The Final Finale Of The Heart Of The Carolinas 3DE -- Finally!

Life is so inconvenient when it comes to blogging, isn't it?  And it all moves so quickly, sometimes I just feel the urge to lie down until it passes.

But only a, er, couple weeks late, the rest of (well, ok, a fair chunk of) the photo-documentation of the once-more incredible (and even more so next year when I get my hands on some materials!) experience that can only be expressed through the focus on the horse's face and his rider's tearful grin of achievement.

The Novice Show Jumping Course Walk with designer (& fashion maven), Marc Donovan

"Just ignore that dorky chick over there who keeps following me around and taking pictures."

Someone's found his perfect distance.

Rider glancing back:  "Damn!  How DOES he find shoes in the EXACT same shade of navy blue as his polo shirt??!"

Another Boni chainsaw masterpiece:  a pack of coyotes sets of Marc's brilliant stadium course

Art is an understatement

These palmetto standards were a lovely SC touch...through which to view escape attempts from questioning mobs!

She practices her casual Donovan lean in hopes of mastering the uber-cool.

Gorgeous sculpture frames this wide oxer, the last jump on course, which, it seems all parties agree looks rather large.  However, it rode extremely well!

A new Boni masterpiece in its infancy, destined to be mustangs guarded by a flock of eagles

 The final jog, with Head Vet, Dr. Debbie, & Ground Jury Members Amanda Miller-Atkins & Pam Weidmann

A beautifully presented competitor at the Sunday morning jog.

I rooted for this charming little Appendix all weekend!!

Bonus points if you look great AND make Dr. Debbie laugh.  Even if you are riding Jaws.

"Geez, more horse butts, sigh..."

The irresistible Sterling Silver and his owner, Justin Hull, await their turn.  A truly fantastic pony!

This loud leopard appy caught lots of eyes...and I think his owners nearly mowed me down in my golf cart twice!  Unless there was another dually coated with App stickers...

Dr. Debbie struggles to see both sides of Haffie butt at once.

These two, Paddington Bear and his little girl , were a special pair indeed.

Stadium Jumping

Some still had plenty of leaping energy left!

Half-halts are good, but educational note:  please do not put your hackamores on your horse's soft tissue, where he cannot breathe very well.

Andrew McConnon & CMA Special Messenger were all elegance and style

This lovely bay makes it look easy!

An excellent use of eye upon landing.

Brant Gamma's partner, Pete, captures a fancy leap over the corner oxer

Appendix pony is tired but game!

This mare's face haunted me -- it was like looking straight at Solo!!!!

TD Gammon:  "You never let me use the fancy measuring stick!!"

CD Marc: "The stick must be earned, padi-wan."

The folks who keep it together (mostly; L-R):  announcer David Frump, dressage judge/ground jury member Amanda Miller-Atkins, president of the ground jury/dressage judge Pam Weidmann, course designer Marc Donovan, event secretary Rick Dunkerton; in front of trailer, facility owner Brad Turley trades recipes with organizer Cindy Deporter.

Obligatory Haffie perky jump in the BN3DE

Then if you are really lucky, you not only get to take home your blue completion ribbon, medal, and goody bag, BUT also the big blue first place ribbon, like our N3DE winner and her elegant and big-hearted bay (although she says the tradeoff lies in his enormous bucks!).

However, as the endurance folks say (and as eventers should say more often):  To finish is to win.  And the partnership built with your horse in the process is like none you will ever experience anywhere else!  And maybe, just maybe, I still have some time left to get my own dang horse there.  In a thank you note from a rider:  "As a 67 yr "old fart" who has never gotten to do more than BN Horse Trials and one unsanctioned N HT this was an opportunity I did not want to miss. All the planning and training over the winter and the long haul to SC was worth it. I know now that my little mare can do it and what we need to work on to make next year even more successful." 

Perhaps it was summed up best of all by another competitor:  "Being an eventer means that at times, you take your lumps, learn, grow, and come back stronger the next time."

Mission Accomplished:  Marc Donovan, organizer Cindy Deporter, and the infamous Russell the Love Muscle.  I even got Marc to wear my Carolina International volunteer hat complete with smurf pin.  "Why?!" he asked.  Silly Marc, because it entertains me, do we need another reason?

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Mow, Mow, Mow Your...Oats?

Waaaah - it's 75 and we want our shed!  Spoiled babies!

Before I turn the key to spend the next 47 hours bush-hogging (I missed you, traaac-tor, oh yes I did, I missed you, traaac-tor, weeds must be rid...eh, use your grammar imagination), I wanted to, well, tease you.  Hee.

Coming soon to a blog near you!

(1) Yes, there is a wrap-up to the Heart of the Carolinas awesome at Southern Eighths.  I am continually expected to actually work for my paycheck (wtf?) and it cuts into my photo processing time. 

(2) Beloved foster tractor has returned from the spa refreshed and better than ever!  Interested in tips for your bush(hog) baby?

