$40,000 Howard County Grand Prix - September 25th, 2010

Hey guys!

I had a really exciting weekend in Clarksville, Maryland at the Howard County Grand Prix.

We arrived at the show grounds at 11:38am on Friday to check in before 1:00pm and get Ganowe settled in. After getting everything unpacked I got my number; #13, which was also my order of go for Saturday.

I took Ganowe for a stroll around the grounds Friday night around 7:00pm, it was in the 90's all day so we thought it would be best to just wait until it cooled off.

We had an early start Saturday with a work around the schooling area at 6:00am, followed by a trail ride through the woods around Marama Farm. We didn't have to be ready until 2:00 for the course walk, and then the parade of riders in the ring.

Pretty neat experience to go in with 21 riders who's Grand Prix experience was above my own, since this was my very first Grand Prix. HaHa.

The best part of the whole time there was the sound of the buzzer after they said, "Number 13, Ganowe 2, with owner/rider Priscilla Godsoe from Nottingham, Pennsylvania. When not showing she whips-in to the the River Hills Foxhounds 4 days a week, and this will be her 3 start in the Grand Prix ring" ... guess they didn't get my info straight but oh, well, the best part was knowing I had 40 seconds to get to the first fence, and I'm not sure how to describe it but there is a certain amount of confidence or control you feel when you are in the ring, and start your course. I think its a rather euphoric moment.

Instead of going into the whole course and how it rode and felt I'll just sum it up that we had a really good go, and we met all the distances and combinations, and all the tricky stuff. I have to say the whole experience has left me feeling extremely confident, and I'm so excited to go back at it again. And also, I am really excited to ride my young horses everyday, knowing that they too will be in the Grand Prix ring someday, and that's just such an exciting thing to be apart of in bringing them along.

That's it for now... Ganowe looks good, looks sound and looks happy, so he is no worse for the wear! Good ol' Man :-)

xo-P

Bareback Puissance at Plantation Fields September 19th

What fun, fun, fun...

Bareback Puissance at Plantation Fields

I took, JB, she was really good.

I dont think I trust any of my other horses besides her to go down and jump the wall.

We jumped around 5' and then went back at 5'3" but had it down. I had one more wait but she saw a shot she wanted to jump from and we got a bit off kilter.

Oh well!

Everyone stayed on top, and stayed safe!

Thanks to Katie Walker and Plantaion Fields for letting us be a part of the fun :-)

Quentin Fall Show - Sept 4th, 2010

GREAT DAY!

I was up at 5am to go fox hunting, and then after hunting, we left at 2:00pm to ride in the $10,000 1.40m Prix and the Quentin Fall show.

The course, as I walked it, seemed to be set to the forward distance, and the turns to the jumps left no room for error. I had to ride second, however, to my advantage I was able to watch Kevin Babbington navigate the course in the first round. After watching Kevin, I felt really confident in the plan I had made for my ride, so in I went!

The first fence was a very plain, airy vertical, and not the smallest fence on the course. From there you bent to the left to another vertical (easiest fence on the course... and I had it down) and then to a large square oxer sitting on the turn at the in gate. After the oxer was an in and out, vertical to oxer along the rail at the stands to a bit of an off stride vertical still along the rail, and then fence six was an oxer with a tight turn to the left to wrap around two fences to get to seven, which was a liver pool oxer.

Now in my opinion, fence(s) 8 a,b were apart of the toughest elements or the course, an oxer to an oxer in and out, set pretty long. I couldn't have been more pleased when Ganowe jumped in, and I could feel him know exactly were he was and he felt so confident jumping out! From here we bent around fence three to get to a swishy jump for fence nine. From nine was a bit of a long gallop to an airy, plain oxer along the rail and then a left bend to another oxer on the turn but set a little different than I thought when I got there. Either way it rode okay, just a little bit surprised.

The last elements were 12 a,b... I had to ride into the first part which was an oxer, and then a bit of a quick hold to come out clean over the vertical.

Phew... okay so you just rode the course with me. I had a blast! We didnt make it to the jump off, but I know we are on the path to success. I felt really good about everything.

Helen Goddard was the fastest, double clear in the jump off, and then Kevin Babbington was the fastest four faulter, and Michael Walton was also a four fault round to finish up the jump off in third...

Ganowe and I finished 9th, we were able to pretty much pay for the day, and go home with something more valuable... EXPERIENCE! And the drive to keep going at it.

off to Ludwigs tomorrow!

Cheers - P

Duncraven August 29th 2010

Candle has been burning at both ends for the last two weeks... so don't mind me if I'm not as insightful as I should be.

I did have a good day at the show. I took Ganowe in the Meter 1.25 class and he felt great. We were able to be the fastest clear to win.

