There was another part of the NAJYRC experience that I wanted to share, wholly apart from the competition... and that was watching our (usually) mature young ladies behaving like 4 year-olds and not minding one bit.
You see, they’d never seen fireflies before. Never.
We went out to dinner at Applebees (I can hear you oohing and aahing over that one, but in a town like Lexington, that is BIG—we even stayed out so late as to shut down their bar, all the way to 11 PM (!)). The girls decided that with competition scheduled in the heat of the following day, they would all be taking advantage of the schooling arena opening at 6 AM, and so headed across the street to our hotel for bed. (NAJYRC isn’t like a regular show: you can’t school any old time you please. They had schedules that said things like, “Juniors can school on Thursday in the schooling arena between 6 AM and 7:30 AM, and again between 2 PM and 4:30 PM, and there will be no riding of any kind between 6 PM and 6 AM; horses are not to be removed from their stalls during this period.” They meant it, except that a trip down the barn aisle to the washrack at the end would be tolerated... but that was as far as you would dare venture.)
Anyway, the girls became distracted on the way by the fireflies, and I’m told were running through the hedges chasing after them. They returned roughly 10 minutes later, breathless and full of giggles, with their cheeks flushed and eyes open wide in amazement to show us the “prisoners” they had stashed in their purses—prisoners that they proceeded to let loose at the table for our benefit. Now, I’ve seen fireflies before. Not many times, but a few. And I have to admit they are amazing creatures, but this was a sight new even to me: fireflies flashing and flying right over my dinner table. That doesn’t even happen at Disneyland!
We scolded the girls (doing our best, all the while, to keep “serious” looks on our faces and not to laugh at them), and kept our eyes lowered, avoiding the stares of the other patrons, who could only have been thinking, “Damn Californians...” The waitresses seemed to get a kick out of the whole thing, though. Virginia’s Health Code must not take issue with fireflies.
Showing posts with label NAJYRC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NAJYRC. Show all posts
Sunday, February 25, 2007
August 13, 2006: No Flashbulb Needed
Boy, am I behind on my blogs...
First, I guess, a brief update on Quila and me: our first day at the July 29 show was not what it should have been. Quila was an angel through the trot work, and into the walk, and so I became complacent. Then something spooked her in the canter, I took too long to react, and she decided that she’d better take matters into her own hands... What was heading for a pretty nice score rapidly fell apart. I should know better than that. I really should. The canter tour was ugly. No, make that U-G-L-Y. I hung my head in shame when we exited the ring.
On Sunday, we had another shot. This time, Quila was blowing steam out her nostrils in the warm-up—a good thing, actually, because I had to RIDE from the second my foot hit the irons. And I DID ride. We had a good test, with some really nice moments. She tried to get away from me in the canter, particularly after the lengthenings, but I didn’t let her. I got her back with me, and rode the test MY way. The result: the first of our qualifying scores. I was pleased, particularly since it demonstrated that maybe I finally HAVE learned not to be a passenger.
OK, next... NAJYRC. I barely had time to unwind from MY show, because I was packing my bags and off to Lexington, VA to cheer for Susan and Kalibre at the NAJYRC. They’re calling it the North American CONTINENT Junior/Young Rider Championships now, making a big deal of the fact that it is an INTERNATIONAL show. The weather was absolutely MISERABLE there: 100º+ heat, with high humidity—we were drenched in sweat just sitting in the shade—and the kids had to compete in it.
Susan did well, though, thanks to carefully thought out preparation there and at home. I can’t say enough wonderful things about Jürgen as a coach (or Chef d’Equipe—the brave man took on responsibility for the entire Region 7 team!). They had trained in the heat at home, knew exactly how to warm-up, and how much warm-up they needed so that Kalibre would be at his best in the show ring, and at his best he was: after a solid performance in the Team Test (nothing at stake, so they didn’t put in extra effort), Susan and Kalibre scored personal bests in the Individual Test and FEI Junior Freestyles, for 4th and 5th, respectively, out of the 30 top Juniors from Canada and the United States. Susan narrowly missed a medal on the Individual Test: if two judges had given her one more point on one movement, she’d have had a bronze, and if four of the five judges had given her one more point on one movement, she’d have had the silver. I was so proud of her that I was beaming: flash bulbs could be dispensed with for the remainder of the week!
