Making It Work
YOUNG RIDER CHAMPIONSHIPS AGAIN, YEAR #2! By Haley Schwab
and travel across the country to the North American Junior Young Rider Championships as a representative from USHJA Zone 10. This year I was optimistically upbeat about our chances. The previous year results for me were pretty dismal - from the
F
miserable Midwest heat index to the inevitable afternoon thunder storms. And, to top it all off, an incredibly poor riding performance from me. It was a disappointment across the board, mostly because I had let my horse down. I have nothing but gratitude for my resilient horse for even taking me around the ring at all. With the guidance of Macella O’Neill (my trainer) and an always-
trying chestnut horse, flash-forward a year to 2013, and I've qualified and committed to representing USHJA Zone 10 in Kentucky, yet again; this time aboard Wakyra the Wonderful. It’s no accident that this spicy chestnut mare gets her moniker; with our first five Grand Prix starts this spring, we participated in all five of their victory gal- lops. Feeling really confident, we once again made the journey across
the country to the lush green Kentucky grass; the likes of which California has never seen, thanks of course, to the daily mid-west downpours. As a disclaimer, I'd like to point out that you have to be fairly determined when traveling to this part of the country. After a two hour delay and five gate changes at the lovely Chicago O'Hare airport, we were finally en route to Lexington! At 15, Wakyra is one of those horses who has “been there and done
that,” per say, which means our show ring prep consists of bareback rides around the FEI stabling (much to the amusement of the Stewards) and long grazing sessions that end in her lightly trampling me (again, amus- ing to onlookers), as a gentle reminder that I most certainly am not in charge! After an uneventful NAJYR jog, Maggie Drysch and Ashtin's Obses- sion, Hannah Heidegger and Geledimar and I all had a quick training
Haley Schwab and Wakyra or the second year in a row, I was lucky enough to qualify
Wakyra
Top & Right Photos © Tass Jones Photography 38 |
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