Spring Is Here And So Are The Horse Shows

This is my most favorite time of the year. Because this is the time when the summertime horse show series gets started at The Colorado Horse Park. And I am so excited!

Sure they have had to reschedule some classes because of 3 inches of snow and cold. But, that is typical in May in Colorado. There can be measurable snow until the end of May. So even though summer is still a little bit away, it’s coming!

I haven’t ventured out this early in the series. But I noticed while I was stalking the horse park on Facebook, they have some sweet new sponsored jumps. And I need to check them out. After feeling a little blah towards the end of winter, I needed some horse time and happiness. And the horse show is just the place to find my happiness.

And they reserve some of the bigger jumper classes for Saturday, including a Grand Prix. So summer time Saturdays are reserved for the horse shows at the horse park.

Priorities

First things first, I have to get my own chores done before I go have some fun. And since I am limited to just 2 days off a week, I still have to get my work done before I go out to do something ‘fun’. But I so look forward to getting to the horse show. I am able to get everything done on Saturday morning and early afternoon. Then I can go to the horse park.

For me it is more enjoyable to accomplish everything that I need to get done BEFORE I go to the horse show. That way when I am at the show grounds, I can focus on the show rather than worrying about everything I didn’t do at home before the show started. There is a lot to be done before 3:30 in the afternoon, when we leave for the horse park. So I start my Saturday early, around 5:30 AM.

So the house is clean, the stalls are clean, my tack room is clean, and this weeks videos are done. My camera battery is charging, and I have an extra SD card packed away, just in case. The hay nets are filled, and the horses are out back enjoying a little bit of spring grass.

The Colorado Horse Park

I am so lucky to live in close proximity to the horse park. This is a world class equestrian center that is about 15 minutes away from where I live. This not only makes it super easy for me to go watch, but hopefully next year it will make it easy for me to compete there as well.

I guess I am using this series as a study tool for myself for next year.This year I am sticking to the smaller shows with Ethan. But after he gets his feet wet with that, I want to take him to this Horse Park for the big horse show.

The grounds are kept really well, and there is usually a food truck or two, in case you get hungry.

There are hunter rings, jumper rings, and even warm up rings.

There are trails, and permanent stables for the shows as well as tent stabling too. If my memory serves me, I believe they have enough stabling on the show grounds to accommodate just around 1000 horses.

But it’s too early for the temporary stables. So all that is there is a wide open empty space that is getting ready to have some tents barns put up in the next couple of weeks. This is truly my happy place.

And typically every year, the people at the Horse Park are really friendly. From the staff, to the competitors, and even the spectators. No one acts like they are better than anyone else. They are just people who love horses, and we all have a great place to gather.

The Jumps

And while I love the horses, one of the main reasons that I love to come to the horse park is to see the jumps. In the last couple of years, there hasn’t really been too many new jumps.

I’m hoping this year there will be some new jumps.

I have my favorites, like the Voltaire Jump, but this one wasn’t set out yet, maybe next week.

There are the big wings in the International arena.

And of course the beautiful hunter jumps in the hunter arena.

And while the jumps are beautiful to look at, I have another reason of why I like to see the jumps. It gives me ideas of new jumps to build. And while I am watching the jumpers, I am also checking out the wing standards and wondering how they built them.

And while my jumps won’t be quite to the caliber of the ones at the horse park, people still like to build their own, and sometimes buy ones that I have made.

The Riders

And of course, being a spectator at the horse park you have the opportunity to see some of the best equestrians. Some of the local favorites here are Karen Cudmore, Brook Cudmore, Armando Hassey, and Nikki Wilcox.

As the shows get bigger there tend to be even more incredible equestrians. like Will Simpson, Bjorn Ikast, and Shawn Casady who is ranked 37th in the Rolex/USEF jumper rider ranking list. I keep hoping to see Kelli Cruciotti show up. Every day on my way to work, I drive by their farm every day on my way to work, and it would be so cool to see her ride at the horse park.

I have been lucky enough to see some of them ride in the past and it is truly awe inspiring. Hopefully I will be able to see them again this year. But for today, I was happy to watch the riders who are dedicated and show up year after year at the horse park.

And not only do I enjoy watching their rounds, but I also watch everything they do with their horses. How they ride, how they stay out of their horses way over the huge jumps, and how the maneuver through the course itself.

You can learn a lot simply by observing, and I am really good at observing.

Dare To Dream

I also love coming to the horse park for inspiration. I tell myself, One day I will ride in the International arena. One day I will be a competitor here. And that motivates me to go home, and work toward my dream. I think you can use the words dreams and goals interchangeably. And that’s what I do. Not only do I dream, but I dare to dream big. It may be a year, or 5 years down the road, but one day I will be here as a competitor. One day I will be the one riding in the arena, and hopefully winning the round! Dare to dream, and dare to dream big.