Show at Mission Pacific

I bet you are all so relieved I am not still going on about this past weekend's casual clinic again! Just to give you all a little break, I'll be at a show this weekend, so I won't be posting again until Monday.

Speaking of the show ...

I printed out my day sheets and updated my stall sign and then started to do a little research. A few months ago, a friend asked how I thought I would do at the RAAC - had I checked out the competition? To be honest, it had never occurred to me to do that before. In California, there are so many riders at Training and First Level that there is no way I can remember who tends to get which scores.

Since then though, I have been looking up the riders against whom I am competing. It's not that I am competitive enough to change what I am doing in hopes of besting them, but it is fun to see whether I have a chance at a ribbon or whether I am looking at a butt kicking.

Saturday's line up

For my first test of the morning, I am getting a blue ribbon as long as I don't get eliminated, which has yet to happen, but there is always a first time. In my second test, I know I am getting at the very least a red ribbon as there only two riders in my class.

I apologize in advance, Mary, but I looked you up on Centerline Scores. Mary may well be an awesome rider, but I am feeling like I have a chance to leave the ring with a blue ribbon. Mary only started showing at USDF shows this year and has yet to ride a First Level test at a USDF show. Of course, she might have done a million schooling shows at Grand Prix for all I know, but chances are she and I are pretty much at the same level in our riding and schooling. 

"Winning" a class is always nice, but I'd rather break 60% and walk away away with that red ribbon than get the blue with a 59%. And since I am really more about besting my own previous scores, I truly wish Mary nothing but the best of luck. High Sierra might be an up and coming future Olympian and I'll be able to say I rode with her.

Round 2

When I saw the schedule for Sunday, I was a wee bit disappointed to see that my competition is obviously farther along in her training than I am. When a rider competes in two levels on the same horse, the score in the lower level class should be pretty darned good.

I apologize to Myra as well because I also looked up her record on Centerline Scores. I am so glad I did because I had pretty much pinned that blue ribbon on El Santo's bridle without giving Speedy G a chance to show off how awesome he is.

Myra has only shown at one USDF show, and that was this past February. She showed First Level Tests One and Two, and is now making the leap to Second. The horse she was listed as riding is not El Santo, but Merlin. I did a quick search for El Santo, but there isn't a show record for a horse with that name. Myra's limited USDF show record doesn't necessarily mean a whole lot as she could be a world class rider who has just preferred schooling shows over rated ones. 

Knowing something about my competitors gives me some confidence. It's hard to know I'm riding against someone who consistently scores in the 70s at levels above where I am currently riding, but the opposite is also true. When I discover that the ladies I am competing against are at a similar place in their own training, I feel like it is game on.

I am really looking forward to this show. Chemaine will be able to give me a lesson the evening before, and she's coaching me through my warm up on Saturday. I will probably be on my own for Sunday, but I can handle it.

Have a great weekend, and I'll see you all on Monday!