Tentative Show Schedules

It may seem like I'm all over the place sometimes with my kind of erratic blogging, but that's not completely the case. Ok, maybe I'm a *little* scatterbrained about things sometimes, what with so many irons in the fire at all times, but I operate really well this way and when it comes to all the important stuff, it's all well under my thumb. 

I've gotten to the point in my life where things are currently about refining and finessing, rather than empire building. Not to pat myself on the back too hard, but I've worked hard to get where I am and I am more than satisfied with the size of everything in my life. The size of my herd, the size of my business, the size of my little empire. It's all big and robust and numerous in characters. Nowadays it is more about taking what I have and smoothing it out, sanding down the rough corners, and making things flow more efficiently, rather than gathering and growing. Things change, business will ebb and flow, horses in my life will come and go - these things I all know. But for the time being, things are going well for me.

As such, I have pretty far-reaching horse-related plans for this year and the next several years. Everyone in my herd has a basic plan and projected goals that span out potentially over the course of the next few years. In terms of the two that I will be showing this year - O and Dylan - I have a show schedule set out for them, as well as plans for the next couple of years. I have Dylan for a large, albeit temporary, amount of time and I intend on making full use of it. K and I discussed tentatively something like a 5 year lease - but as long as she is happy to have him here, I am happy to keep him. I'd keep him well beyond that time if she wanted! I am lucky to have him for any length of time. 

This year, I am going to be showing both Dylan and O. It's difficult and time consuming to show even just one horse, let alone two, so there are limitations to what I can do, and will be changes next year. Next year I don't plan on showing O, just Dylan. But, you'll wait to wait for a later post to find out why exactly this is! O will be obviously showing exclusively driving shows this year, and I do plan on trying to hit all of the major HDTs in our area - there are five of them, along with several of our usual little fun games days. Sunrise Ridge is already over, so that leaves four left!
Dylan this year is going to be shown just in working equitation. I don't plan on doing any rated dressage shows for the time being - maybe in late fall or early winter, when the new calendar year starts - nor do I plan on going to Nationals this year. If it comes back to Fort Worth, I will totally go! But, it's in Las Vegas this year and that's just crazy far and crazy expensive. It would be fun to go to as a vacation and watch though! Next year, I hope to show him in working equitation AND go to rated dressage shows. There are lots of them in our area to choose from, so I'll have lots of good pickings. It will be easier to focus on just one as well. Prepping and maintaining two show horses is super hard, I don't know how some of you do even more than that!

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O-Ren 2016 Show Calendar:

April 2nd-3rd: Sunrise Ridge HDT
April 17th: NTW Games Day
May 7th: TREC
May 14th: NTW Games Day Romp
May 28th: HACA Pine Hill HDT
June 4th: OHHA Cowboy Country HDT
September 10th: NTW Games Day Romp
October ??: Let's Have Fun In Texas! HDT
October 30th: NTW Games Day
November 4th: Black Star CDE

Dylan 2016 Show Calendar:

April 23rd: Heart of Texas WE Series Show #2
May 21st: Heart of Texas WE Series Show #3
October 8th: Heart of Texas WE Series Show #4
October 14th-16th: Haras Cup
October 22nd: Licensed Show, Details TBD (MAYBE)

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There are other WE shows around, but these conflict with O's schedule. Since I'm hoping to just show Dylan next year and not O, I want the larger focus to be on her for the time being - although I know better than anybody that these things can go in every different direction at any time.

This is a HUGE undertaking. You all know it takes A LOT to even just get to a show in the first place, so I won't be surprised if a number of these shows end up falling off my schedule for various reasons. But I hope I will get to as many of them as possible!



O's next show is next weekend, the 17th - a Games Day. Then Dylan and I make our debut at working eq and try not to make total fools of ourselves. I still have to find white britches and a white shirt! What else do I need? O god I need so many things! It's been years since I really had my dressage gear out in action!