Her freestyle was also extra special, particularly since she hadn’t had the chance to practice more than once at home. She’d qualified on a borrowed freestyle, and then had a freestyle made by Karen Robinson of Applause Dressage in Canada. While Kalibre liked the snippets we’d “auditioned” well enough, when the whole thing came together, there were parts that must have been like fingernails on a chalkboard to him: he would pin his ears, get a pinched look on his face, and try to exit the arena in a hurry—behavior that simply was NOT like him. We ride with music at home all the time, and he has never made a complaint, but he clearly had strong feelings about spanish guitar music, flamenco style. Of course, all this had to happen when Susan was making last minute preparations for the Pebble Beach Juniors, and there was little time for testing music and working out a new freestyle, and then she was on the road to the Woodside CDI***, so by the time she and Karen could get things straightened out and get the new freestyle squared away, it was only a few days before Virginia. Bless Karen for doing it from the road, using a laptop at times and drafting her husband to search for music while she was en route to the airport on one occasion! The judges (and even more importantly, Kalibre) loved the new music, which has a Native American flair. I envy Susan’s poise, that she can ride a freestyle so beautifully when she’d only done it once at home: she nailed every transition right on the money, and looked like a seasoned pro.
NAJYRC was an expense for us—Kalibre’s airfare alone ran $10,800—and we received no travel grants or support, but I think it was one of those life-changing experiences that will have been well worth it for what Susan got out of it. We’ve also (thankfully) been invited to participate in the fundraising (and the funds raised) for the Young Riders for the remainder of the year, and may get some retroactive grants... which would most definitely be welcome. I can already see the difference in Susan’s riding... from her posture, to her focus, to even her presence. I don’t know what her future will hold, or where she’ll want to go with this (I suspect she will not be a professional), but it’s clear to me that she is making the most of every opportunity in the here and now, and not letting success go to her head.
Did I say I was proud?
First, I guess, a brief update on Quila and me: our first day at the July 29 show was not what it should have been. Quila was an angel through the trot work, and into the walk, and so I became complacent. Then something spooked her in the canter, I took too long to react, and she decided that she’d better take matters into her own hands... What was heading for a pretty nice score rapidly fell apart. I should know better than that. I really should. The canter tour was ugly. No, make that U-G-L-Y. I hung my head in shame when we exited the ring.
On Sunday, we had another shot. This time, Quila was blowing steam out her nostrils in the warm-up—a good thing, actually, because I had to RIDE from the second my foot hit the irons. And I DID ride. We had a good test, with some really nice moments. She tried to get away from me in the canter, particularly after the lengthenings, but I didn’t let her. I got her back with me, and rode the test MY way. The result: the first of our qualifying scores. I was pleased, particularly since it demonstrated that maybe I finally HAVE learned not to be a passenger.
OK, next... NAJYRC. I barely had time to unwind from MY show, because I was packing my bags and off to Lexington, VA to cheer for Susan and Kalibre at the NAJYRC. They’re calling it the North American CONTINENT Junior/Young Rider Championships now, making a big deal of the fact that it is an INTERNATIONAL show. The weather was absolutely MISERABLE there: 100º+ heat, with high humidity—we were drenched in sweat just sitting in the shade—and the kids had to compete in it.
Susan did well, though, thanks to carefully thought out preparation there and at home. I can’t say enough wonderful things about Jürgen as a coach (or Chef d’Equipe—the brave man took on responsibility for the entire Region 7 team!). They had trained in the heat at home, knew exactly how to warm-up, and how much warm-up they needed so that Kalibre would be at his best in the show ring, and at his best he was: after a solid performance in the Team Test (nothing at stake, so they didn’t put in extra effort), Susan and Kalibre scored personal bests in the Individual Test and FEI Junior Freestyles, for 4th and 5th, respectively, out of the 30 top Juniors from Canada and the United States. Susan narrowly missed a medal on the Individual Test: if two judges had given her one more point on one movement, she’d have had a bronze, and if four of the five judges had given her one more point on one movement, she’d have had the silver. I was so proud of her that I was beaming: flash bulbs could be dispensed with for the remainder of the week!
