rain poured all day...lightly and hard. It didn't matter where you were-the wind blew the rain right at you. We had three horses with three wet saddles. I bought one of those tent shelter things. We lashed it to the versatility arena fence and staked it down. The shelter kept some of the rain away. I was huddled under the tent, under the golf cart canopy. Before the day was ended, I was so happy that I had not cleaned out of of last year's winter gear. I discovered my Muck Boots and a couple more layers.
Class 44 Open Versatility English Pleasure
4. Jim’s Last Request, Jennifer Vaught, Fair Play MO
Class 46 Youth Hunter Hack
2. Toddy’s Velvet Perfection, Nichole Copple, Fair Play MO
Class 48 Open Western Horsemanship
8. Jim’s Last Request, Jennifer Vaught, Fair Play MO
Class 50 Open Reining
1. Jim’s Last Request, Jennifer Vaught, Fair Play MO
5. Nathan’s Ovation, Jennifer Vaught, Fair Play MO
7. Toddy’s Velvet Perfection, Jennifer Vaught, Fair Play MO
Celebration - Day One
Up and at them to the great cook shack on the grounds run by the local Lions Club. My favorite is half order of biscuits and gravy. My past years of experience is that this meal lasts till about 2:00pm.
Tonight at 6:00pm is the costume class.
I have to get entered in that class and the classes on Monday and Tuesday for three horses. Plus I needed to update everyone's membership and professional cards for Tony and Jenny. Oh yes, I had to pay for my air conditioning plug in too. Just like a real camp ground, it costs a little extra money for the air. And, we did use it, along with the optional heater setting. Oh wait, I picked up my golf cart too. The golf cart pickup place is the furthest east that you can go. My campsite is down 2-3 steep little hills the furthest west that one can go.
Once I had my golf cart, I was empowered! way cool
It must have taken me about an hour to get all signed up. It was a hot day outside.
Our six horses arrived a little after 2:00PM. We decided where everyone was going to be. Throw in a couple of glitches in our smooth operating system and it was time to get Velvet ready for the show. Our group numbered around 9-10 people. There was some stress to the day and our group worked together as a finely oiled partially-confused team! ha
Remember, I said it started at 6:00pm. We got to the main arena and warm up area about 5:30. There wasn't another costume horse to be seen. There weren't even any flag horses standing around. The DQP stand had people in it, except for a DQP.
The water truck had just watered the warm up arena and Nichole and Velvet took a lot of spins to get ready. Strange that we were still the only horse and rider there at 5:45. Then I asked and was told it started at 6:30. oh
We had the costume on and the muck got thrown up on the costume and Velvet's lower body. We did a little clean up job and then the party started. The DQP appeared and we went thru the examination. The flag horses appeared and the other costumed horses came sailing into the warm up arena!
This is a gaited horse function and the DQP (designated Quality person) checks all the horses lower legs for soreness. ..even the flag horses!
FINALLY, the flag ceremony, the opening prayer and all the announcements were finished. It was about 6:45 and the costume class was on!
What a beautiful sight were Nichole and Velvet...Arabian Princesses! They got fifth.
We had a runaway rodeo clown still wearing part of the barrel that they jump into and a woman holding a big dog. This was about a 50 lb dog riding in the saddle with a woman behind him ...I think the rider sat behind the saddle and braced/held the dog with one arm while steering with the other arm. The class went for quite a while and the dog got tired of sitting in the saddle. He started leaning on the rider's arm. You could see signs of weakening, but they made it. They got 4th. I don't remember what their costume was...just that dog enjoying the ride.
Nichole and I got Velvet cleaned up, fed, and put away. Then we went up to the versatility arena to watch Tony and Jenny play with our other horse stars.
I believe we got fed supper sometime that night.
Nichole had decided to stay in the horse part of my trailer. We got her air matress blown up and we retired. In the morning, I learned that her air mattress had deflated and she spent the night feeling the soft rubber mats of the horse trailer.
That's when we decided she really could fit on the floor of the small living quarters...plus it was hot and air conditioning was really needed the next night.
It was a long day and really full of exciting things. There is an air of unsupressed excitement on the grounds with millions of people walking, golf carts buzzing, horses whizzing around on all the gravel roads, people shopping trucks and trailers searching for their spot. If you ride a horse around the show grounds all week, you have a horse that should be unphased by much of anything!
Map of the grounds - Map of East Grounds Map of West Grounds
Velvet had one yellow ribbon decorating her stall...with many more to come!
Celebration minus 1 day
It was Saturday. It took me nearly three days to pack everything I needed for an 8 day stay at the World Celebration. I am driving truck and trailer. The trailer is full of shavings etc, but no horse. My small living quarters were brimming with important things, including my bed , favorite pillow, favorite blanket and favorite porta-potty.
As I was zipping along just north of Springfield, I saw a strip of rubber leap from underneath my trailer and fly thru the air. I stopped and got out. My tire was fully up, but there was little to no thread on it. My tread had flown away. I decided I didn’t want the tire to go flat on the side of busy highway 13. I leaped into the truck and drove to a nearby gas station. Thank goodness. Of course I was upset. I’ve not had a flat tire in many a years and never on a horse trailer when I’m alone. The location isn’t too very far from where the Vaught family was preparing for the week long horse show..I called and Jenny came to my rescue. We call her the JV Tire Service. Thank goodness I have such wonderful friends. I have my spare on the trailer and the ruined tire in the truck bed.
I was a little later than expected at the grounds. There are horses, people and golf carts everywhere. It looks like I’m late to the party! I pulled in and found my parking space. There are 17 barns on the grounds. Each barn has 50 stalls. I park at barn 17 at the very far ends of the grounds. Sadly, there were trucks parked close b,y somewhat ruining my plans to back my trailer into my spot. My stall neighbor came over and saw the frenzied desparate look. He asked if I wanted him to back into my spot. I leaped out of my truck in great joy. He backed my trailer and unhitched it for me! I was free to plug in and get settled for the night.
It was hot and I had a million things to get settled in my trailer and truck. I had to get the shavings into my two stalls, get the water and feed buckets ready.
I drove into town and settled in for a great Sonic burger.
Whew! The Vaught family will arrive Sunday afternoon. Our first class is Sunday - Costume at 6:00 PM
