The Blur that was August and September


Here it is the end of October and I find myself wondering where the heck the time has gone.  Seems it was just yesterday that we were hauling Annapolis up to the AHACO show for Ahna Bowman, of Bowman Sport Horses to bring him back from his 7-month vacation.... and bring him she did! 


She threw the then 3-month pregnant Cari Carter up onto his back and bing, bang, boom, the horse won his Sport Horse Under Saddle class,  along with his Sport Horse Stallion class and they looked like they had been working together for years! 


Now I'm not going to kid myself or anyone else....the horse has had excellent training all along the way, but he's also just come off of 7-months of being just "my horse" and hacking around at home whenever I had the time, which, let me tell you, isn't all that often.  At any rate, the stage was set....off AJ went to learn to be a "Hunter." 


In the meantime, 12-year-old phenomenon, Taylor Bowman had been keeping her eyes on his progress and pleading for a chance to ride the red horse....please, please, please.....


Turns out, after a thorough investigation with USEF, USDF and AHA, she was well within her right to ride and show him, and so, with just a short time left before the Regional Championship Show, Ahna gave the go ahead.


By August, AJ had learned that fences were really harmless, no matter how intimidating they appeared.... this after attending Ahna's Hunter/Jumper boot camp, that included jumping over blowing tarps!  When he was entered in the AiM Sport Horse Classic, he was unflappable!  He won his Hunter Hack Open class with Cari, and his Hunter Hack ATR class with Taylor, handily, and then proceeded to do the same with the Region IV Championship Hunter Hack Open and ATR class the same weekend!


These were not the only wins for the "fearsome threesome" at the Aim Classic/Region IV Championships, however.  They also competed and won in Open and ATR classes for Dressage Training and First Level, Sport Horse Under Saddle, and Sport Horse Stallion in Hand.  At show's end, AJ and company had earned over 50-points and progressed from Legion of Supreme Honor to Legion of Merit. 


Sadly, Cari made the announcement that she would not be able to continue with us to Sport Horse Nationals...at 5-1/2-months pregnancy, the riding was beginning to catch up to her.


Taylor stepped up to the plate and was a star with AJ in Open and ATR Classes at Sport Horse Nationals.  She rode in Hunter Hack, Sport Horse Under Saddle, Training and First Level Dressage ATR, and showed him in Sport Horse Stallions ATR, allowing dad, Scott Bowman to handle him in the Sport Horse Stallions Open. 


I have to tell you, from my perspective, it was such a joy to watch a 12-year old young lady out there competing, really doing well, against National Trainers with barns full of National Caliber Horses that they show for multiple clients..... and you know what?  She won!!!!!!  She didn't win Champion, or Reserve, but out of 7 classes she was Top Ten 4 times and the classes she didn't make top Ten in were really competitive with the exception of one bogus dressage disqualification for a fictitious "lameness" that wasn't seen by the Sport Horse Judges who awarded the horse a Top Ten 1-hour prior, or the judges of the Sport Horse Under Saddle, Open Championship who placed the horse Top Ten 2-hours after....  


We are very proud of our boy and of the 12-year-old superstar riding him, and of the wonderful people who have helped us when we weren't sure we would ever be able to get up and going again.


We believe that Taylor has such incredible talent that she is virtually unstoppable, and we believe in our horse.  Combine the two of them with the training techniques of Ahna, and we have a force to be reckoned with.


We are also very excited about our 2-year-old Annapolis gelding, Minneannapolis, who won Top Ten in the Two-year-old Futurity, despite being naughty.... Porscha did a splendid job of handling him.  This was her very first big show.  She really came through from the preparation prior to the show all the way through.  She's a star!  I know it had to have been stressful for her when she led the little stinker in and you could almost see his eyes light up.  He wanted "turn out" so bad, and I'm pretty sure he thought that was what that big empty arena was for.


Future plans for this guy include starting him under saddle and continuing to offer him for sale.  He shows talent for both dressage and jumping.  He has lovely gaits with loads of suspension, and he free jumps a 3-foot fallen log in the pasture just for fun.  He should make someone a fabulous sport horse.


And as for Abby...my precious princess queen.... who became 3-years-old and green broke at the 2010 Sport Horse Nationals when we were repeatedly nearly ran into by the young lady who was learning to do trot lengthenings in the dressage warm-up arena.....  I'm not sure If it was my DK saddle fitting so well, the dental that Dr. Bridges did so perfectly before we left, the adjustment that Tina Stewart gave her to make her feel so spry, or if she just was just feeling like a "kid again," but what can you do when things all go haywire except hang on and smile and laugh a little?  As much zip, zap, Go as that 20-year-old mare had in both of my dressage tests.... I'm thinking she'll be around in 14 years for my Century Ride!  I'll pray for that.  In the meantime, if I can figure out how to control some of those movements she was doing, who knows.... we may even make it to something above First Level?


I really want to thank my hubby and his buddies so much for taking the time to get my trailer ready for Nationals... so much so that he forgot to get his hunting trailer ready.  It's okay.  You can hunt from my living quarters "show" horse trailer.... Honest I don't mind....  Just don't get it dirty.... or anything.


Thank you also to our sponsors.  We couldn't have made it through this show season without you guys.  It's been a rough time.  We appreciate you so much.


Curt Chancler Transmission Service

Miller Paints

Northwoods Landscape

Pierson Hay and Cattle

The Sign Dude, Inc

and a special thanks to my web designer, ad specialist, and friend, Peggy Ingles


Blessings,


Janet


Read more about Taylor HERE.

 

Sport Horse Nationals  2010