Royal Easter Show 22nd April 2011

Star was very well behaved considering what I put the poor bugger through going there and back. Hes such a good boy and just doesn't panic when other horses would. Just stayed nice and calm. On the way there along Greenlane Rd West the hand brake flipped on and jammed the brakes on the float so he had a very jerky ride for a about 1/2km until we got to the gate and figured out what it was (thought it was the old tank at first). Then coming home afterwards at the lights just after the showgrounds and before Gth Sth Rd I braked a bit too hard at the lights and Star went half under the front bar and was sitting down in the float. Just looked at me to say 'um mum I'm a wee bit stuck!'. Had to undo the back bars and pull the divider out to get him back on his feet. Not once did he get stressed, sweat up or panic. Even when we got home he wasn't sweating up or worried about the float. Just took is time coming off. Now if that was Joey like hell would I be getting him anywhere near a float in the future and he would have been drenched when we got back.

But at the show we did quite well. Still feel we should have placed in Best Presented inhand (and so did a few on the side line) but nope. We got 1st Gelding 6-14yrs, 1st Novice ridden and 2nd Best Walking Horse ridden. And to boot we also got Reserve Champ ridden too. I got a wide at the Easter Show weehee!!!!! I like wide ribbons - can get very use to them. There is one photo that sums its up very well. We got WET!! In the novice through to champion class it absolutely poured down. The rest of the day the rain was on slightly then off then on again.

So far he has not come home empty handed. Not too bad a way to start off his showing career. This is his first season out competing under saddle so pretty good for him to get Reserve Champ at the Easter Show. No more shows until about September/October which is the Winter Woolies Show.

Kumeu A&P 12th March 2011

Sorry dont have any photos as I think my slave for the day didnt press hard enough on the button and the last couple of important photos that were taken arent there (the one with the ribbons on his neck). The others taken are on my little pocket camera and it has crappy zoom. The ones I do have I'm a spot somewhere in the photo.

Anyway even when the judge doesnt like Stars type - as in the boofier more hunter type (you know the big boned brick shit house) they still cant overlook him and he still gets placed. Hes at least very consistant and coming home with placings at every show so far. Out of 8 classes (4 ridden and 4 inhand) we came home with 6 ribbons (with 5 of those in the money). We got 1 x 2nd Showmanship Senior Handler, 4 x 3rd Best Present In-Hand, Best Present Ridden, Best Walking Horse and Novice 0-5 Wins, and 1 x 4th Gelding 6-14yrs.

He was a really really good boy in the ridden. No tanty fits, no bucks and was really good with the canter we even got the right led on both reins.

Franklin A&P 20th Feb 2011

Didnt come home with any Champion ribbons but still did really well though. We did a total of 8 classes (4 inhand and 4 ridden) to come home with a total of 7 ribbons - so only missed out on one class - pretty good aye! Now just got to wait for the cheque to arrive.

We got Inhand - 1st Best Presented, 1st Gelding 6-12yrs, 2nd Best Head, 4th Showmanship. In the Ridden we got 4th Best Present, 1st Best Walking Horse, didnt get anything in Best Trotting Horse, 3rd in Novice 0-5 Wins. For Best Presented ridden we dont have 'correct' gear so wasnt expecting to win that one.

He got a little um 'excited' in the Best Trotting Horse class and in Novice was doing nice little Piaffe and Passage with tail stuck straight up in the air that was totally not asked for. Got a little googly eyed at the minis besides us going over the jumps. After hearing over the loud speaker several times for the ambulance to be at such and such ring I was determined not to have them say 'can we have an ambulance at the SB ring please' so made sure I stayed on and he behaved.

Think Star might need a bigger neck though. Have sent my entry off for Kumeu so will see how that goes.

