Rain on the Exhibition, But Still Had a Blast!

Pictures: Top- Allie doing her thing.
Group photo: Allie, Me, Lise, Janet, Mav and Jen
Allie staring at the RCMP musical ride
Allie, Mav and Jen mesmorized by the RCMP horses.

























So, what else is new? It rained AGAIN!
Allie and Mav were invited to the Niagara Exhibition to be the "warm-up" rides for the RCMP! How cool is that?
So I thought, HMMM, Okay, it's going to rain, but what the heck! How many times does one get this opportunity?
So, I donned on my top hat rain cover AGAIN for the second weekend in a row (I bought the damn thing 3 years ago, and have not used it until now).
Lise and Jen helped get the two of them ready to go in the ring, and Jen did a bit of a warm-up on Mav for me. We were ready to do our rides.
So, the rain does not stop. I am literally half-passing around puddles, and finding some decent diagonal lines to do some tempi-changes. Neither Allie or Mav cared less. They were in their element. Allie did'nt mind the crowd, or the screaming teenagers on the midway behind us. The only thing that made her wake up and pay attention was the 32 RCMP in formation that rode past her and the end of our rides. The poor mare could'nt get her eyes off of them!
Mav was the usual ham that he is; hearing his "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" freestyle music again. I did some one handed Pirouettes, and Extended trot to wow the crowd. He was great doing his 2 tempis umpteen times to the "Irish Washer Woman Music".
Speaking of that music, I'm talking to Janet Henderson during the RCMP ride, and all of a sudden realized, hey! they are using the same Irish Washer Woman Song in their medley of tunes. Too freaky or what? So, out of all the music to put together, we used the same song! I joked with the RCMP riders later about it........did they steal my music, or did I steal theirs? Too funny!
So, after we had finished packing up the guys and putting them on the trailer, we headed off for a bite to eat; Lise and I shared a Bloomin' Onion and some Butterfly Fries. Jen stuck to eating 2 Candy Apples, and a Corn Dog. Les had a Hot Dog and Fries. Nutritious I'd say.
So, 1 show to go until the end of the season on the 28th. Please, NO MORE RAIN!

Arwen and Allie Meet for the First Time

Allie meets her 1/2 sister Rivendells Arwen at the Niagara Dressage Show yesterday!

Niagara Dressage Show AKA The Niagara Falls on Me Show

Pictures:The Rain during the beginning of my first test, before it got real bad. Extended Trot in the puddles with Allie during the second ride in the drizzle, Megan and Kalua, had their best tests of the season. Bottom : Rivendells Arwen and Brianne (this is Allies 1/2 sister in her first show ever!)


Well, when you start out the show season getting rained on, I guess you end up with doing the last show getting rained on too!
I started down the centre line with my rain cover and beige breeches on because of the iminent rain, but did not believe what happened in my test. It went something like this:
A Enter at Collected Trot
X Halt Salute Proceed at Collected Trot
C Track left into a light shower
R-V Shoulder-in to moderate rain
V-L Half Circle left 10M in heavier rain
L-R Half Pass Left into a monsoon!
Proceed past judge laughing, Judge finding the only dry spot under the canopy too keep watching and not float away.
MXK Change rein at Medium Trot in Torrential Downpour.
Continue through the rest of the test in Torrential Downpour.
A Turn Down centre line (at this point I am still doing this test by memory, because Janet Henderson who read for me is yelling her best, and I still can't hear her!).
X Halt Salute, leave arena in a light rain shower.
I got a big cheer from the crowd huddled in the arena from the weather, congratulating me on my guts and determination!
So, that test is definitely one for the books!