Thursday, February 23, 2012

Sweethearts of San Acacia

I need me a pair of these...
I got a perfect score.  In spite of all the silliness surrounding me this week ~ including bad moods and bitch sessions ~ I keep mulling that over in my head.

I got a perfect score.

Hank was not thrilled with his get up.
I'm a member of ACTHA - a national trail riding competition group - 6 miles, 6 natural obstacles and 6 judges watching your every move.

Been a member for 2 years but have never actually saddled up and tried my luck...

Until Valentine's week.

When I competed at the Sweethearts of San Acacia ACTHA competition on what might have been the coldest day on record, in sunny New Mexico. What a blast! (Just in case you're wondering, you get bonus points for dolling up your pony. :)

I waited a whole week to check my scores ~ first time and all, plus I never think I'm very good at anything.

Nearly fell over when I saw that out of a possible 20 points... We got 21 on the Standing Jump (which I've never done before.) 10 for me, 10 for the horse. And, an extra tie-breaking point for perfection. Wow!

And, then I tanked on the Dip A Coaster ~ A steep up and down where my horse did just dandy. She got a 9. And, I got a 3. Oops. Here it is, just in case you're curious.



* These pics were taken by a horse pal o' mine, Lisa W.

15 comments:

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Congrats. What a thrill. The video reminds me of when we were kids and my cousins would ride their horses up and down stripper pit hills. SCARY.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

It was SCARY. Much steeper than it looks and no place to stop at the bottom. I guess that's why I got a 3. :)

Anonymous said...

Fantastic, Kate! Congratulations!

Susan in the Pink hat said...

That looks so cold!

Yael at Home Garden Diggers said...

Kate,

Woohoo! Congrats! That dip does look scary. Everyone so bundled up...looks really cold.

Yael

Melospiza said...

Congratulations! How fun!

joey said...

Is there nothing that you can't do ... I am so impressed! ((hugs))

Janie said...

Those are pretty chaps, and Hank is looking cute.
The competition looks like fun, no matter the score.

Melanie J Watts said...

Congratulations on your perfect score and the wedding of your daughter. Have a wonderful day.

Snowcatcher said...

Congratulations! That was very cool to watch, impressed as heck at the person recording with TWO cameras at once (I know, I know, one's a helmet cam...), and the first thing I noticed was how bundled up everyone was. Chilly weekend!

Anna Larson said...

WOW I didn't know you were there also. Are you going to the next one?

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

No, rats, can't make the next one. But, I am planning to do their Cinco de Mayo ride. Are you?

Anna Larson said...

Well I was planning on going to every single ride until the end of the ride season (end of June) because my coming 5 year old mare is still in the top 10 horses in state points wise. But they keep adding more and more rides and I'm afraid I'll run out of gas money before June as long as these fuel prices keep rising.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Wow! Congrats! I hear ya on the gas prices. That's why I cancelled the March plans... Glad we're connected through our blogs and I hope to ride with you at some point. :)

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Awww...I'm your horse pal! My pics look great on your blog. Did I really give you just a 3? Was it on obstacle #4 or #5? I judged the down portion #4.
If a rider didn't loosen their reins enough to allow their horse freedom of their head, or didn't lean back, I gave a lower score....but usually not as low as a 3!
And Trish, who judged the #5 obstacle, the uphill portion gave lower scores for letting the horse run uphill and not pausing at the bottom, as well as for not rising out of the seat and leaning forward a little.

Oh and just a note, that rose and ribboned adorned horse, who was obviously not too happy about his decor (lol!) is owned by Melissa Bruch (you can find her on FB) and his name is Pal :)

~Lisa