Update 3: ARHA Show

This last weekend I left Friday with Lora Grace and her horse Skippers Lady Lark (AKA Larkin) to an American Ranch Horse Association Show about 4 hours away. We arrived at about 10pm and got Larkin bedded down in her stall after taking her for a quick spin in the arena. Lora Grace has never been to registered show, or a show this size, so I wanted her to get a feel for it right away. I knew no matter what it was going to be overwhelming for her.

Saturday we got up at 5am and left the hotel room and got her registered for classes. While her dad finished the paperwork, we saddled up and warmed up a little bit before the cutting classes started and the arena had only a handful of people in it.....good thing! Her first class was warm up class with 57 entries!!! The mare was a little fired up with that big of a class and not as consistent as she should have been. Her second class was Senior Ranch Riding with 36 entries, she bobbled a canter lead in front of the judge so we knew we didn't have a chance. She then had Youth Walk Trot where she placed 6 out of 12, then Horsemanship with 5 out of 14, and last was Youth Ranch Riding, with 24 entries and what I felt was her best ride of the day! She had a hard time dealing with so many people in each class and not understanding why she didn't always place. I had to really sit down with her to explain how this is what we were working towards and I didn't really expect her to place at all and this trip was more for her to just get used to it, see it, and experience it. It was suppose to be a learning experience. We took some time to sit and watch a lot of the other classes and she was able to see that everyone had a REALLY nice horse and everyone had a trainer. It wasn't like at the local and open shows and even a lot of the 4-H shows where she typically has the nicest horse and is one of the only ones doing everything right. Now she is in a crowd of really good horses, really good riders, and everyone is doing it right.....it's just who is doing it BETTER. She really was able to see what I meant that we have our foundation, now we just have to go after all the little things and perfect everything.

The next morning was Showmanship and Halter. Lora Grace placed in the top 5 in both classes and I was so proud! At the end of the day we had to drag her away from the reining classes and load up to head home. She wants to work towards doing more of these next year and I am really looking forward to it. Now if only I can convince my husband we need to cow horses so we can start doing team sorting! SO MUCH FUN!