Her freestyle was also extra special, particularly since she hadn’t had the chance to practice more than once at home. She’d qualified on a borrowed freestyle, and then had a freestyle made by Karen Robinson of Applause Dressage in Canada. While Kalibre liked the snippets we’d “auditioned” well enough, when the whole thing came together, there were parts that must have been like fingernails on a chalkboard to him: he would pin his ears, get a pinched look on his face, and try to exit the arena in a hurry—behavior that simply was NOT like him. We ride with music at home all the time, and he has never made a complaint, but he clearly had strong feelings about spanish guitar music, flamenco style. Of course, all this had to happen when Susan was making last minute preparations for the Pebble Beach Juniors, and there was little time for testing music and working out a new freestyle, and then she was on the road to the Woodside CDI***, so by the time she and Karen could get things straightened out and get the new freestyle squared away, it was only a few days before Virginia. Bless Karen for doing it from the road, using a laptop at times and drafting her husband to search for music while she was en route to the airport on one occasion! The judges (and even more importantly, Kalibre) loved the new music, which has a Native American flair. I envy Susan’s poise, that she can ride a freestyle so beautifully when she’d only done it once at home: she nailed every transition right on the money, and looked like a seasoned pro.
NAJYRC was an expense for us—Kalibre’s airfare alone ran $10,800—and we received no travel grants or support, but I think it was one of those life-changing experiences that will have been well worth it for what Susan got out of it. We’ve also (thankfully) been invited to participate in the fundraising (and the funds raised) for the Young Riders for the remainder of the year, and may get some retroactive grants... which would most definitely be welcome. I can already see the difference in Susan’s riding... from her posture, to her focus, to even her presence. I don’t know what her future will hold, or where she’ll want to go with this (I suspect she will not be a professional), but it’s clear to me that she is making the most of every opportunity in the here and now, and not letting success go to her head.
Did I say I was proud?
June 15, 2006: Oh, My! What a Week!!!
It began with a 4 AM wake-up call on Monday from Candice: “You have a foal.” Yes, of course. I know I have a foal. She is 6 weeks old and adorable. “Promise had her foal.” The grogginess is starting to recede now. But what? What is that she’s saying??? Promise isn’t due for another 2 1/2 weeks. 313 days is too early to have a foal. “It’s a filly.”
I tell Candice that I’m on my way. Not really. I stumble from bed, try to remember how to get dressed in my mostly-still-asleep state, decide that pajama bottoms and a sweatshirt will do, put my hair in a ponytail, and drive the route to the barn that, thankfully, my car can find with little assistance from me. There is very little traffic on the road at that time in the morning. I think I saw, maybe, one other car. Sure enough, Candice was not playing a practical joke. Promise had presented me with a beautiful filly, fully-developed, strong and ready for this world. In the predawn light, she looks dark bay--though later in the day, Susan calls me to crow that she is really a grey and that her coat is littered with white hairs. Oh well, I think--I am a pro at grooming grey horses.
I have named her “Bella Vittoria”--Beautiful Victory.
Later on Monday, we learn that Susan has qualified for the USEF FEI Junior Dressage Team Championships with Kalibre, and the North American Junior Championships representing USDF Region 7, and that she is First Alternate for the North American Young Riders Championships representing USDF Region 7 on Endor.
That means Susan is faced with a choice, since FEI/USEF rules state that a rider may not compete in both Junior and YR Championships in the same calendar year: go to Pebble Beach with Kalibre and eliminate any chance of going to YR with Endor, or wait and see what happens with YR. If any of the girls on the team are unable to go for any reason, Susan could go to Lexington, VA with Endor (instead of Kalibre) as part of the team--it would simply mean swapping the horse she’s been making travel plans for all along. And there’s the very strong possibility (far more likely than not) that she would be giving up the Pebble Beach competition for nothing. The only real advantage that we could see is that Young Riders receive some financial assistance towards their trip, while the Juniors receive none--hardly a valid reason. We talked it over and decided that the money alone was a stupid reason to give up Pebble Beach--especially since Kalibre is for sale.
