Hello Dears,
If you have been reading my Tweets (linked) you may have noticed how I recently have been involved in the equestrian side of the world more often again. Mother is now riding (and teaching) at Enterprise Farms located at The Paddock Riding Club and have been tagging along since Saturday (day of show). On Saturday we were so nicely blessed with two tickets to the Grand Prix Show Jumping show at LAEC. Gates opened up at 18:00 and we got there maybe around 18:30. The weather was cold but when the excitement came I was to forget about me regret for not bringing another jacket and also the need for my bathroom break. It was an amazing show with riders and horses including Richard Spooner, 2008 Beijing Olympic Gold Medalist (along with US team) Will Simpson, and Michael Endicott.
As we were waitng for the Excitement to begin, I looked around at how people prepared for this show. Of course a horse show being a horse show, there were differenet concession tables outside, but only till I started to pay attention did I see that people also saved their money and brought bags from VONS, coolers filled with real ceramic plates, bottles of wine and glasses to go with. Then I started looking at the box/chair seats that were closer to the action, -I'm still quite thankful for the tickets in the first place- I noticed they brought huge food trays, filled with all sorts of lovely things to nibble and get fat on. The audience was a clash Kyra K. windbreakers and Burberry trenches, Ariat paddock boots and suede leather stilletos.
Must I not forget the cute little Ridinig for Reading Stick Horse Parade, and music that went on as we so patiently waited.
Cristallo and Richard Spooner were first in the ring, making a clear round with good time ( I so blatantly forgot to wite down the time). Richard Spooner basially set the pace for the show, and exciting the audience with many "oohs and ahhs" that came after each jump. There were other riders and horses, fences that fell, some that respectfully quit, and others that took up too much time. Around 20:00 the 'Class Leaders' were JO Tristan and Nicole Shahiniansenson, JO Archie Bunker and Will Simpson, JO Apache and Richard Spooner, JO Cristallo and Richard Spooner. In the end, my favorites from the first part before the JO were, of course, Richard Spooner, Will Simpson, Michael Endicott, and Nicole Shahiniansenson.
During the whole jump off, I was basically either/or for Richard Spooner and Will Simpson; but when Michael Endicott rode my mother and I wondered whether he would pull a bunny from his hat. Richard Spooner again came first with his horse Cristallo and again set the tone and excitement for the jump off. Then Nicole Shahiniansenson came and made on tiny mistake of being too slow with taking too wide a turn and went past 40 seconds! Archie Bunker and Will Simpson came afterwards and beat Richard Spooner's first score with 35.60 seconds. Annnnd then Richard Spooner came again with Apache, and for a slight second, I thought Will Simpson would win, which was fine, but to be honest, I did have a teeny more want for Richard Spooner to win than Will Simpson. However, Richard Spooner and Apache beat Will Simpson's score which beat Spooner's in the first place with 34.01 seconds. El Sueno's Quanto VL and Stephanie Saperstein came, and honestly, I really did not give a care for her, she left the ring with 38.20 seconds. The jump off ended with Flexible and Rich Fellers with a nice 34.36 seconds; however, he dropped a pole earning him 4 points and obviously not winning.
So the victory and $50,000 went to Apache and Richard Spooner! Yes, $50,000. I do love jumping...
It was a nice show with a victory I was happy with, a various crowd, and weather that in the end did turn out to be, well, freaking cold!
with love,
Rebekka
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