Devon Horse Show 2010

I am regularly humbled by horses, and Devon was no different. Seeing the horse I spent the last year training under the bright lights at Devon was one of the proudest moments of my life.

I didn't know how things would turn out. Apollo had never been in that setting before. Devon was unlike any of the horse trial venues we'd competed at. Everything was huge. The crowd was huge, the ring was huge, the sheer magnitude and excitement in the air was huge. The speakers were loud! The crowd was loud - especially when they announced the scores for the Flyers Stanley cup game. The lights were sooooo bright!

Jamie Gilbert, a local jumper rider and trainer from Windswept Acres in Birdsboro, PA, was in the saddle. A week prior, two of the horses on the original Hunt Team came up lame. I offered to loan them Apollo, so Jamie came out once before Devon to ride him. The second ride would be at Devon!

Saturday afternoon was spent getting braided at the show grounds. The girls schooled the horses in the warm-up ring during the afternoon to give them extra time to see the sights and let the pairs get used to each other. Then it was back to the barns for more braiding. Then the sun went down, the lights came on, and it was show time!

Becca, Laec, Crystal, my mom and I stood at the fence line, not far from the in-gate to watch the event unfold. The jumps were beautiful - roughly 3 ft in height (no problem for Apollo). But the environment still blew my mind and I was questioning my judgement in having Apollo do this. I didn't know if anything I did prepared him for this moment.

The first few hunt teams did not help my nerves. It was total chaos in the ring! Horses were refusing jumps, crashing into jumps, going off course, bucking....then I saw Apollo's team, Stroke of Luck, lined up at the in-gate ready to come into the ring. And just as they trotted in the announcers told the crows the Flyers scored and a roar went up from the grandstand! Apollo just put his ears forward and trotted into the spotlight. I should have known he would have thought they were cheering for him!

The next minute and thirty seconds were awesome. Apollo jumped everything with grace and professionalism. Even when the distances to fences were less than perfect he picked his rider up and went on with it. I was so proud! When the horses jumped the final fence in unison, the stands erupted into cheers (I'm serious - they really did!).

His performance was a testament to his heart and our training (and of course Jamie's riding). Becca and I may not have create an eventing superstar, but all of our training culminated in that moment and made it possible. I am as proud of us as him. Apollo walked into Devon for the first time, with a new rider, and threw down an awesome jumping round. I am so honored to have had this experience with him. I wish I could make him mine for always but the hunter/jumper world is where is heart is and he will make someone a wonderful partner.