It's nearly a year since I took that exam and passed with 92%, on Toby.
In May this year we moved back to my trainer's barn. In June we showed in our first reining class. Without sliders and without a clue how to ride a roll back.
In July we did our second show and had a better idea of what we (I) were doing.
In August we were selected to go to provincials on the back of winning 3 green Reiner classes at our local show. Two handed. In provincials I would need to ride one handed.
So I trained one handed. Toby wasn't ready but we worked hard and hoped.
In the august show I rode three classes, three patterns back to back, one handed. We got 1st, 2nd, 1st. We were ready.
Two weeks later we headed to Sorel for provincials. Man that arena was a treat I found out Toby could slide and that I could ride a good pattern. We finished third in the novice division with a 69 and 12th in the adult open division with 66.
After that, as a young-ish and very novice Reiner I was asked to be part of the Quebec team to go to the Canadian Interprovincial Equestrian championships in Calgary.
I went to Calgary, minus Toby. I was given a horse to ride who had won a silver North American youth championship medal earlier this year. I placed 7th with 68, 3rd with a 72 and then ruined everything by dqing myself on the final day when all I needed to do to win a medal was finish the pattern. The mare was golden. I looked at my scorecard after. I had a 70.
I would have won gold.
I would have won gold at the Canadian amateur championships.
In my first year of competing in reining.
Without ever joining my provincial association.
I would have had a gold medal.
What the heck??!?
What a damn good year.
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