World Show Recap — One Fine Bay

Nov 17

Nov 17 World Show Recap

Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed about showing at the AQHA World Show. We would go watch all the glitz, glamour, shiny horses and excitement every year and I so wanted to be part of it. I can now say, I have had the privilege of showing at not one, but two World Shows. Garrett and I both showed Dreamer in the ranch riding this year.

Garrett showed first in the Level 2 Amateur Ranch Riding and was having an absolutely perfect pattern until Dreamer came through the middle at a lope and he was supposed to break to a trot and I think he thought he was going to change leads and did not want to come back down to the trot (old reining habits never die). He eventually did, but in the wrong spot and when there are 98 horses in your class there is no room for errors.

How ranchy does Garrett look in vintage beaver chinks?!

I showed the next day in the Level 1 Amateur Ranch Riding and we had an ok go. He seemed a little hyper in the warm up and I worked hard to keep my horse show nerves in check and made myself go in and make him do what I knew he could do. He did not like the flashing/popping of the photographer and so our big trot was not as big as it could be and our fast lope was not fast enough (my fear at him spooking kept me from pushing him on). Overall the other elements of our pattern were great and one of these days we will get all our ducks in a row! But I was super proud that I did not let my nerves take control and fully conquered them before going in the pen to show.

In the weeks leading up to the show Dreamer had been more hyper and spooky than normal due to cold weather and the fact that our neighbors have been doing tree trimming and yard work and constantly zooming their 4 wheeler around and terrorizing all the horses. I have really had to work on my fear and anxiety that comes with spooky horses and was proud that I fought it well at the show (thanks to an amazing book that I will share with you all in another post).

As exciting as showing at the World Show is, it is still just another horse show albeit much more crowded and busy. Garrett had to wake up at 4 am every morning to get into an open arena to ride, which I am so grateful that he did and let me sleep!

We came, we saw, we shopped, we rode, we showed and we were glad to come home!