WALLA WALLA COUNTY FAIR!!! September 3/4, 2011

Annie decided we should go to the fair with the herd and post enter. We planned Michelle on Lucy doing the two walk/trots in English Saturday and Western Sunday, Spots and Annie the same, and me and Marigold the same, then Annie on Marigold in English Color, and Annie on Justin in a few classes both days. Things didn't work quite like that. Marigold ended up having sore feet on the rocks in the arena and we scratched her canter class Saturday and didn't bother to bring her Sunday. Spots had withers too sore to do English so he just watched Saturday and only competed Sunday.

SATURDAY: English

Saturday I got up early and cleaned out the Featherlite which we were lucky enough to borrow. We got everything packed in and loaded the horses. Spots hesitated, but got in with a couple pats on the rump. Marigold got in with a stern word and Lucy took the longest, but still was in in just a few minutes.

We were parked in the gravel pit lot which is the farthest horse parking from the arena. So, we tacked everyone up and walked them over to the check-in area and just hung out till time to go in. Annie didn't have a kimberwick for Justin and was riding him in Spots' D-ring for her first class or two. I told her she looked like she had roped a wild mustang, thrown a saddle on it and gone in the class. A friend loaned her a kimberwick for her last couple classes and they looked much more sane.

By the end of the day Michelle had two ribbons and I had two ribbons. Justin didn't feel like ribbons on Saturday. We packed up, headed home and I went to bed early. Michelle and Annie headed back to the rodeo.

SUNDAY: Western

Sunday, Norman and Des joined us and we headed back in. Marigold stayed home because of her sore feet and Spots missed her, but we told him to make friends with Lucy. I pinned numbers on saddle pads, registered the horses and signed everyone in, then left them to warm up and my little family and I headed off to scout the fair. I was quite disappointed that everything was closed as I had hoped to do our family stuff before the show started. We walked through the small animal barns and Desmond was fascinated by the fluffy bunnies, boking hens, honking geese, giant pigs, sheep, goats.

We went back to check on things at the show. Annie reported the Spots had bucked while being lunged and she had lunged him out well. Her groom for the day held him while Annie worked Justin in prep for her classes on him. Nik the groom hopped on him and sat on him for a long time while they watched the show until his classes.

Norman and Des and I headed back to the fair and walked through the pavillion and got Desmond cotton candy. We headed back to the show so I could take video and pictures of Annie's Justin classes. Norman and Des sat in the shade in the grass by the barns while I stood on the bleachers to photograph.

Justin looked much better Western, still not thrilled about being shown, but a bit more with the program. Annie and her pairs partner got 5th out of 9 in Western Pairs. Finally the event I'd been waiting for; the Walk/Jog's! Michelle on Lucy and Annie on Spots entered at the trot and I video-ed and took pictures. In Walk/Trot 11 & Over Annie and Spots got 2nd out of 4, and in the Walk/Trot Green Horse Michelle and Lucy got 2nd out of 3.

We were thrilled with how well everyone behaved and we were happy everyone got to win a ribbon. We consider it a very successful first time at the fair for Michelle and I. Annie decided once again that Justin was tired of being a rail show horse and swore not to bring him next year. We'll see if she keeps her resolve, lol!