06/08/2026
Another great horse show this weekend! Delores and Rock Tavern put on a fabulous show, and we had such fun with lots of progress, however our trailer ride back was fraught with problems. More on this later…
First up was one of my adult riders, Erin on Copper in the Mini Stirrup. Erin has only shown once before, and that was last year. She earned a 2nd, 3rd, and two 4ths in a great performance. Well done!
Next up was Carmella on Copper in the Pre-Mini Stirrup. This is her first year showing and only her second show. She earned a 1st and two 2nds, making her the Champion of the division! Way to go, Carmella and Copper! 🏆
Next came Lorelei on Teddy and Shea on Charlie in the Modified Hunters. Lorelei competed in the equitation portion and showed great progress on her green pony. Teddy is certainly turning into a show pony exhibiting less and less tension with each show we attend! This team came away with a 4th, 5th, and 6th and also had enough confidence to try the Derby. Although they didn’t place in the large derby, the willingness to tackle the more advanced course and tougher competition, was a huge advancement in their training. So proud of this team! 👏🏻
Shea and Charlie competed in the Hunter portion of the Modified division. This was Shea and Charlie’s first jumping show, having had him for only 3 months. What superstars, they were, earning two 3rds and a 4th. I’m so impressed with their efforts! 👍
I was later notified that Copper won the HVHJA Solid Citizen Award, which is well deserved for this bestest boy ever! Copper is known as the Pole King in our barn and is my go to horse to teach beginners how to canter. A solid citizen indeed!
We packed up and headed home with happy memories and accomplishments, only to have our day end on a tense and scary note. As our trailer was heading over the Beacon-Newburgh Bridge, the truck experienced low power and had to slow to a crawl. Fuel was leaking and we had to pull to the side of the bridge in dinner hour, weekend traffic. Much thanks and gratitude to the Bridge Authority and the NYS DOT for noticing a problem and flying to our side to help. They contacted the fire department and NY State Police, who also came to help. Extra special thanks to the Chelsea Fire Dept who stayed with us the whole time, got us water and fans, and tried to quell our nerves as we awaited another truck to come and bring our horses home. This is why Judy and I ALWAYS follow the trailer to and from horse shows. Melissa, Lorelei, and Megan heard the news from the barn and came back out to help, bringing hay and water to the trailer. After a couple of hours on the side of the road, a replacement truck came, and back to the barn we went. The horses were all fine due to the efforts of everyone thinking only of their safety and comfort. Back at the barn, where there were other horses to be cared for, Shea took charge and had the remaining show team and our fantastic boarders tend to them to keep on schedule with the day to day chores. Thank you so much to you all! We have the greatest barn family and I’m thankful for every one of you! ❤️
I also want to take this opportunity to thank True Motion Equine Body Work for keeping our horses feeling and looking their best with weekly massage and acupressure treatments. Happy and limber horses perform better!
