Show Season

Due to um ... limited funds, the 2017 show season will be decidedly more tame than past seasons. Buying this house in October required some sacrifices, one of which was my amply funded show budget. It's now fairly meager.

The truth is, I probably wouldn't have done a whole lot anyway. Speedy and I are still stuck at First Level, probably more to do with my inadequacies than his, and Izzy still isn't ready to hit any kind of rated show. Fortunately, the Tehachapi Mountain Chapter, my local CDS chapter, holds a four-show summer series that is always very well run and fun to attend. They give lots of cash prizes and hold an awards banquet at the end of the year.

From our very first show which was at the Tehachapi spring show.

Traditionally, Speedy and I do fairly well there. We've been the high scoring adult amateur more than once (which garners a $50 check) and have been the high scoring pair for the season at Training Level which earned $100. This year, I am shooting for the overall highest average score at First Level - go big or go home, right?!

The first of the summer series begins this weekend. I need to review the tests since I haven't done much showing on Speedy over the last year or so. We rode First 1 and 2 in March, but it had been a year and a half before that. There are no big holes in our work which means there's nothing gigantic to work on. For our rides this week, I just want to smooth things over and help Speedy have fun.

I never go to a show expecting a high score, but I sure hope we can pull off something in the mid 60s. And more than anything, I really need to just have some fun. The clinic that we did a few weeks ago sucked all the fun out of riding, and I intend to get it back!