Also went in the 10,000 Mini Prix at Meter 1.30... course and fences were great I really enjoyed some of the different things the course asked from us as riders.

Our out come in the Mini Prix was not what I had planned, haha, but we finished 10th and I felt really good about what I learned and accomplished.

I 'facebook stalked' someone we all know at the horse shows, Brian Livell, and on his FB he has a quote:

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."

I don't know why, but for some reason it hit a cord with me and I'm going to use that to sum up the day.

Good Night all, see you Thursday and Saturday at Quentin :-)

Cheers - P

The Super 5's @ London Grove Horse Show - August 14th, 2010

FUN DAY!

I don't have anything super exciting to report and don't have any pictures (sorry).

Horses that I took to show (MY SUPER 5 YEAR OLDS - haha):
TINKA'S LADY
IRISH CHEER(aka BRADDOCK)
LA GRANGE

All three horses were great. They are definitely handling the new world of horse showing as a 'cool new thing'. The most exciting part is that as each class progressed they got better and better.

Tinkadid great in the L2's, and seemed very comfortable with the height while learning about turns and new jumps. I think after the first 2 classes she would have been perfectly ready to do a class in the L3's

Braddockwill need to move up into the L2's. He was very comfortable in the L1's placing very well in all three classes. Time for a step up buddy!

La Grangewas the coolest, as in he was very 'chill' and he jumped GREAT! Probably one of his best shows.

Okay, I'm tired and ready for bed! Night all :-)

-P

Sunday August 8th 2010 Berks County Mini Prix & Puissance

Hello Everyone! Yes I know its Tuesday, not Sunday but I wanted to wait until the pictures were up so I could share them...

I had such a great time and my horses; Judge Beautiful, and Ganowe 2 were just awesome!

'JB' was entered in the Puissance and since I entered late I was at the top of the order of go.. We made it to the 4th and final round at 5'4", by puissance record standings isn't huge but for my 3rd go at the puissance I was happy at the height to get experience. 'JB' was all game and seriously had it in her to keep jumping a big wall.

My lack of experience and not knowing where to be at the base got me in trouble in the final round having the fence down... but we were one of three to actually complete the two jumps and not to crash into them! Which was impressive to me and showed me how much heart my little girl really has... ps.. 'JB' is maybe, just maybe 16.1 hh and I'm at least 5'9" so, I was out there looking like I was on a pony! Great effort for the girlie considering the jump was bigger than she was!

Ganowe was entered in the $5000 Mini Prix and we were 3rd to go in the order out of 15... We ended up one of two horses that made a clear effort in the first go and went on to win the mini prix. It was such an honor to ride him, and then to have them put the ribbon around him made me feel so happy for him. He so deserved the ribbon, and I feel like he knew that's where he belonged. Ganowe is such a cool horse, and he loves to compete. It was nice to give him a good ride and I felt we were able to be a successful team together.


After we were all done and the horses were wrapped and on the truck ready to go home, they had a look in their eye that they were proud of themselves too. That's a good feeling.

Next show will be Vince Dugans, I'm taking Braddock and Tinka! Wish us luck :-)

-P

Having fun.. and taking care of yourself!

Well everyone, we had a great day yesterday at the Fair Hill Jumper Show.

I took Baggage, Tinka's Lady, Irish Cheer (aka Braddock), and La Grange.

It was a pretty hot day, but the horses did great.

I took Tinka and Braddock both in the 3' jumper class, and I was thrilled with the effort they put in. Both horses had never really shown, they had definitely never seen tents all around the ring, and lots and lots of people and horses all over. Both horses jumped around great depite the fact they were unsure of everything, and I got by on them trusting me! Thank goodness for that :-) Tinka ended up 4th, and Braddock was 5th!

Next class was the 3'3, and I took La Grange in that. It was his 6th horse show. I think he woke up on the wrong side of the stall! For some reason he was just not in good humor.. silly horse. It took two classes to mellow him out. We ended up 3rd in one class and 2nd in the Jumper Classic.

After the three 5 year olds showed (Tinka, Braddock, La Grange) I pulled out my Ace, 'Super Bags'. I really enjoyed riding him again. He jumped ONE time since showing him in May at Blue Rock so his first round in the ring was a bit playful! By our second round he was all game, and put forth some killer turns to produce a winner, winner, winner! In the Classic round we place 2nd.

Now, I have been beating myself up for this one.. A here are my reasons: I did not eat all day, I did drink a lot but by my very last class I was over heated, and was not 100%. I was getting dizzy and did not do my best. What made me upset was that I did not take care of myself. Its really important to do this. If you can't eat while riding you should prepare to eat that morning or eat a big meal the night before. I didnt do either one. So what cost me the class was not taking care of myself and there is no excuse! If you are expecting your horses to perform, you better be able to perform yourself! So a note worthy experience.

All in all a great day!