Wairarapa A&P - Saturday AM

After a good sleep Alicia and I got up and scoped out the showers and started getting ready for a very busy Saturday. By the time we had given Violet and Kody a morning pick of grass Mum turned up in her truck with Sam and Gem.

Violet was in the Saddle Hunter classes and went really nicely for me. We came 4th in a conformation class, but unfortunately didn't even get pulled in for the paced and mannered (I thought she was going lovely and soft and was being super easy to ride - but looking at the lineup I think the judge was looking for a bit more pizzaz in the movement, with a slightly shorter stride - with clyde and arab types filling most of the placings).

More pictures of Violet being her sweetheart self in the saddle hunters. It was awful weather - disgustingly windy and she didn't seem impacted by that at all which was neat:

Mum was also riding Sam in the saddle hunters (heavyweight) and he just got better as the classes went on, really working well and listening. Mum and Sam got stacks of ribbons and Sam was certainly holding his own (not bad for a horse only barely back into work after a long break):

Sam won the Open Heavyweight saddle hunter (with a trophy too!) and went forward for the Championship - and they brought home a lovely light blue sash for Reserve Champion Open Saddle Hunter! Not bad for less than half-a-dozen shows under Mum's belt since her 18 year break from riding!:

There was also an in-hand class in the saddle hunter ring for mares (suitability for breeding a hunter). Nick & Helen turned up in time to watch that class and provide extra hands for toting rugs and brushes around while we continued to deal with the uninspiring weather. I whipped Vi's saddle off, threw on a makeshift in-hand outfit (pants over jods - we're all class here) and popped her in the class:

Meanwhile Mum grabbed Gem who had just been hanging out at the truck. Poor Violet with her sweaty saddle marks.. I did try to brush and dry them off before the class! Gem was very full of herself and quite excited to be out and about:

But it certainly caught the judges eye and Gem won that class, taking home the Sincerity Salver for the mare most suitable to breed hunters.