So, Turkey and I made a pretty good team. My riding had progressed to this point, and I was taking some pretty hardcore lessons that sometimes lasted over 2 hours. J had the other riders and I posting without stirrups, doing picture perfect patterns and just practicing until the horses were lathered and the riders were about in tears. This showing business took work, and I could already feel the butterflies forming for my first A rated Morgan show in Detroit, Michigan that July. To tell a bit more about J, she was of the old school variety. No nonsense, no apologies, no compliments and a lot of screaming. At times she'd be sweet as strawberry pie, but mostly, she was grumpy and sometimes down right rude. J was a hefty woman with long hair and a bombastic laugh that would shake the roof of her old barn. I was absolutely terrified of her, as were the other riders at the barn. Though she wasn't the nicest lady, she had some of the best riders around at that time, and I was privileged to learn the finer points of riding under her direction.
As time drew close for my first Morgan horse show, I began feeling the jitters. The nausea set in and I was just a wreck! I planned on riding Turkey in the Jr. Exhibitor Hunt Seat classes, and he was an angel preparing for this division. I have absolutely no memories of Turkey ever acting up under saddle. Earlier that year, my dad surprised me with a two horse stock trailer. Though it wasn't fancy and didn't have a dressing room or anything, it was new and it was mine; something I never thought I'd have. We hauled it with a baby blue conversion van *Sigh* I'm sure we were a sight pulling into the fairgrounds with the rig! We saved tons of money on hauling fees though, and that was the point!!!
So, the day before the show was to begin, I began the preparations. I clipped my own horse (the other girls paid barn staff to do it), I bathed my own horse, I polished my saddle and bridle and hand sanded my horses hooves. I loaded up the trailer and tack box and then sat and watched the clock until it was time to go. We loaded Turkey up and made the 45 minute haul almost into downtown Detroit (Ferndale to be exact). I remember seeing the grand coliseum (built in 1922) in the distance as we neared the fair grounds and the butterflies turned to nausea, THAT was the show ring? I felt as though I was in the big time! Though the Michigan All Morgan horse show is Michigan's largest morgan show, it had at the time some very competitive entries (and still does to this day I might add). We unloaded, found where Jhad us stabled and settled in. I couldn't wait to get into the huge arena, so I tacked sweet Turkey up and headed over. I will never forget that first moment jogging up the rubber matted entrance, the clomp clomp, clomp of my horses hooves as we emerged into a huge ring with actual arena seating all around (seats 5,600). There were other riders in the ring, some lounging horses, others hand walking and others still, riding. Some Saddle Seat, Western, Hunt Seat and even Dressage. I was enthralled with it all, and longed to be a first class rider! I warmed Turkey up and then my mom, friend Laura and I headed to the Holiday Inn for some dinner and sleep. All I can recall about the rest of that night is a very nervous stomach and a lot of bathroom time (aka barfing - sorry).
The show itself was spectacular in my eyes, I didn't place incredibly well, a lot of 4ths, 5ths and some 6ths, but I didn't care. I was finally in the show ring with my own show horse. I did begin to notice that some of the other girls in my barn were getting a lot of 1st place ribbons. I wondered how nice it must feel to get a victory lap and those loud cheers they provoked. I also was just getting to know some of the more obnoxious aspects of the show ring. What was up with the hollering and bellowing that some of the trainers carried on with while their riders were in the ring? I also noticed that J was being awfully rude to my mom and I as well as a few other families at her barn. She definitely had her favorites, and it showed. She'd order us around, snap at us and in general had very little patience for us. I knew I was afraid of Jill, but I was beginning to dislike her now too.
*there is a lot to tell about J(whom I still have a relationship with).
1 comment:
Great story! It brings back all those old feelings. I still show (now for about 20+ years.. oh my, can that be right?) and I still get those butterflies. I guess if you don't, it's time to quit.
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