Monday, November 9, 2015

CHAMPIONS (like, for real)


best banquet EVAR
Brace yourselves for a picture overload! Saturday was our local dressage/eventing GMO banquet. They released all the dressage/eventing award winner names in advance, but the derby competitors (me) were kept secret.

Naturally, I've spend the past month obsessing about whether my scores would get reported correctly and if my membership was in good standing and basically anything I could think of that could go wrong. It was pretty nerve-wracking.

ribbon at rest
But then, they called my name at the banquet and I was probably the most excited person there when I ran (literally) up to get my giant ribbon. And maybe squealed.

You guys.

This thing is HUGE. It is literally the biggest ribbon I have ever seen, and it's MINE. :-D

It was a really fun night for a lot of reasons (guess who also won TWO LESSONS in the raffle?! I never win stuff!!). It was really awesome to have my horsie besties and the trainers who have made a huge impact in my life be there for it.

YARDS OF SATIN
Our GMO is really a fun group of people and I'm excited about their plans for next year. League shows? More ribbons? Sign me up!

Honestly? The sheer glory of my enormous champion ribbon (of ground poles) is making me seriously consider a run at crossrails next year. I'd have to be really good at budgets for that to work though. Don't hold your breath.

Anyways.

Because I am a proper grown up, I scooted out to the barn on Sunday, ribbon in tow, to show my barn buddies and take some pictures.

I'm shameless. What can I say?

i love this
Here's the thing: it has always been a bucket-list level item for me to win a year and award. This year was a unique opportunity in terms of shows available, horse ready to go, and money available to show. I've never been able to be consistently "good" at something before, and since our goals for next year very likely involve a lot less satin and a lot more competing against fancy horses and solid riders, well, I'm going with it.

I know it's only ground poles and intro b. But you know what? I'm a working adult ammy with one horse. I am coming back from an XC wreck that completely ruined my confidence. I'm riding an older horse off the track that I made myself.

champion. yes.
Yeah, I may not be a Rolex contender or a national competitor and hell, I don't even have plans to do any real eventing, but you know what?

This was my Olympics. My thing. My competition and goals for the year.

AND MY RIBBON IS SO HUGE.

I am a total satin ho. Love it. Can't get enough.

the biggest ribbon
This ribbon is legitimately big enough that I don't know what I'm going to do with it. I mean, every ribbon Courage has ever won is hanging over my kitchen window AND THIS RIBBON PRACTICALLY HANGS INTO THE SINK.

It's glorious.

You doubt? Not to worry. It may have been fricking cold and gusting 30mph+ on Sunday, but I hustled Courage into the indoor and took SO MANY PICTURES.
What goes with a sparkle saddle? EVERYTHING
Why yes you do need perfect wraps to take ribbon pictures

ribbon clear down to his knees

ok this might be excessive, but his neck looks good
we are equally thrilled
Pardon my excitement--this is my first time with a tri-color ribbon ever. It's everything I ever wanted it to be--a tangible reminder of all the blood, sweat, tears, and luck that go into making a successful partnership.

A reason that all those hard days, crappy rides, long hours, personal struggles, and tedious times are worth working through.

I don't ride for the ribbons, because so much of horsemanship is developing character through rotten luck, crappy circumstances, and things going wrong. If I set my self worth on satin earned, I would have had to quit a long time ago.

But when I do get a satin forget-me-not, it makes the journey that much sweeter.

33 comments:

  1. Go you! That is an epicly long piece of satin. I approve.

    - Lauren @ Dandyism

    ReplyDelete
  2. That ribbon is the longest ribbon I've ever seen. Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. it looks pretty pimp in that rear picture with your saddle bling

    ReplyDelete
  4. Congratulations. May you win so many more you can make a quilt. Considering all you have been through, this is a huge triumph.

    Go for the crossrails.

    However, I do understand about the funding. Part of the reason I stopped showing--aside from my erratic horse--is the expense. Wishing you lots of extra funds to spend on what you love doing.

    And congrats on winning the lessons too! Yay!

    ReplyDelete
  5. that ribbon is glorious - and what a perfect reward for your tireless efforts to turn Courage into a pleasant and well schooled riding horse! may you and the pony win many more :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Woooo! That ribbon IS huge!! Congratulations girl, you earned it!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I totally ride for ribbons, and you know what? If you had won the GIANT RIBBON for doing nothing more than standing in a ring competing against no one else, I would still support throwing it its own party. GIANT RIBBON CELEBRATION!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow! Get a few more of those and you can make curtains! Congrats! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. That is quite possibly the largest ribbon I've ever seen.

    ReplyDelete
  10. That is absolutely hilariously adorable. Seriously. It's the biggest ribbon I've ever seen, ever. I didn't even know they made them that big. Courage looks like a dwarf pony next to it. But your happiness is so absolutely wonderful. I'm so happy for you. You deserve that huge ribbon and I hope that happiness it brought stays for a long time. Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Congrats to you and Courage!

    Side note: Love your saddle bling! Did the fitter glue the bling on or is it set? I kind of want to bling my saddle but I don't want to wreck it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I don't think I've ever seen a ribbon that large. Like seriously it's huge. Awesome!!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Every time I opened my Facebook I saw that ribbon and was SO excited for you- happy to know how it came about! Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Congrats!!!! Love the pictures!

    Prince won a couple ribbons that big and I have them all hanging on my closet door (which always stays open) because they are just.so.huge.

    ReplyDelete
  15. That is one awesome ribbon. And you earned it.

    ReplyDelete
  16. WOW that ribbon is amazing!! Congrats!!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Satin Envy. I empathize with all the "oh it's only ___ division" but while it's easy for me to diminish my own unnecessarily large ribbons, when I read you talking about yours I want to shout "WHO CARES, YOU DID IT, THE RIBBON IS GLORIOUS AND IT ROCKS" Congrats you guys. Don't feel silly for a second celebrating every photo :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh, man! Those year end ribbons are the absolute best!!! WAHOOOO! So excited for YOU!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. good thing he's got that sexy neck to hold up all that satin!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. CHAMPION! That smiles says it all! Onwards to crossrails!

    ReplyDelete
  21. That is HUGE ribbon! You should be proud and celebrate it. And I like the idea to get some more and make some curtains.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Aw ... I am so happy for you. There will be more - I promise! :0)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Congratulations! So awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hey, enjoy the heck out of that awesome ribbon!! My very favourite ribbon that I am most proud of was awarded to Solo & I for...not even a horse show. And I honestly don't care about ribbons, it's not why I ride & I've even given them back at schooling CT's/shows with small divisions. But I still cherish the memories & meaning attached to the ones I do keep, like the tricolor from the little 2'3" hunter schooling division series Solo earned 8 years ago, pretty much by keeping rails up & having a rhythm, LOL. Ground poles are just as valid a goal as the Head of the Lake -- and the achievement just as great to the ones who made the journey. Congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  25. So proud of you! I covet the derby champion ribbon I got as well. They are amazing!!

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...