(3) FREE STUFF!  If you are lucky enough to win, that is.  It's big, it's new, and you'll wonder how your life was ever complete without it.

(4) TFS' own variation on the "blog hop."  You'll want to get in on this one! 

Now that you're on the edge of your chair/couch/bed/saddle (neck strap!), I'll be off.  *insert heartless snicker followed by wave of guilt*  I do issue my repetitive apologies once again for my intermittent blog failure.  We are all busy, naturally, and my own problem is complicated by the fact that I am haunted by the thought of posting something "not good enough."  As a result, most entries are the result of several hours of work, which leads to the gaps you see here.

Yesterday's mowing....I have a XC course, er, jump!

To my fellow bloggers, I AM visiting and reading with delight/sympathy/excitement/fascination as you share your parallel journeys.  Even though I rarely have time to comment, please know that I have not descended into neglect of my dear friends o' the blog-o-sphere!

Time to wake the diesel and flush out the bunnies...

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The "I'm Working A Three Day & Can't Use My Words" Picture Dump

The trailer of chaos -- three people.  17 radio channels (or that's what it felt like, I used 3).  But I LOVED my new job!  Meanie control lady for Phase A/B/C who verbally "glares" at you when you don't answer your radio?  That's me, haha!  Trained by the Goddess of XC Control skillz, JJ Johnson, on the left, handling Phase D and 10 other things.  David the Marvelous Announcer (you'll hear him at our Carolina Horse Park schooling trials!) gets free entertainment all day in a radio sandwich!

Holder Event Team Veteran Nobie Cannon & her sales horse, Red Fury, show how it's done and move up to 2nd place in the N3DE!!! You might remember her & Busta from the Carolina International CIC* in March.

I guess it's a new trend?  Our token BN3DE Haffie, Whinney the Pooh, adorably toted his young rider around and had a blast the whole time.  :D

Hey, we work long days.  Things get a little slap-happy...but I felt our secretary needed some love!

The Big Shuffle after endurance day:  despite what folks might claim, it's still not just a dressage test!!

And a shake-up in Novice too -- these are championship level courses, but always fair and safe.  If you want to see the finish of Phase D, though, you'd better have your homework done.

 

Tomorrow, this pretty plank fence and many more will host equine fly-overs (although CD Marc Donovan will be quite disappointed if he doesn't catch a few out with some rails, but after walking the course with him, I don't think he'll have to worry about that).  Hint:  terrain matters.  I've got more shots  from the SJ course to share and further adventures of "dork at large with very slow golf cart."  I just need a week of sleep.  And if you can't wait, check our Facebook page for some pretty impressive dancing from our organizer, judges, TD, and volunteers!!

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So Many...The Things...Fingers Too Tired...Three-Day Fatigue

Organizer/my neighbour/superwoman Cindy Deporter briefs riders

Is it just me or do these get longer and longer every year?  Wait, it might have something to do with me getting older and older every year...  Nonetheless, as I build experience, I get to test my eye, surrounded by backup experts for questions.  I had the distinct pleasure of spending most of today scribing for our wonderful Pam Weidemann, who manned the Troll Booth at C.  She and our NC buddy, Amanda Miller-Atkins, at B, made a fantastic judging team, sharp, consistent, and fair.  Result:  a great score spread, yet three very competitive divisions (T3DE, N3DE, & BN3DE).

Not only that, but we have SIXTY entries for the three-day, NOT including the Horse Trial horses.  Rock on, long format, and thank you riders, clincians, judges, volunteers, and sponsors for your support!!  And of course to Southern Eighths Farm and owner, Brad Turley, for sharing this amazing facility with us little people!  You can see about 1/3rd of the indoor in the picture above -- it's ok, I guess...

Today's Training leaderboard:  I didn't see them all, but Andrew McConnon, a young pro who rides multiple CANTER Mid-Atlantic horses as well as others, but in a lovely test on a CMA mare who has only been in training for 9 months and only with him for six months!!  This makes me feel rather inadequate...if I hadn't stalked him down in stabling and discovered you couldn't meet a nicer guy, wow!  And a gorgeous soft rider.   

The Novice leaderboard:  Bonnie Mosser (another NC local, woot!) put in a BEAUTIFUL (yes, I actually scribed that word on one of her canter movements) test, I've never written that many 8's and 9's in my life and they were all well-deserved!  And a special thanks to Bonnie, who always makes an effort to not only enter, but bring students and friends in support of the Three-Days!!  Our friend, Nobie Cannon, met during my dedicated Becky-stalking last April, also did a phenomenal job with her sales horse, a lovely chestnut TB.  I think Pam and I both fell in love as well with 'Beyond the Limit,' a darling little grey Appendix who rather resembled a Welsh pony!

Yes, we have Beginner Novice too!  Hey, Jen, we had our token Haffie -- also adorably named after a bear and he lived up to his name indeed:  "Whinney The Pooh."  He certainly curiously watched everything outside of the ring and paid little attention to his rider...somewhat like an orange Appendix I know, sigh.

