Springfest

A friend of mine convinced me to go to the Monterey Springfest this year. It is a TWHBEA affiliated show, but without any performance classes. I hadn’t been to a TWHBEA show since I left Texas, but of course in Texas, there were always performance classes. In fact, that’s what the shows always centered around. So, I wanted to experience what the TWHBEA shows were like in Northern California.

Right from the start, Apache was such a good boy. He was completely calm and relaxed the entire show. He shipped up the day before I showed up with someone he’d never met and horses he’d never met, but he was still completely content when I arrived. The horse stalled next to him had never shown before and was acting somewhat neurotic, but even that didn’t phase him. In addition, even though it was his first 3 day show, he never ran out of energy like he usually does at the end of day 2. He seemed really happy the whole time. I’m glad he likes showing as much as I do.

In my opinion, Apache’s performance at this show was the best he’s ever given. The arena is a bowl arena, with the spectators’ feet starting just above the horses’ eye level, which makes them want to throw their heads up to get a better look at whatever’s moving around up there. Apache already wants to rack when he’s excited and feeling good, and of course when he throws his head up, it’s more condusive to racking than walking. Still, he never broke out into a full on rack and was pretty good considering he’d never been in an arena like that before. He never spooked, he just wanted to look. There were a few classes where he was a little bit racky, but he was still gaiting beautifully. His canter was so smooth and soft, on both leads, and he was so forward at his gaits. I don’t know how he looked, but he felt great. Based on the comments I got, he must have looked good. My friend Libby told me she had never seen him look so good, which matches with my feeling that he has never felt so good. In addition, after one class, a lady I had met at the show came up to me and said “I can’t believe how smooth Apache’s gaits are.” She said that as all the riders would go past on their side of the arena, you could just see the tops of their heads, and they would all be bobbing a little. Then I came by and I looked like I was just gliding forward on a conveyor belt – my head was completely level. After another class where the judge didn’t use me, another person I had met at the show came up and told me that not only did she and the people she was sitting with think I should have been used, they thought I should have gotten 1st in the class. She said Apache was the most on the bit and moving up into his gaits out of all the horses, the entire class.

Anyway, despite his beautiful performance, the judge didn’t like him. She used us very little and the 3 times she did, we got 4ths. Regardless of the judge’s opinion, I am so proud of him. He did so well. I really hope I can afford to show him more this year after that performance. There was one 3 gaited class where the judge didn’t use me at all. There were 6 horses in the class. My horse behaved throughout the class, but one other horse spun in circles and took about 30 seconds to even get moving forward again when the canter was called for the first way of the ring. The judge pinned that horse 5th and didn’t tie me at all in that class. Needless to say, it was extremely frustrating. It was so nice to hear the spectators’ comments and compliments. It makes it all worth it, even when the judge doesn’t like you.

Overall, it was a good experience an a fun show. Apache got lots of compliments at the show from spectators and other competitors, and made himself some new human friends. I will post pictures when I get them.