Itching to get back into the competition saddle...

Friday, October 24, 2008

Well, sort of at the last minute (and with my hubbys blessing as diesel prices are dropping) I have decided to go and compete in the NATRC Region 4 LAST CHANCE at the OK Corral CTR next weekend in Stillwater OK. I went this ride last year as I was "chasing points" and it was the last of the season and it was a blast.

This year I'm not chasing points as it's only the 2nd NATRC ride I've done this year so I'm just going for fun and to get Amira and I back in form so we can compete next season. She's fit and ready for the mileage, but we've been brushing up pretty hard all year on obstacle skills so I'm going to see if it has paid off. I entered in the "Competitive Pleasure" division which rides the same distance as Novice, but does harder obstacles....hey, what have a I got to lose right?

I'm thinking about trying the OPEN division in NATRC next season but don't want to at this ride as the very last STC (www.supremetrailchallenge.com) ride of the season is the weekend after Last Chance and I don't want to do the harder speed and mileage on Amira and risk anything that would put us out of that ride. The last STC ride in August was at Lake Carl Blackwell in Stillwater too...and the terrain can be challenging, but it's also the ride that we won!

So, that put Amira and I doing well enough in the STC point standings that we have a chance to really place well for the series if we do well in the last ride....so I plan to be VERY CONSERVATIVE (I know...an odd word for me to EVER use...ha ha ha) at the Last Chance ride as I need a nice sound and happy mare for the STC the following weekend. Funny enough the last STC ride is named ANOTHER CHANCE!

Tonight I'm going with Tammy to the vet to get Amira's health certificate and also her coggins so she'll be good to go for the ride. Her vet does the new "picture coggins" which I really like as Amira has NO MARKINGS so it will be a nice definitive way to identify her.

Tomorrow, we plan to do some riding and some work on Summer and Amira's buddying issues. We are gonna play "jackrabbit" and some other games where we split the mares up on trail and then bring them back together to make them learn how we expect them to behave.

It's funny as neither mare is normally a big buddier..but because they board together and can see each other from their pens at home....they are quite fond of each other on trail...and it's something we want to get a handle on.

Will report back later on how it's going but I'm EXCITED....I forgot how jazzed up I get when I've got competitions to prepare for...yeee haa!

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Comment by Susan on October 26, 2008 at 4:49pm
Good luck Tracey, please post pic's!!

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