  

Part of the core team:  Cindy introduces (L-R):   dressage judges Pam (who is also President of the Ground Jury) and Amanda, TD Gammon Castellevi, and awesome vets, Dr. Debbie & co!

CD extraordinaire & eventer Tremaine Cooper:  "Don't approach your steeplechase jump with zombie hands!"

David, our faithful announcer, lurks in his den perched above the dressage arena

Ok, I don't think I have ever seen a horse who is entirely white...with a brown neck.  Talk about optical illusion!

Amanda cackles with what can only be an evil dressage judge scheme inside the Troll Booth at B

And a sneak peek -- chainsaw artist, Randy Boni, has been hard at work when we were gone.  More to come!!

Tomorrow: I learn a new job!  Rather frighteningly (although not for those who know me well - I am excellent in a crisis), I will be Radio Control for Phases A, B, & C (Steeplechase and both Roads & Tracks).  I'm very excited, although I'm sure it will take some practice before I can live up to my teacher and Queen of XC Control, JJ Johnson.

Until then, I shall be passed out until the best part: Endurance Day!!  May everyone cross the finish flags of D safely, with a huge grin and a hug for their generous partners!

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I Never Really Wanted A Farm

Delima & I survey Snowy River country in Victoria, Australia

Whaaa...?!?

I have spent the majority of my life in and around all manner of farms, from California to Arizona to Kentucky to Australia to Wisconsin to Ecuador (ahhh, I need to finish that series!) to the Southeast, from the dirt lot behind a house to managing a neighbour's private barn to closing sliding doors that cost more than my truck.  My manure fork dug out pee spots in old clay-based stalls in the '90s and I stacked frozen water buckets in the heated viewing room during turnout and I dragged full muck buckets in a sled over 8" of snow and ice to the pile...uphill. 

Sure, I could strip a stall and return it to pristine condition in less than 15 minutes and I learned how to leave a hose so it always drained itself and I found out where you should NEVER put your gate/trough/shelter/riding area/feed and I even learned how to manage your chores so you had plenty of ride time.  But I also learned that being responsible for the maintenance of your horses' living quarters was more hard work than even some of the most experienced boarders could imagine.

Invasive flathead catfish, bad!!  They be eatin' our natives!

Board It Is!

We all know that the perfect boarding facility is as tangible (and accessible to us mere mortals) as the Jabberwocky; if you don't own it, compromises are required, but with research and experience you can generally find something that's a good fit for you and your partner(s).  In fact, SprinklerBandit recently did an excellent job discussing "How to be a Happy Boarder"!

If you've read this blog for a while, you know that I work full time and then some as a freshwater wildlife biologist, which means I travel weekly from April to November, my schedule changes every hour during field season based on weather, I'm a crabby cat lady who guards her personal space like a troll (hee), and oh yeah, I work for the state.  When you combine incredibly poor career choices ('follow your dreams', they said, haha, ok, I'm partly kidding, I couldn't do anything else, it's my passion) that produce tiny paychecks for long work-weeks with the amazing insane financial priorities of a horse owner, well, it's easy to see why farm ownership was never on my "want" list.

It All Falls Apart

 But three years ago, everything changed.  2011 began a rather spectacular series of "events," a word which doesn't even approach adequacy, that culminated in my own personal nadir (thank you, Mrs. Bricking - my equally terrifying & incredible high school English teacher for two years - I never thought I'd get to use that one in conversation) when my entire future disappeared in a single sentence in early November of 2012.  That's another story for another day.

Skipping a few details, the spring of 2013 found me blundering about the metaphorical woods for a new path forward.  Or any direction really, as long as it was away from the bottom of the hole.  Enter (after exhaustive mathematical exercises) a fateful ride on a mule (the kind with wheels) at the height of a beautiful Carolina spring and the rest is in the record books.

I write Twits...the apocalypse must be nigh!

Mission:  Reboot

The most surprising part?  Once we settled in, I have loved every. single. moment.  Always skeptical of those goofy "backyard horse ladies" on COTH and the dubious claims that they would never board again, I've had to eat all my doubts now that I stand in their shoes muck boots.  I have less time to write rambling masterful blog posts, so those who follow us on Facebook and, to my everlasting shame, Twitter, have noticed that I am beginning to rely on their forced brevity and immediacy for updates (those who don't, you are clicking "follow" or our sidebar buttons now, right???).  And I am so grateful that I am an uncompromising planner and I held out, because I would NOT want to try to do this on a property I did not lay out for maximum efficiency.  That's another story too!

I still have a long way to go, both in terms of healing and of the "30-year farm plan," and I don't think I can afford diesel until 2019, but it's all a little easier when I dissolve into giggles watching the horses gallop for the sheer joy of it in their own game of "Let's Pretend We're Terrified Of The Mower So We Can Squeal And Run."  Note:  don't forget to glance in front of your mower periodically to see if you are about to drive into a ditch.  Just sayin'...

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