Jul 18, 2011

Bit of Britain Road To The AEC Blogger Post 7

May-Daze Horse Trial went UNBELIEVABLY well! Dressage was finished with a 35.0. Not amazing, but it was enough to put us in 3rd out of about 15 riders I believe! Stadium was double clear, the 2 people ahead of me had faults, and I was bounced up to the lead!

WOW! My instructor Sarah Kleintop didn’t let me look at scores after stadium on Saturday afternoon. Saturday night I waited at the show office beside the road for mom to pick me up, and was very tempted to check scores, but I resisted! Sunday comes, on goes the cross-country vest, and the claustrophobia, zip up my tall boots, stick bit burr’s on each side of my full cheek double twisted wire snaffle, pinny over my head, helmet on, crop, 1, 2, 3, Jump!

Up I go on my new Antares saddle, walking towards cross-country warm up. A few jumps and we’ve decided that is enough warm up, don’t want to tire Sammy out! I walked over to the start box, and as I was hearing 10, I started my watch, and Sarah starts yelling instructions for anything I may encounter on course, such as an uncontrollable horse, and then, "3….2….1! Good Luck!” We started galloping off and of course, here I go blabbing uncontrollably to Sam as he’s just galloping along like a good boy, ignoring me! We crossed through the finish flags with a time of 5:54 and if I recall correctly, the OT was around 6:05. Darn, I really thought we would have been closer to OT. There goes my first place award. I got back to the barn and cooled off my wonderful horse, and started packing up.

My best friend, and horse show buddy, went to check scores and I was too tired to go with her. She checked my score and came back with a very disappointed look on her face. "Oh no," I said, "What happened?!" "Well," Hope responded "You, you kinda….GOT FIRST PLACE!!!!" I honestly thought she was joking! I went up to her and grabbed her shirt and yelled at her for lying to me! But she swore on her life she was NOT kidding! I went to go see for myself, Alyssa Barrett-Sam I Am-Dressage 35.0 3rd-Stadium 0 1st- XC 0 1st. I got my 3 ribbons, one for overall (1st), one for dressage (3rd), and one for completing cross-country! Along with some fantastic prizes! Nutrena/USEA AEC here I come!! Watch out BNR Competitors!

Interested in becoming a Bit of Britain Road to the AEC Blogger? Check out this post for more details and send your story and photos to [email protected]

Dec 23, 2024 Education

Saddle Fit Simplified

Eventers who are new to the sport may feel a little overwhelmed by the often-misunderstood world of saddle fitting. Riders are often bombarded with information from peers online or self-described experts, putting them at risk of following bad advice related to equipment that impacts horse welfare perhaps more than any other piece of tack. Finding a qualified expert to answer these questions is crucial. Who better to turn to than both a qualified Master Saddle Fitter and a fourth-generation saddle designer to answer some of these questions?

Dec 22, 2024 USEA Foundation

Top Tips for Applying for a USEA Foundation Grant

Did you know that the USEA Foundation awards over 150 grants each year to deserving individuals who are involved in the sport of eventing? With grants that assist riders with accomplishing their competition goals, grants geared toward licensed officials, grants that are specific to continuing education for coaches, grants that assist competitions with obtaining frangible technology, and so much more, there really is a grant opportunity available to almost anyone!

Dec 21, 2024 Education

3 Ways to Help Eventing Thrive in 2025

With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.

Dec 20, 2024 Sponsor

“Happy Horse Equals Happy Judge”: Ask An Expert with Dressage Judge Peter Gray, Brought to You by Ride iQ

Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.

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