To The Championship Horse Show Attendees | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

To The Championship Horse Show Attendees

Have fun, learn lots, make lasting memories, and enjoy the ride you are about to embark on.

10
To The Championship Horse Show Attendees
Howard Schatzberg Photography

Championship season is upon us now. With American Quarter Horse Congress and Morgan Grand Nationals already underway and Arabian US Nationals, NRHA Finals, Color Breed Congress, and so many more championship shows coming up soon, it is only fitting that we reflect on these shows and how we got there.

Behind every equestrian, there is a village that has guided them to where they are today. You cannot do this on your own, and if you think you can, then the world of being an equestrian has not humbled you, yet. There are several horses, trainers, judges, friends, and family that taught you the lessons you needed to make it to a championship show. Without them, you probably wouldn’t have wound up here. Before you leave for the show take a minute to thank them all for shaping you into the equestrian you are now.

Before you show you should take in your surroundings. You are at one of the world’s most prestigious horse shows. If this is your first championship show, then let me paint you a picture. This is bigger than any other show you have been to before. Barn decorations are bigger and fancier than you can imagine. The facility will be so big that chances are you will not cover every inch like you can at your shows at home.

There will be barns you didn’t even know existed. If you show at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds you will get chills each time you and your horse through the “Gateway of Champions” into the Coliseum arena. All around you are trainers, historians, and experts that have a wealth of knowledge just waiting for you to learn from them. Don’t pass up that opportunity. Go to the free clinics that the show hosts, watch the trainers their workhorses between breaks in the arenas, or go watch a discipline you might not be familiar with. You never know what you could learn!

After every class turn on your pride. You made it all the way to the big leagues. This may be your first or thirtieth time you have attended your championship show, but no matter how many times you get to go, there’s still people at home who could only dream of competing there or even being there in person. Some, myself included, can only watch the live feed from home and dream of being taking in the atmosphere.

You worked too hard to get to this moment to be bitter because you didn’t win. Every ribbon and every ride is a victory. Enjoy the ride and that victory. Celebrate every placing, whether you win or you get a top ten ribbon. You have already won so much by making it all the way to a championship show. And let’s be real, there are no ugly ribbons at championship shows, anyways.

Championship shows are the pinnacle of every competing equestrian’s show career. Thousands will dream of getting there, not all will make it. If you are one of the lucky ones who do, do not take it for granted. Soak up every moment in the saddle, cart, or leading your partner at “The Big Dance”. Have fun, learn lots, make lasting memories, and enjoy the ride you are about to embark on.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Gilmore Girls
Hypable

In honor of Mother’s Day, I have been thinking of all the things my mom does for my family and me. Although I couldn’t write nearly all of them, here are a few things that moms do for us.

They find that shirt that’s right in front of you, but just you can’t seem to find.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Reasons To Thank Your Best Friend

Take the time to thank that one friend in your life you will never let go of.

1627
Thank You on wooden blocks

1. Thank you for being the one I can always count on to be honest.

A true friend will tell you if the shirt is ugly, or at least ask to borrow it and "accidentally" burn it.

2. Thank you for accepting me for who I am.

A best friend will love you regardless of the stale french fries you left on the floor of your car, or when you had lice in 8th grade and no one wanted to talk to you.

Keep Reading...Show less
sick student
StableDiffusion

Everybody gets sick once in a while, but getting sick while in college is the absolute worst. You're away from home and your mom who can take care of you and all you really want to do is just be in your own bed. You feel like you will have never-ending classwork to catch up on if you miss class, so you end up going sick and then it just takes longer to get better. Being sick in college is really tough and definitely not a fun experience. Here are the 15 stages that everyone ends up going through when they are sick at college.

Keep Reading...Show less
kid
Janko Ferlic
Do as I say, not as I do.

Your eyes widen in horror as you stare at your phone. Beads of sweat begin to saturate your palm as your fingers tremble in fear. The illuminated screen reads, "Missed Call: Mom."

Growing up with strict parents, you learn that a few things go unsaid. Manners are everything. Never talk back. Do as you're told without question. Most importantly, you develop a system and catch on to these quirks that strict parents have so that you can play their game and do what you want.

Keep Reading...Show less
friends
tv.com

"Friends" maybe didn’t have everything right or realistic all the time, but they did have enough episodes to create countless reaction GIFs and enough awesomeness to create, well, the legacy they did. Something else that is timeless, a little rough, but memorable? Living away from the comforts of home. Whether you have an apartment, a dorm, your first house, or some sort of residence that is not the house you grew up in, I’m sure you can relate to most of these!

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments