Happenstance Farm Show Weekend

A little late with the Happenstance Horse Show report. Happenstance is not far from here, so it’s a convenient horse show for the old ladies, but also, Ellen Baehr and Charae put on very nice shows. The footing is watered and groomed, the jumps are beautiful, the office is friendly and efficient and the schedule is delightful, as jumpers go first!

We went over on Friday for Stone to school. Stone showed two years ago in the Crossrail Hunters, but hasn’t done much since then. Certainly, he has never jumped a jumper course! Jane rode Oisin as a babysitter, and we saw the sights, jumped little jumps in the Hunter Ring and a few in the Jumper Ring. Charae assured me that the Beginner Jumper class (.60 meter / 2′)would be very friendly, so we entered three classes on Saturday.

Saturday morning, Stone got a dose of Ulcergard and hopped right onto the trailer alone for the short trip. We were there in good time for the 8 AM start, having left at 7:30. Stone was a star! He jumped right around double clear in his first jumper course of his life. And he earned a primary color, red , for second place (OK, there were only two entries in Beginner Jumper, but he was very good). In the next class, a speed class, meaning no jump off, things did not go quite as well. The old lady missed a jump and we had a refusal, so we were eliminated, but returned for a third class, another speed round, and finished with a nice clean round and another red ribbon. Best of all, we were home by 9:15 AM – a new record for efficiency of horse showing, unheard of in our sport! Stone was quite proud of what he had done and told the other two horses about his great adventure. They were not impressed.

Sunday, I took Oisin (O’Sheen) and Jane took Derry. We did the MOHJO Jumper Classic (.85 – .95 meter / 2’9″ – 3′). Oisin was so exuberant that I was nearly bucked off, but he laid down a nice double clear round. Jane and I were there for one reason – to ride without pulling on the reins, to practice what Kris has been trying to teach us. We felt like we actually accomplished it. Jane and Derry had a beautiful trip. She has taken a couple of lessons at Mechlin Farm since the St. Louis Charity Show, and they have been a great help. Alas, Derry had a cheap rail at the last jump in the jump off. But we both earned neck ribbons – blue for Oisin, and white for Derry – and the class even paid money for both of us, since there were more than six entries! A nice surprise indeed.

Derry did two more classes in the Low Adults (3′) for practice. Oisin did only one more class, as I didn’t want to overdo it, he’s not all that “jumping fit”. He had to go back into the ring, though, after bucking way too much in the first class. Old ladies should not ride bucking horses!

We had a lot of fun, enjoyed time with friends, and felt encouraged for the future.

I returned home to a visit from my brother, Michael, who popped in from Seattle. He took Harry and me to dinner, and was able to watch Fred shoe Bart this morning, something we horse people think of as routine, but which is quite amazing to see from the perspective of a regular person. I think I enjoy seeing things through the eyes of children, or interested people. It keeps me from becoming jaded.