July 29, 2008
July 29, 2008
Here it is Tuesday, and time is really going by fast. I have a big day today. We are working dogs here on the farm again, and I am planning a light work out for the horses. There is still so much to pack, but I am going to take some time for me today. I am going to New Braunfels, Texas, home of Schlitterbahn, the world’s greatest water park. It is about three hours from my house.
I am going with some friends. One is my neighbor Kyler; we have grown up together, and his mother and sister are barrel racers. I worked for his uncles last summer exercising their racing horses. Another friend joining is Shayla. We have done youth rodeos together since we were little. Shayla’s brother has nationally qualified for Ford Youth World in the tie down and breakaway roping, so we will see her again in Oklahoma.
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July 29, 2008
July 29, 2008
McKenna won this saddle over the weekend.
Sunday did not go as badly as I thought it would; I ended up winning the barrel saddle.
The top-10 fastest times made it back to the short go on Sunday; that started at 11 in the morning. The barrels were about halfway through the event, so I had to run in the hottest part of the Texas summer heat. I think it was 101 degrees or so. Luckily the arena was covered.
I tried to keep Henry as cool as possible. I kept him in a magnetic blanket until the event before barrels and in the shade to keep him cool. The short go was run in “slow-back” format, which means the slowest five times ran first, then a drag, and then the fastest five times would run. I had the third fastest time coming in, so I ran third on the ground. The run before me was a 16.7, which was the fastest time so far.
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July 27, 2008
July 27, 2008 – Switzerland
Nicole can’t wait to get home and try the new things she learned.
Everyone was ready to work on Saturday. The crew from Texas Tech divided up to work on specific class maneuvers. Robin, who has mastered the horsemanship seat and proven herself in showmanship, attempted to teach them everything she knew. Esther was so excited to work on showmanship that she requested that next year we start working on it the first day… I think she might be the only one.
Brianne and Alicia worked on trail in the indoor arena. Almost everyone made their way to work on the trail maneuvers, while Kris and Kevin worked on reining maneuvers and special problems in the outside pen. Many were excited to conquer the lead change and learn drills to help improve.
What better way to end a horsemanship camp than a horse show. All the participants were ready at 9 a.m. Sunday, and the patterns were posted. Maggie even tried to impress the judges with her Texas flag saddle pad and matching shirt.
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July 26, 2008
July 26, 2008
Last night was kind of a bummer. There were more than 700 entries at the rodeo, and I did not get home until almost 1 a.m. I left half-way through the rodeo after I was finished. The entries were spread out over three days. The top-10 fastest times in each event make the short round on Sunday, and the person with the fastest average got to walk away with a new saddle.
I hit a pole and pulled up and still had the second-fastest time. I guess the resetting of Rub’s feet really did help. It was my fault I hit a pole. I just got behind him when he turned. He hasn’t turned that hard and fast in a long time – I wasn’t expecting it.
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July 25, 2008
July 25, 2008
I have four horses: Rub, Willy, Henry and Elvis.
Rub is my pole bending horse that I qualified for the Ford Youth World on. I bought him as a 5 year old, a young horse that was started on barrels but had not yet figured out how to run. I slowly brought him along in the barrels, and we started winning at the Texas youth rodeos.
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July 25, 2008
July 25 – Switzerland
The camp in Switzerland has 16 participants.
After a night on the town in Vienna, my flight for Zurich, Switzerland, left at 7 a.m. Dr. Kris Wilson, Robin Morris, Kevin Burns, Alicia Daugherty and Brianne Aucutt from Texas Tech University are teaching the camp in Frauenfeld, Switzerland.
On Thursday, the riders came in from all over the little country. Texas Tech split the group by judging them on a basic horsemanship pattern. Participants had the chance to show off their riding abilities and their horses right from the start. Nine out of the 16 horses are Quarter Horses.
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July 24, 2008
July 24, 2008
I’m riding Rub lightly today – we are entered at a youth rodeo tomorrow. I’ll be running poles on him in the first go and hope to make it back to the short go on Sunday. I’m also making an appointment to put my truck in the shop Monday morning to have everything checked before heading out next week. I can’t believe we leave next week for the Ford Youth World.
July 23, 2008
July 23, 2008
I’m headed back to the vet today. Dr. Tanner wanted a different horseshoer to look at Rub and reset him. He has been off in his times for a while, so I am willing to give it try. We will run at a local barrel race tomorrow night and see if the resetting helps.
July 23, 2008
July 21, 2008 – Austria
In open horsemanship, Chantal Wolf placed first, Gila Wohlmann second and Claudia Wolf third.
Show time for the Austrians. The group from Sam Houston State University spent the last three days working on different aspects of horsemanship to help prepare the participants for their mock show.
The “AQHA Austrian Cup” had an open and novice division in pleasure, western horsemanship and trail. The first- and second-place winners received a SHSU Cup and all participants received a complimentary SHSU pen.
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July 23, 2008
July 19, 2008 – Austria
Dr. Matt McMillan talked reining with Gila Wohlmann.
It was bound to happen sooner or later; I arrived in Austria, but my bags did not. Luckily, I have made a point to have a change of clothes in my carry-on.
Matt McMillan, Carmen Del Toro, Caleb Thompson and Kim Hall from Sam Houston State University met up with me where we are staying during the camp. They only had one night to get over the jet-leg before the camp started at the Longview Ranch in Wilhelmsburg, Austria.
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