Tuesday ~ October 16, 2012

This past weekend my team, Old School, attended the Mid-Atlantic #5 competition at the PG Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.  It was the last competition in the series, and also the last big competition of the year. 

Team Old School: Kim, Krista, Carol Ann, Linda
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

I arrived Friday afternoon and set up camp.  Linda and Kim were not too far behind me and the three of us got in a nice little hack that evening.  Simon got out a few leaps and I got to loosen up my muscles.   I have said it in past posts, and it still stands true, the Friday evening hack really makes a difference for me and for Simon.  I am always happy when I am able to work it in. 

Simon chilling in his portable paddock

After the hack we grabbed a bite to eat and then socialized with our friends Nancy and Kelsey.  Friday night the temperatures dropped into the 30s and it was cold.  Daisy and I snuggled into our usual bed with the addition of an electric throw blanket.  It made all the difference.  I had to turn it off during the night because we were too hot. 

Picking up in the Bottle Shuttle Race
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

Saturday morning came on with nice crisp air and Linda whipped up a warm breakfast for everyone before we got mounted up for our first session of 12 races.  As usual we started with the Speed Weavers and 3 Mug Races which are not Simon’s strongest but the rest of the team made up our slow poke time.  Flag races are always good for me and we had a nice team run through 2 Flag and Twitter.  I was a bit apprehensive for the Bottle Race since I had a terrible practice with it on Thursday, effectively coming out of the practice with 0 to me and about a dozen to the bottle.  But we pulled it off smoothly.  And continued to ride as a clean and competent team through the rest of the session with Founders, Joust, Pony Pairs, Association, Stepping Stones, Ball & Cone and 9 Ring races.  We left the ring in the lead with 38 points and Time Flies holding second with 33 points followed by Red Solo Cup and Mischief Managed. 

Avery from team Mischief Managed
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

We spent some time assistant referring and working ring crew and then returned for our second session of the day.  We started this set of 12 races off with Flag Fliers and 4 flag, two excellent races for Simon and I, and my team kept up their momentum as well.  I started us off in Tool Box and although the race was clean, I really need to work on my toolbox placement (mental note). We kept it clean with Balloon, Litter and Hug A Mug Races.  But two teammates had some difficulty in Mug Shuffle (way to coordinate it into the same race!).  We tried switching up and putting me in 4^th position for Sock Race, which proved to be a bad decision as I missed my double dunk, effectively killing us in that race.  We held strong in Pony Express, Quoits, and had a fantastic run through Windsor Castle Race.  But we ended with a sloppy Sword Race and a ring being knocked to the ground by a teammate.  Not a bad session all in all, but not as clean as our first session, and Time Flies got their act together and snatched up some points.  We came out of that session in second behind Time Flies by one point with something like 69 and 68 points.  Red Solo Cup was standing somewhere around the 55 point with Mischief Managed quite a ways behind perhaps in the 30-40 range.    

Masters Riders in the Flag Fliers Race
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

After the riding finished on Saturday we had our annual MGAA meeting and announced the election results.  It was a nice opportunity to meet up with some fellow members and have an official catch up discussion.  We followed the meeting up with a fantastic potluck dinner back at camp.  Linda prepared some pot roast and Joy prepared some chili and the rest of us supplied some sides.  We stuffed our faces and then ate mummy cupcakes by Linda, and chocolate cake by Carol Ann.  Annie pulled out a Jiffy Pop, which was semi successful, with tasty popcorn, but ended up on fire. 

 We spent the rest of the evening roasting marshmallows, which Carol Ann takes the blue ribbon at.  She even roasted me two to perfection, which I promptly made into a chocolate gram cracker smores.  Yum.

Carol Ann the marshmallow roasting master

Jiffy Pop with Annie and Linda

Saturday night was not nearly as cold, and we woke up ready to hit the field for the final session consisting of 15 races. 

Linda’s Mummy Cupcakes – yummmmm

Generally I start off my first session riding at my worst and improve as the sessions stack up.  One teammate seems to work on the complete opposite and starts off clean but ends with some bumbles.  We should try and get on the same page with that, because it would really help our points totals!  The other two teammates generally ride pretty evenly across the board, with very few mistakes spread out pretty evenly.

Kim successfully got this sock dunked in the Sock Race
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

I feel I pretty much held true to my typical and rode a clean, although not very speedy final.  My teammate opposite seemed to perform a lot cleaner than usual for most of the session, which is fantastic.  One teammate was having an off day, which left us with a few more mistakes than usual and was very frustrating for her.  We have all been there.  It sucks. 

Masters Rider Kelsey placing the ball in the Windsor Castle Race
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

We Started off with Simon’s favorite (not), Speed Weavers,  with a teammate taking pole.  Bottle and Twitter were fine, but in Carton, there was lapse in thought and we accidentally sent rider 4 out too early and had to recall her, which is an elimination.  I’ll take the blame on that one, as I was telling her to move up.  But we stayed strong through most of the session, playing Sock, 4 Flag, Joust, Hula Hoop, 3 Mug, Ring the Cone, Pony Pairs, 3 Pot Flag, Tool Box, Windsor Castle and finishing with Flag Fliers.  Time Flies kept  up the year’s tradition and crushed us for the blue.  We ended up in second, with 113 points followed by Red Solo Cup with 100 points and Mischief Managed in purple bringing up the tail. 

Linda and Blue
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography 

Mischief Managed had an excellent showing for their first competition as a team, and are going to be a rival next year when they get the bugs worked out.  I think I speak for the entire division of adult riders when I say that we are all happy to have them join us.  As always everyone in our division had a great time, lots of comradely, with hugs and waves at the closing.  I know at one point I got Simon to pick up some hoof and move out a bit on the way home, and it seemed like every team was cheering him on.

Mischief Managed rider Devorah dunking her sock
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

I love riding in this division, and although MA#5 was fun, it will be a long winter until we get to meet up on the field again for Mid-Atlantic #1 and the start of the 2013 season.

team Old School: Kim, Carol Ann, Linda, Krista
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

Masters Rider Annie and Bella
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

Pulling a flag in Flag Fliers Race
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

Masters Rider Claudia vaulting on her pony Galaxy
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography

Simon is such a good pony
Photo: Genevieve of EquiStar Photography