A Banner Day

Hannah's third horse show was filled with firsts. After two shows of rain and drizzle that chilled us to the bone, the sunshine and temps in the low 60's were a welcome change. Next, we arrived at the show to find quite a surprise--"facilities" that consist of more than port-o-lets. Flushing is good!

And last, but certainly not least, was Hannah's first blue ribbon. The show was double judged, meaning two judges placed the class, giving two (usually different) sets of winners. Hannah didn't place at all in her Hunter Pleasure class (her horse, April, was carrying her head a bit high and wasn't looking too peppy in her trot). So, I really was hoping she would ride well in the Equitation Class, where she, as a rider, determines her own fate more so than in the Hunter Pleasure. I thought she looked good in her pattern...but what do I, the non-horseman, know? I thought some other girls looked even better. They call out winners beginning with the sixth place finisher. When they had called out the 5th, then the 4th, and none of them were number 148, my heart sank thinking she wasn't going to place at all. Both Hannah and I were equally shocked when her number was called out last, for first place. I'm still not sure what she did to deserve being pinned first, but she'll take it. The other judge pinned her 5th, still quite respectable in a class of twelve girls.