United States Eventing Association

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Hi USEA!! Great news on the Angelica Run front – we all had clean and wonderful rounds! I (Kristin) am the only one writing, as it was a very long day and we just didn’t have the time to all come back to the same hotel.

Trance was impeccable! He was an absolute beast on course (well, as beastly as a horse that goes in a rubber snaffle can be). The corner at five (the giant thing pictured above) caught quite a few people. I REALLY brought him back to show jump the table before it, and then went wide in the turn. It wasn’t the prettiest jump on course, but we got it done. Aside from that the rest was textbook. He flew through the coffin, and leapt into both waters with no reservation. I stayed on when we jumped off the three-star drop of doom and we got to the skinny after it perfectly. He was very attentive, plenty fit, and all in all a blast to ride. Our first two-star couldn’t have gone better, and when we crossed the flags I just felt so joyful. He had the lowest temp the vets had seen all day, so I am rooting for a Best Conditioned award. Apparently the fact we had time might rule it out, but I call that smart riding! He got fluids tonight, was iced twice, and then left poulticed. All fingers crossed we pass jogs in the morning. He LOVES to show jump, so after jogs it will just be a lot of fun to the finish.

Skyeler went out after me and had an AMAZING course. Tika was totally on fire, and made that two-star look easy. Later in the day, however, Skye began to think she was a bit off. Pretty much immediately Skye choose to withdraw. She doesn’t need this as a qualifier, and her major goals of getting her brain in the dressage ring and having a more than solid xc were accomplished. No use risking her just to finish another two-star. Their eyes are set on a three-star this fall, so tomorrow is not meant to be her big day. Erin also put in a clean and fast round in the one star, so Skye is on cloud nine with Tika and her students’ performances!!

Tomorrow we will be up early for jogs at 8:00, then we show jump in the early afternoon. I can’t wait to bring home one of those big blue completion ribbons, and perhaps can con some of my non-horsey friends into thinking I actually won up here. ;-)