This past Saturday, September the 1st, Blue Ridge Games hosted a demo competition as part of the Shenandoah County Fair. We had 12 riders take part as the equestrian entertainment on the last day of the fair.
We ran two lengthy heats, of three lanes, in pairs format, in a fun demo scrimmage competition. We did not keep score and allowed each pair to get in a good practice while riding in a competition format. It was a lot of fun and we were privileged to have some spectators that showed interest and cheered riders on.
They were doing an auction, just out of sight at the far end of the ring, which was quite scary to some of the ponies, and Simon was no exception. I think he was particularly itchy that day, and was shedding his short summer coat pretty heavily. He leaped along, rather than canter or gallop, and acted rather irritated in the same fashion he did when I clipped his hair off last winter. A bit of a challenge between his irritation and all the things to look at, we still had a good time and a good practice.
Simon and I were paired with our usual teammate, Kim and her pony Gwen, and as always, Kim and I had a great time riding together. Kim is laid back and very go with the flow. She is excessively supportive, and is full of positive encouraging enthusiasm for everyone. She is a joy to ride with and I am always happy to be her partner. Kim rides with a smile on her face which is usually contagious.
Kim and I rode in the same heat as some of our new games friends, Tina, Tory and Mason, who are still solidifying all the rules and races, and this was their first competition. They were fun to ride with and I think we all had a great time. Linda Refereed the heat and I really liked her starts and control of the field.
The other heat consisted of our usual teammates, Linda and Carol Ann, along with a former teammate of mine from years ago when I rode on team Fast Forward, Izzy, and friends Nina, Gen (who is the photographer of a lot of the amazing photos on this website) and Tommy. Their heat was much faster paced and really fun for me to referee.
After the riding was complete, everyone helped pack up the equipment and selected a fun prize. A few of us took a hike through the fairgrounds, taking a moment to watch some of the rodeo, checked out some of the exhibits and share a cinnamon funnel cake. Which consequently, is way better than a regular funnel cake. Totally recommended.
A good afternoon, with games, friends and funnel cake! What more could you ask for?