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]