The Show

Just think! Two months ago, Olivia was still too afraid to even trot on Brownie. After her spill from the saddle two years ago, she wanted to ride. She just couldn't get over the fear! We have never given up and she never gave up on herself. Cheryl has brought her a long way in knowing how to ride. Olivia knows her diagonals. Olivia knows how to hold her hands, her heels, and thumbs. Cheryl has done a fantastic job keeping the horses ready for Olivia. Elaine has worked with her these past couple of months with the kind of patience that left us all in awe. Olivia would make a couple of steps forward and then a few frustrating steps back. Finally, though, she really turned around and got over the lump of fear that was in her throat whenever she was on a horse. Just think! Two weeks ago, our family didn't even know what a courtesy circle in the show ring was. Elaine told Olivia about two weeks ago that she was ready for the Bluegrass State Games at the Kentucky Horse Park and then began preparing our little 10 year old for her very first horse show. WOW! That meant she had to trot in front of judges! Really? She's ready for that?
Olivia went to the Horse Park on Friday to train and watch all the show events for the day. We have never even been to a horse show before. She observed the hunters and jumpers and watched what was going on in the ring as well as outside the ring. She rode Brownie in a practice ring and even when Brownie balked at the far pole, she held steady and made her go over the little 5 in. jump!

Once again, we were at the Horse Park bright and early Saturday morning with huge butterflies in our stomachs. Even Camille was up and at 'em just to see her baby sister show for the very first time.
I signed Olivia in and the organizers said that she was the only contestant in her class and she didn't have to compete if she didn't want to. Whah? She's here, she's ready and she's psyched! Y'know, though, I didn't tell her she was the only one that showed up. I let her perform all three classes with the competitive butterflies in her stomach. She learned the pressure of performing in front of judges and learned how to maintain composure in the ring, even when your pony
balks at the far pole, which she did!
She was sooooo thrilled to receive her THREE blue ribbons. Her very first show and she received her first blue ribbons. She was OK with the fact that it was really by default. This little girl earned all three of them.
Then, once again, bright and early we all showed up on Sunday morning. Cheryl met us at the barn. Olivia tacked up Brownie and rode to the show ring like she owned it. That is when we saw ALL of the other contestants. There were 5 other riders in her three classes. Y'know, we all told ourselves that they give out 6 ribbons. Olivia is going to go home with a ribbon no matter what! Olivia being there at the Bluegrass State Games on a pony in a show was more than I would have thought possible just two short months ago. Here she was, though, ready to do this!
As luck would have it, she was the first one to enter the ring. She really did do every single thing right! Heels down, thumbs up, diagonals, smile! Everything was so good. Brownie needed to go a little bit faster but Olivia looked good. She left the ring after her second courtesy circle with a huge smile. WHEW! Big sigh of relief and she watched the other girls with their ponies perform.
Her second ride in the ring was even better than the first. Olivia once again did everything right. And this time, with the benefit of seeing others on their ponies going a faster pace, she made Brownie pick it up a bit. She looked so good and comfortable on that pony. Could this really be the same little girl that cried to get on and then cried to get off just two short months ago?
The third ride in the ring was a flat class, under saddle. All 6 riders and their horses went into the ring to show off their skills in front of the judges at the same time. Olivia did just fine. She was off a diagonal once or twice and we thought that it was OK. After all, with only 6 riders, she would get a ribbon for her first show. While they were showing, they announced the winners of classes 1 and 2. Olivia received a silver medal for class one. We couldn't believe it. She DID look good, though. There were girls with so much more experience than her in that ring and she placed second! THEN, they announced the winner of class 2 is rider 680, Olivia Fishback on Tollhouse! We whooped and whooped! Oh, my gosh! She received the GOLD medal for her second ride. After the under saddle class, the judges had the riders line up in front of them and then they announced the winners of that class and Olivia won the silver medal for that class, too. We are all still riding high on cloud 9. Two months ago, it was not even imaginable that she could get on her horse and ride in a show! Much less bring home 3 Blue ribbons, a Gold and 2 Silver medals! Just think!