Memories from the NRHA 2009 Northwest Regional Affiliate Finals

Blue skies and 70°F during the day. By night, golden sunsets with pink fluffy cloudy reflecting rosy light on the foothills. Free exhibitor cocktail parties—free beer in etched glass beer mugs; Octoberfest dinners with complimentary Washington apple cobbler for dessert; hanging out with our good friends Dan and Sue; cheering on our fellow Washingtonians as they competed and thrilling when they placed; petting puppies and admiring everyone’s dogs; shopping through the many fun venders including furniture, fancy high-end chaps, pictures, saddle and tack shops, book companies and so many more; cheering on a young upcoming reining trainer in the futurity, then experiencing that sinking dull feeling as we watched him accidentally do five spins (instead of four); seeing a photo of me and my horse used as a promotion for the show photographer...

These are just some of my memories from the 2009 National Reining Horse Association’s Northwest Regional Affiliate Finals held in Nampa, Idaho at the beautiful Idaho Horse Park this past October. In order to compete in the affiliate classes you had to be one of the top five in your club class—Felix and I qualified in three classes. And how did Felix and I do? Well, we tied for first in an NRHA Limited Non-Pro class. In our affiliate classes we didn’t do as well, although I was proud of our runs and of my horse. In a field of nearly 80 competitors, Felix and I got 7th in the Affiliate Novice Horse Non-Pro class—the payout and invitation to compete in Oklahoma City at the year end world show went to 6th place. I missed it by ONE place!! In all of my classes I was just very pleased to have qualified and made it that far, especially with a horse I had only been riding and showing since March. Felix tried hard and we both had a lot of fun. Felix is an awesome little pony, just taking everything in stride. Plus he’s so much fun to ride—quite an honor to have him to show!

Life’s a Beach

Our boys taking snooze in the sun—all worn out from a day on the beach!

This week my friend Patricia and I took two of our horses to Ocean City, WA, a sleepy little town on the Pacific Ocean. We rented a sweet little studio apartment a few blocks from the ocean at a place outfitted for horses. There was a small round pen to keep our horses in and even a compost bin for manure. Each day we could saddle up and ride down the peaceful street to the ocean public beach.

Patricia and Felix on the beach.

The beach was a vast expanse of flatness—as long, as far as the eye can reach. Just beach to the left and to the right. With ocean reaching endlessly forward, over and over.

The horses’ reactions were unpredictable: young Felix was as unflappable as ever, even with waves, seaweed, vehicles driving on the sand. Nothing fazed him. Older Harley was unnerved by almost everything that came along including plastic bags, a passing gull, driftwood and seaweed. He kept tourists on the beach entertained with his sudden, unexplained shying at an odd piece of sea kelp or an old bag. Even so, it was fun observing new things and trying something new with the horses. The dogs thoroughly enjoyed the romp along the beach as well.

Alayne, Harley and Saylee at Ocean City.

I must admit that our favorite part was breakfast at the Shilo Inn in Ocean Shores; the yummy blueberry pancakes and the pleasant and friendly staff there were a wonderful way to start out a gray morning.