Paeroa A&P 15th Jan 2011

Feck it was HOT!!!!!! Feel like I could soak in a cold bath for the next week. Jessie came and picked us up on her way down with Scotty and both boys travelled well. Its the farthest I've travelled Star in a float since I've got him. Hes DEFINATELY getting better with this whole show thing now YIPPY!!!!! Doesnt give a rats arse about the other horses inhand and for this show I decided to ride him in it. Our first ridden A&P aaarrrhhhh. BUT he was a really good boy. No sign of any tanty fits.

Couldnt be fagged taking a photo at the show - just wanted to rehydrate myself and Star, cool down and get home. So thought I better take a photo at the farm before taking his plaits out. All he wanted was his dinner thank you very much.

He ended up coming home with 3 ribbons. Its all dependant on the judge on the day and some you kick butt and others you come home empty. So far he hasnt come home empty at all which is awesome. He got 3rd Gelding 6yrs and over, 2nd Best Head (those two were inhand) and 3rd Best Walking Horse (ridden). We only did 4 classes ridden (one of which was best presented - in which I wasnt 'correct' turnout gear wise compared to others).

The one thing that amazed both Jessie and myself was that there were no 'other' attractions at Paeroa only the horse events. Small towns for you. How many of the A&P's around dont have gate entry fees to pay? Not exactly the most organised show I've been too either.

Next show is Franklin A&P on Sunday 20th Feb, then Kumeu A&P on the 12/13th March and finally will be doing the Easter Show. Will brave the ridden at Franklin and see how we go. Know hes not going to be a superstar in the ridden section but he needs the milage. Star is improving with each show hes going to - oh the joys of having a young horse aye. Have decided not to do the North Island SB Assoc Show in Feb. Starts like 9am and its in Tauranga which means we would either have to drive down the night before and camp out or get up before the sparrows fart - nah dont think so - me like my sleep.

Clevedon A&P Show 2010

We learnt an important lesson today. Doing both Standardbred and Sport Horse and that amount of classes is not a good idea. Dont know who was more nackered - me or Star. Anyway we only entered 2 SB classes and several Sport Horses. Standardbred we got 1st Best Presented and 1st Gelding 6-14yrs. Then we won Champion Adult SB so in for Supreme - and yip we won that too. Hes such a good boy!!!!!

For the sport horse he was getting a little over it by then and so was I. Felt like a very long day. We had entered 6 classes in Sport Horse and wasnt expecting to get anything at all in those so was surprised when we got 3rd in Mare or Gelding registered with Sport Horse Promo Board. Think I have had enough exercise to last me the year.

Next show will be Franklin A&P then maybe Kumeu and the Easter Show.

Winter Woolies Show 2010

Me and Sue decided that we would take the boys along to the Winter Woolies Show in Pukekoke. We decided to go even before it was postponed to give the boys an outing. Spook hasn't been to anything in YEARS!! And for a lad that thinks going on a float is a stupid idea ended up loading well for him and was great to float. Spook came home with several ribbons and did well in the Sport Horse inhand. We decided to do the First Timers ridden section since its been a such a long time for him and also Star just needed some experience with the whole show scene and to be ridden at something like this without blowing his brain cells.

Well I must report back that no he DIDNT blow any brain cells and was very well behave. We even came home with a ton of ribbons and some nice ones too. The photos consist of

- the one with 6 ribbons was for inhand Standardbred and should have been one more red one but didnt realise it was in my other pocket when I took the photo

- the one with 5 ribbons was for the ridden in First Timers ring - yes he behaved so well he got ribbons under saddle.

- my favourite is the other 2 really nice wide ones though which he got for inhand SB - hes such a good boy!!!

METALLICA!!!

Oh ok I know this is meant to be my animal blog but cant resist putting going to the Metallica concert on here. Went to the thursday concert at Vector Arena in Auckland and it was FANTASTIC!! So much for seating concert - dont think anyone at all was seated during the whole show. Enter Sandman just totally rocked!! Pretty sure we drowned out James Hetfield with all of us singing along. Sorry about the crappy photos but they were taken from my basic little phone. The place was a sell out for both nights as you can see by the last photo.