Award Time again!

On January 8th, OHJA is having its awards banquet and I thought I'd just make note of some of our accomplishments ("our" meaning Triple Rise) from this year.

Open System
Lauren and Bella - 2nd 3' Pre Green Working Hunter
2nd Adult Amateur Working Hunter (18-35)
2nd 18 & Over Hunt Seat Equitation, flat
3rd 18 & Over Hunt Seat Equitation, over fences

Julie and Henry - 4th Adult Amateur Working Hunter (18-35)
3rd 18 & Over Hunt Seat Equitation, flat
4th 18 & Over Hunt Seat Equitation, over fences

Debbie and Houdini - 3rd Adult Amateur Working Hunter (41 +)
7th Large Working Hunter
6th 18 & Over Hunt Seat Equitation, over fences

Regional System
Kate and Titan - 1st 3'3" Pre Green Working Hunter
2nd Adult Amateur Working Hunter (18-35)

Anna and Patches - 8th Children's Working Hunter (13 & under)
2nd Modified Child/Adult Hunter
2nd Pre Child Hunter
4th Small Working Hunter
7th Pre Child Equitation, flat
7th Pre Child Equitation, over fences

Kristine and Q - 5th Children's Working Hunter (14-17)
1st Modified Junior/Amateur Hunter
2nd Open Working Hunter
1st Children's Equitation, over fences (14-17)
5th 0.95-1.00 Meter Jumper
4th Low Child/Adult Jumper

Sophie and Jackson - 3rd Children's Working Hunter Pony
3rd Pre Child Hunter
5th Pre Child Equitation, flat
3rd Pre Child Equitation, over fences

Jessie and Honey - 4th Pony Working Hunter

Missy and Keenan - 1st Large Working Hunter
1st Pre Adult Hunter
2nd Pre Adult Equitation, flat
2nd Pre Adult Equitation, over fences

Holly and Lucky - 2nd Long Stirrup Hunter
1st Long Stirrup Equitation, flat
2nd Long Stirrup Equitation, over fences

Alison and Bijou - 4th Short Stirrup Hunter
4th Short Stirrup Equitation, over fences

Tamara, Jakob and Cloudy - 5th 18 & Over Hunt Seat Equitation, flat
3rd 0.85-0.90 Meter Jumper
5th Low Child/Adult Jumper 3'

Jessie and Houdini - 6th Children's Equitation, over fences (13 & under)


We pretty much rock :)

changes

Wow, has it really been almost a month since I posted? With all this spare time on my hands, you'd think I'd find something to talk about every day!

Honestly, I'd be kidding myself if I wondered why. Not only have I not been able to ride as much (thank you morning, afternoon AND evening sickness!) but I am not thinking about it the same as I used to. I'm not working towards the same goals as I was before I got pregnant. In August/September, I was eagerly anticipating moving up to Adult Amateur classes for next year's show season - now, I'll be lucky to be back in time for Pre Adult classes at Northwest Spectacular. I mean, that's probably the best case scenario. It doesn't bother me, it just changes the way I look at my favorite activity. Now when I ride, I mainly focus on what I'm doing that day, that moment, and thanking the Lord I had the energy to climb into the saddle. I also want to be able to give Keenan as much exercise as I personally can for as long as I can so that he doesn't have to be a burden for anyone else just yet.

That brings up another transition that is taking place at Triple Rise right now. Sarah is leaving us next week. She'll be graduating from U of O this spring and really wants to buckle down and ace her last two terms - I think having a full course load on top of her job was really stressful for her this term and she doesn't need that when she's staring down the barrel of the graduation gun. After graduating, she wants to move on and work at other places around the country. When I talked to her, she mentioned some job offers in California.

We all found out about this last week and although I am MAJORLY bummed - I cried, I'll admit it - I know that Sarah absolutely needs to do what is right for her. She is 23 years old and has been in Eugene for a very long time. And, as much as I love Oregon and adore my barn, Eugene is not exactly the hunter jumper capitol of the world. Sarah has so much talent and SO much potential - look what she managed to do with me in two years! - and she really owes it to herself to get out there and aim for the big time. I think she wants to ride for some big name clients - some very fancy horses with rich owners - to make a name for herself, and then eventually would come back to Oregon to start her own barn.

As much as it pains me to lose a trainer who had become such a dear, dear friend and mentor, I am actually really proud of her for taking a good look at her life and making a tough decision that will likely turn out to be the best one she'll ever make. Again, I love Mike and Mollie and everyone at my barn. But I know how ambitious Sarah is - heck, the girl was like 21 when she decided to go pro - and I know how talented she is. She deserves a chance at the top. She will be missed, but we've all met our new trainer Rachel and she seems totally lovely. She even paid me/Keenan a huge compliment tonight when she referred to him as "one of those horses I always hoped I'd get a chance to ride and now I finally have" (she is from this area so she watched Becka compete him in the Children's classes several years ago).

SO...yeah, lots of things are changing. But, you know, change can be good. Keenan still doesn't like to be curried, Rapper still nickers at me when he hears me walking up to his stall, Sophie is still hilarious and Mike still jokes around with me. Life moves on and it's my responsibility to roll with the punches.