So, Susan will stay a Junior and gracefully decline the opportunity to be First Alternate for the Young Riders, and instead will look forward to these last two important competitions with a horse that has been very important to her over the years. I love this guy, Kalibre. He has taken her from First Level to the equivalent of Prix St. Georges (she rode the Young Rider Team Test with him successfully before deciding that she really wanted to campaign him at the Junior Level to “cover her bases”, since she was eligible at both), with National Titles every step of the way. He has a enough personality and self-confidence for 3 horses, and he loves her so much--and gets so jealous--when she spends time with her other horses. I hope we can find just the right home for him, where he will have a rider that he can love (and that will love him back) just as he deserves. I also love to watch him at shows. He loves to be in the limelight.
Since Monday, there have been non-stop phone calls, pricing flights (mostly for the horse--as nearly as I can tell, we may be walking :grin:) and ground transportation, figuring out schedules, and making all sorts of plans regarding the trip to Lexington, VA. I have to say (with admiration) that the girls (with major input from their trainers), are doing most of the work--but I’m getting regular progress reports after just about every phone call. It’s been a crazy week. And Susan is working on a new musical freestyle for the show, too. Too much excitement for me!!!
I tell Candice that I’m on my way. Not really. I stumble from bed, try to remember how to get dressed in my mostly-still-asleep state, decide that pajama bottoms and a sweatshirt will do, put my hair in a ponytail, and drive the route to the barn that, thankfully, my car can find with little assistance from me. There is very little traffic on the road at that time in the morning. I think I saw, maybe, one other car. Sure enough, Candice was not playing a practical joke. Promise had presented me with a beautiful filly, fully-developed, strong and ready for this world. In the predawn light, she looks dark bay--though later in the day, Susan calls me to crow that she is really a grey and that her coat is littered with white hairs. Oh well, I think--I am a pro at grooming grey horses.
I have named her “Bella Vittoria”--Beautiful Victory.
Later on Monday, we learn that Susan has qualified for the USEF FEI Junior Dressage Team Championships with Kalibre, and the North American Junior Championships representing USDF Region 7, and that she is First Alternate for the North American Young Riders Championships representing USDF Region 7 on Endor.
That means Susan is faced with a choice, since FEI/USEF rules state that a rider may not compete in both Junior and YR Championships in the same calendar year: go to Pebble Beach with Kalibre and eliminate any chance of going to YR with Endor, or wait and see what happens with YR. If any of the girls on the team are unable to go for any reason, Susan could go to Lexington, VA with Endor (instead of Kalibre) as part of the team--it would simply mean swapping the horse she’s been making travel plans for all along. And there’s the very strong possibility (far more likely than not) that she would be giving up the Pebble Beach competition for nothing. The only real advantage that we could see is that Young Riders receive some financial assistance towards their trip, while the Juniors receive none--hardly a valid reason. We talked it over and decided that the money alone was a stupid reason to give up Pebble Beach--especially since Kalibre is for sale.
So, Susan will stay a Junior and gracefully decline the opportunity to be First Alternate for the Young Riders, and instead will look forward to these last two important competitions with a horse that has been very important to her over the years. I love this guy, Kalibre. He has taken her from First Level to the equivalent of Prix St. Georges (she rode the Young Rider Team Test with him successfully before deciding that she really wanted to campaign him at the Junior Level to “cover her bases”, since she was eligible at both), with National Titles every step of the way. He has a enough personality and self-confidence for 3 horses, and he loves her so much--and gets so jealous--when she spends time with her other horses. I hope we can find just the right home for him, where he will have a rider that he can love (and that will love him back) just as he deserves. I also love to watch him at shows. He loves to be in the limelight.
Since Monday, there have been non-stop phone calls, pricing flights (mostly for the horse--as nearly as I can tell, we may be walking :grin:) and ground transportation, figuring out schedules, and making all sorts of plans regarding the trip to Lexington, VA. I have to say (with admiration) that the girls (with major input from their trainers), are doing most of the work--but I’m getting regular progress reports after just about every phone call. It’s been a crazy week. And Susan is working on a new musical freestyle for the show, too. Too much excitement for me!!!
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