Now I am sick from hanging around those freakin' airports for far too long...nauseated as heck but I will still ride today as I have my goals all laid out like clean undies!!
I clipped Cleo yesterday and I will never stop admiring what awesome horses we have...she was so good...will start riding Crush every day when I get back from Conyers, Georgia and start his habitual exercises like I did with Foxy...worked great on her and Crush is just as good as she is...
Here is a pic of an awesome horse from the Nebraska show...Not sure who did it but I love the pattern, and that is a Carol Williams' Matriarch.

Nebraska Live show

Oh man was this show FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!! Carra did an amazing job and her creativity was awesome...her pirate theme is beyond comparison and she has a wonderful vision for this show! I loved it and would like to nominate it to member show of the year!
Pictures coming!

I meant to mention how Caitlin did at 4-H regionals in Memphis...it was an amazing show...I felt useless, as after ten years of 4-H and basically 17 yrs of being a horse kid, she didnt need me for much more than recording 143 kids' scores when they were also in her class...I seriously consider dumping my amateur card and getting a judging card...I can do this job and I would probably excel at it...

Anyhow Caitlin's results were:
Showmanship...FIRST
Western Riding....FIRST
Horsemanship...Fourth
Trail...Ninth
Western Pleasure...Honorable Mention (her tail fell out!!)

Anyhow she ended up (after a near melt down over the tail fiasco, which has NEVER happened to either of us ever before!!) HIGH POINT WESTERN RIDER which completely made her week, despite some terrible news from home that didnt concern the horses...
I watched almost ALL the trail patterns and the first place horse missed half of an obstacle and Foxy clunked ONE pole so that was kinda confusing...I wondered a LOT about some of the judging...but after all these years of showing we are completely used to the judges' mind and are so satisfied with her final 4-H show...there were 146 kids in that trail class, close to that in showmanship, and was just the topping on the cake as she departed 8 long years of 4-H showing...

Well getting ready to head to Nebraska and judging for a one day show...will spend more time in an airport than anything...
Rode Cleo again today huntseat and she was awesome...Next week's show under 8 judges shall tell me how we are doing...
Here's a pic of a resin by Jamie Coughlin I did a major custom and paint job on...Wish I could remember his name and who owns him...he looks awesome in this set-up from the NAN show.

Today has been great despite some changes in the future plans...I will be going it alone to some out of state shows since Caitlin can't miss some of these college classes...should be interesting...
Cleo continues to exceed my expectations as we practice daily for these classes. I just hope my sick and broken back will hold up...today I shortened my stirrups even more on my english saddle so let's see if that helps any...
Here is a pic of Crush; he is my next project. I am anxious to get on him and start working on his style...he seems more stock seat than english but once I get him going I can plan on getting Cleo into driving. THAT will be fun!!

Getting ready for the fall shows...

Looking forward to showing my ASS this fall...and that might mean Cleo if she thinks her tricks in the show ring are going un-noticed... news flash!
Anyhow I am also back to work in earnest on my Christmas catalog...last year it just never left the ground...too much to do and no heart in it...now without the other farm income, I can earnestly see where this is much needed...

Cleo and Foxy on the road to Memphis!

Here we were in gorgeous Gainesville, Georgia for a one day show...on our way to Memphis for the last ever 4-H Southern Regionals...done with 4-H after this one...