Just got home from the latest 2 weeks of showing up at Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, BC, and what a time it was! I’ll recap by the horse to try to keep it simple.
FF Clintaro
Clinton was absolutely foot perfect throughout the two weeks of showing. He requires so little prep (I lunge him for 5-10 minutes in the morning on the first few days of the show – mostly to loosen him up without a rider on board) and is so consistent and predictable…not things you can usually say about a 4 year old horse! He picked up great ribbons in the first week, remaining in the top 5 in his Baby Green classes. He then went on to show in the Short Stirrup Hunters and Equitation with a 13 year old girl who was stepping up from a pony. Wow was I impressed with this young horse! He was calm and relaxed and completely went with the flow, taking mistakes with a chuckle and never holding them against his rider. They won one class and had several great ribbons in others.
Week 2 was a continuation of the great behavior. Clinton placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in his Baby Green classes to finish the division with the Reserve Champion title! Another girl came up to show him in the Short Stirrups. This time a 15 year old girl in her first 2 years of riding. Once again he carried the kid around without a second thought about questionable decisions and riding. Chip? No problem! Take a flyer? Sure! They had one absolutely beautiful round that they won, and took great ribbons in their other classes as well.
Videos of both girls and a couple of my rounds are on Clinton’s sales page: www.flyingfsporthorses.com/horses-for-sale/ff-clintaro/
FF Evita
Evita once again refused to be upstaged by her younger counterpart. She had some lovely double clear rounds in the 1.0m Jumpers. But the real achievements were her absolutely spectacular rounds in the Maplebrook Young Jumper 5yo (1.10m) classes. Both of the rounds are on Evita’s sales page: www.flyingfsporthorses.com/horses-for-sale/ff-evita/ She held up her reputation as a warrior show horse and galloped around the big grass Grand Prix field as though she’d done it a hundred times before. She ended up 3rd out of a large and competitive field of horses (the class was judged 50% on quality of the horse and 50% on faults/time allowed). Could not have been more impressed with her demeanor and use of her body in the classes. She’s just so clever and so light on her feet….I feel like I could jump a house when I’m sitting on her!
Cassiana SR and William L
Billy picked up the Reserve Championship in his Jr/AO Jumper division in the week one and a 10th in the Grand Prix. Week two landed him with a Championship in the Jr/AO Jumper division and a lovely round in the Grand Prix.
Cassie jumped around the 1.30m Jr/AO in week one with a 3rd place in a large class. And then won her YJC 7yo Qualifier class in week two. It was fun to have her out on the grass at 1.30m for the first time!
Foxy Socks
The addition to the roster this time out was my 21 year old mare, Foxy Socks, who competed in the 1.30m and 1.40m with me many years ago. She now carries around my most precious cargo…..my 9 year old daughter. They showed in the 0.75m jumpers all week with a couple of 2nd place finishes in big classes. My favorite video may be the one below where Sadie was so focused on doing the super tricky turn (to the 3rd fence) that she totally forgot about every other turn on course, LOL! But the one turn was completely awesome! Great kid that she is, Sadie was totally happy with the course and walked out proud that she was able to pull off the tricky turn. I could sure learn a thing or two from her!
All in all the show was an absolute unqualified success for all of the horses. 
Now for a little break for everyone before gearing up for The Evergreen Classic in Monroe, WA that will lead off the group to the next two weeks up at Thunderbird!