Our First Horse Show!!

Sat Jul 17, 2004

Halter, yes....Showmanship, No!

What a FUN day!! I like showing Halter! No work, no sweating, no soreness, just run around a little bit and let the horse be pretty!!

On a stupid whim I entered Novice Showmanship...Quzqo ain't no showmanship horse, he didn't hold still one second, wiggled all over the place, but our amazing performance got the judges grinning at the foolishness of it all, and two 6th place rosettes (out of 6 entries, LOL!)

Pleasure Type Geldings only had 4 entries )...two TWHs, a Morgan, and Quzqo! I see by the photo that I need to work on getting him to not crowd me, but my my, didn't he set up nice (it was the chunk of carrot in my left hand that did it...without the carrot he wouldn't do what I asked) (ditto without the whip, he was just a wandering slug, LOL!)

Under "Judge A" we placed 3rd, which was okay, considering it was my first ever attempt at Halter showing (and his, for all I know). But under Judge "B" we placed 2nd, which meant we were eligible for the Championship Show-Back! WhooHOOO!!! Just like model horses! (lol)

For the Pleasure Type Champion that also included the Mares (were no pleasure type stallions or foals...all stock breeds at that show), and I had a foolish hope, but the TWHs WERE gorgeous, and the Champion was #100, the TWH in front of us in the above pic. He WAS gorgeous (and I hope will NOT be there tomorrow, LOL!)

Cusco spent most the rest of the day lounging in his stall (I caught him sleeping at one point). I'm dead on my feet...they were JUST beginning the Western Pleasure classes when I finally left (at 5 p.m.!) I don't envy those exhibitors...there's like 20 classes to go!

Tomorrow I think we'll try the Halter Jackpot class (were only 4 entries this morning, with a cash payback), plus of course his breed class. Hopefully those Walkers won't be back (they weren't stalled, they were with horse trailers, which meant they weren't spending the night). But even if they are, it'll be a different judge (one who likes Arabians...I heard that the two ladies today were stock horse fans, so maybe they didn't know a good Arabian when they saw one).

Going to try a "calmer" approach...they (the judges) may not have appreciated/understood my trotting him on a loose/long lead...but the other girl showing an Arabian (mare) had her hand right by that horse's face, with maybe 6" of slack...that isn't right either! Well, it's all a learning
experience, and I've got 4 more shows I can go to this summer to work on it!!