We are HOME

We left Lexington on Tuesday at about 12:20...New Castle, PA for the night.

Left New Castle, PA at 6:00 AM Wed. Long time on road..one flat tire....several fuel stops....arrive back in Groton at 6:30.

2000 miles round trip, horses traveled very well.

Barn tour in Lexington

We visited Keenland, Winstar and Old Friends (a racing horse rescue. All very neat places.

Keenland

Winstar is the breeding stable of Tisnow...two time Breeders Cup Classic 2000, 2001
Winstar - Tisnow

Competition Done

Pony Club Rally ended today. Melissa's team of 4 placed 10th in the riding competition and 4th in horse management. Horse Management is a continuous rating and monitoring of their stalls, verifying a complete, organized, labeled inventory of EVERYTHING that may ever be needed, and their general ability to maintain a safe environment. Given that there are 1000+ kids here...all here by qualifying regionally across the country and tens of thousands that didn't qualify...10th and 4th make a GREAT week.

Stadium Jumping

Melissa ran a clean course in stadium jumping, but a bit slow. She got four time penalties.

Video of jumping

Streaming of Melissa's Stadium

Events are being streamed over the internet.  Melissa's Stadium division starts at 11:30, not sure what the order is...there are 90 Beginner Novice riders
http://www.ihigh.com/ponyclub/broadcast_169239.html?silverlight=1

Cross Country

Melissa gets to ride on the Rolex Cross Country course. She had a 2:30 start time...hottest part of the day. The course included 18 obstacles including logs, banks, and water.

Melissa rode clear and perfect, both Melissa and RT looked good getting around.

Dressage Day

Very hot here today...like everywhere else. 94 degrees and 60% humidity.

Melissa had her Dressage test in the fancy new Rolex Arena, where the World Equestrian Games were held last year. She rode at 10:45, so a bit before the hottest part of the day. She did well (to my unknowing eye), waiting for scores to post.

Video of the dressage test

Early morning fog

Melissa needs to be at the barn complex at 6:00...WAY before dawn here, we are much further west then Groton. On the way back, there was some pretty cool fog on the cross country course.

Tuesday - Jogs and Panic

Tuesday at Championships is 'Jog Out' day.  All of the competitors jog pass a panel of judges, pulling horses behind.  Judges are assuring horses are fit to compete.  It's easy...jog past judges and back to barn.  If a judge has concerns, horse is flagged and retries at the end.  If you dont pass, you dont compete...DONE. 
Well, Melissa and RT got flagged!  So off to the back of the line.  RT HATES running on rocks and stones, which was exactly where the jog was held.  

So...1000 miles and cant compete???? YIKES!  Second pass was on a narrow grass strip....PASS without any issue!    Ahhhhh.

Why Are We Here?

Melissa competes in an equestrian sport called Eventing.  Within eventing, competitors combine scores in dressage, stadium jumping and cross country (jumping logs, water and other man made obstacles.   At Pony Club, members compete in teams of four.  Melissa was the lone eventing qualifier for her level.  Melissa was included in a  "Scramble" team, built from members of a Virginia team that was one member short. 

We Arrived Monday at 5:00PM

We pulled into the Kentucky Horse Park at 5:00 PM after 980 miles on the road.  All of the horses traveled well.

Entering Kentucky

We counted down the miles into Kentucky...As we crossed the boarder from WV into Kentucky, this was the view.

Second Day of Driving

Monday morning we we woke at 4:30 AM in Morgantown, PA.  One trailer left hotel to collect horses at layover barn.  We all left hotel at about 6:00AM.  We drove from PA into Maryland.  Crossed the top of Maryland for a while into West Virginia.  As we approached Nitro, West Virginia (even I couldn't make that up) our companion trailer blew out and shreaded a trailer tire....that is why they are double axle.  Here is Coach Allison showing great cross wrench form.

Only about a 20 minute delay...we had a great pit crew!

Day one of driving DONE

Finished seven hours of driving today to South Central Pennsylvania.  RT has been put up at local stable for the night.  Nine more hours to go.  As a side note, we have checked off about 28 different state license plates (including a couple fake ones from Canada)

Packed up

We are caravaning with another family that is bringing 2 horses.  So all three horses are going the their trailer.  We are hauling everything else...hay, shavings, bikes, and pink flamingos.

Planning on a 7:30 departure Sunday morning.  First day drive is to south central Pennsylvania.

Packed up

Packing, Packing and more Packing

we are plotting though three 5-page checklists of things to pack.  Horse stuff, camping stuff, camper stuff, bikes, wine, bug spray, and the kitchen sink

Off To Championships

Melissa placed First in the Central New England (CNE) three phased eventing qualifying event.  This qualified Melissa for Eastern National Championship Rally. Three phase eventing is the triathlon of equestrian events.  Competitors are scored on dressage, stadium jumping and cross country.

Pony Club Rallies are team events.  Teams of 4-5 compete as a team in the riding disciplines and in general horse management.

Teams are generally made from members of a particular region.  Since Melissa is the only qualifier from CNE at her level, she has been assigned to a Scramble Team.   Scramble teams are pulled together with members from different regions.  Melissa as been added to a team from Virginia that was short one member.