6 Classes, 6 Wins at the Region 18 Championships

We left with Allie and Mav on Wednesday to go to the Championships in London On. Sophie accompanied me as my trusty groom.
After finally seeing the Acheivement award points, I decided to enter Allie last minute into the Half/Arabian Sport Horse Mares in Hand at the Last Chance Show (the show proceeding the Championships). I only had 1/2 a measly point for her to get her Legion of Merit (++) into her title of her name. Well, she did it. Allie won the class, and now she is KF Almaz++// !
The Regional Championships were very well put together, even though we had to change the afternoon dressage times. The footing was excellent, and with the help of most of the competitors in some way or another, we had the show well organized.
Gen Custer (Mav) had 2 great rides, and were scored accordingly.
Champion Prix St. George 61.90%
Champion Intermediare 1 60.75%
The judge was Peta Christen who definitely liked our improvement from the first Milestone show where her marks were about 7% lower.
Allie ( KF Almaz++//) was at the top of her game! We did the Third Level Championship test and she was a tad on the hot side; I knew going into the class, but I also realized that we had 2 more classes that day. A couple of dumb spooks; the first one when she kicked some sand into the dressage ring rail and scared herself! That made for a fired up horse on the diagonal medium trot; and we got a 7!
I was thrilled with clean changes, and no flying bucks! We should be in good shape for Nationals!
The Half Arabian Show Hack was held in the main coloseum, with the regular Arabian Championships. The warm-up was crowded, and the portable stalls surround the ring making it for a hectic atmosphere. Allie was a dream! I had her total concentration in the warm-up and in the show ring. I swear Allie loves the Show Hack class! She literally floated! No doubt in my mind she would take the Championship, and she did quite handily!
Our Second Level Test was the best one we have done so far. Even the judge commented on our vast improvement at the end of the test. We not only won the class, but also had the highest score of the day!
So here are the results:
Third Level Champion 61.5%
Half Arabian Sport Horse Show Hack Champion
Second Level Open Champion 69.74!
Can't complain with the results from these 2 horses.
Thanks to everyone who helped; Sophie, Lise and Les!
I just got my glasses today, and can now see what I am doing without getting headaches!

Levitating Horse!

Just scouring through some more pics from the Niagara Trillium, and I had to post this one. Click on the photo to enlarge it. What you will see is Allie totally up in the air at a medium canter! That's a moment of suspension and then some. Honest, I maybe enhance photos and do the odd cloning, but even I could'nt get a pic to look this good. This is the real deal!

Kirkridge News

These are pics of Allie at the Niagara Trillium Show today; courtesy of Les.

Some Sad news from Kirkridge. My little Sheltie Sir Killian passed away Friday June 6th at age 17. Friday the 13th was the anniversary of Lucky's passing 2 years ago.

The Milestone show was really no Milestone for Allie or Mav; they did not bode well with the footing, and I had to excuse myself from the Third Level Test. The princess decided that the footing was not up to her standards, and was getting aggravated with the slipping on the stone dust surface. Mav untypically could not get from behind the bridle. We still scored around the 60% mark, the rides were fairly clean, but he was not happy either.
So that left me in a panic to qualify for Nationals at Second Level. I scratched Allie out of the Second Level Test at Milestone, so the Arabian Show qualifications were a no-go. I decided to attend the Niagara Trillium Show today, and get the necessary scores. Little did I realize how well she would go in her second test. Allies first test was almost like a confidence builder after Milestone. She went in the ring a little hesitant, and not until after the first shoulder-in did she decide that the ring was OK, and started to kick into gear. Our second ride was much better, and we got a 64.76% in the Second Level Test 4. Straight 7's for our walk work, and 3 7's for general impression. I ended up with High Score for the Day!
So, I'm glad I entered the show for 2 reasons. #1- The princess redeemed herself in the ring after a disasterous last show. #2- There are no questions now to whether I am qualified for Canadian and US Nationals!
So the next stop is the Region 18 Championships for Mav and Allie in London, two weeks away.

YouTubin' Dressage Rides Again

Thanks to Judy for the neat video of Mav and Allie at the Milestone shows this year and last year. She put a cool country song along with photos and did a mini music video! There are also vids of Lauren and Moon schooling at my farm, Sara and Cedar, Allie at Third Level in Niagara.
Just click on the title of this blog to go directly to my youtube site.