Taylor spent Feb-July, 2001 in Kentucky under Stacey Ryan's education. She began her show career Memorial weekend in Edinburgh, Indiana, winning first place (and one AQHA point in Junior Hunter Under Saddle. My first time showing her was a success also - we earned 3 firsts and a second, and won the circuit championship in NA Hunter Under Saddle at the MEKQHA Circuit in June of 2001. We also earned two second places in NA showmanship. She is such a fun horse to show, she is very easy-going and enjoys all the attention from everyone!
Taylor earned 4th in the Non-Pro 3yo Hunter Under Saddle class at the Southern Ohio Futurity., She also earned 8th in the open, plus won the NA Hunter Under Saddle under both judges out of 13. This is probably the worst win photo ever taken in the history of show photographs!
Taylor at the Kentucky Futurity, September 28-30, 2001. That's my good friend Dean standing next to us! We won our first showmanship class at this show, at 8:00am after leaving Ohio at 1:30 in the morning and driving all night to get there just in time to show. I don't remember much about my pattern, I guess it must have been OK!
July 28, 2001
June 30, 2001
One Day at Congress.....
Take a walk through our first show day at the 2001 Congress!
Our 'home away from home' at the All-American Quarter Horse CongressWe stabled with Stacey Ryan, Golden View Training Center of Bardstown, Kentucky. Don't you love the purple and gold colors?The sitting area, a nice place to hang out when it wasn't too cold or too windy (which was only about 10% of the time!!!)Time to get ready! It is Wednesday morning, October 10 2001, and we start the day by giving Taylor a good grooming and Stacey braids her mane.Time to get clean! It's always fun to be hosed with cold water on a 50-degree morning!Brrrr! What our horses have to put up with for our own personal goals! Taylor hates cold water, but is a good sport about it! Getting dry and clean, and getting some help from some good friends! She's looking pretty good!Final touches - applying the hoof black.We think we are ready...time to start focusing.It is warm-up time. Stacey and Taylor brave the crowds in the Celeste Center overhang to warm up and get ready. Taylor takes it all in stride.
Stacey and Taylor, relaxing right before our class!Entering the warm-up area of the Celeste CenterGetting used to the crowds, the noise and commotion, and the aluminum bleachers! The class is over! Time to line up for a final look.We are all so proud of Taylor! With only a few shows under her belt, she handles to craziness of her first time at Congress with class and style!What a great class! It was great to be a part of such a fine group of three year old HUS horses.A few small mistakes kept us from the call back, but we were all so proud of Taylor! She received several nice compliments from some very important hunt seat trainers. Not only did she move and perform wonderfully in the show pen, she kept her great attitude the entire 2 weeks of Congress! It was a great first experience.After an exhausting day...time for a nap!
