Goals

Showing horses can be a very complex ordeal.

USDF Medals: Bronze, Silver, Gold

Saturday nights have been dinner nights.  After barn chores we go to a restaurant to eat before going back to the barn to do night check.  It's really my chore, but my friends have been helping me since well they're awesome.

Last night Friend 1 and I started talking about showing.  Friend 2 is very new to the whole horse showing world.  And so we had to explain to her all the awards and divisions and different goals that one can pursue.

For my non horse friends.  When I show dressage I enter tests.  Generally you can only do 2 tests per day.  The judge scores each movement 0-10.  0 (movement not shown) 10 (you're awesome!)

To get 100 is impossible.  Horses aren't machines.  Horses have strengths and weaknesses just like their riders.

80s (you're freaking superwoman)
70s (you rocked the house)
60s (generally most folks are in this range.)
50s(well good try)
40s and below....  (to score this low is well you need to rethink the whole agenda)

2014
Short Term Awards
USDF All Breeds
I need to collect 8 scores from 4 different judges at 4 different shows.
Median must be 60% or higher.
Sith Pony would be competing against other horses in her breed association for scores.

Long Term Goals
This is a personal goal.  Earning "Medals" in the United States Dressage Federation is not only a personal thing but also for professional riders mean a of advertising yourself or to get into programs that the USDF offers.  For amateur riders its a special hooray.  I do teach children how to ride.  I'm not on the pro level that say my friends Renee Carter or Lauren Sprieser are at.  But by definition the USDF and USEF I am recognize as such.

Bronze Medal
2 scores 60%+ at First Level
2 scores 60%+ at Second Level
2 scores 60%+ at Third Level

But I want to eventually become a USDF judge.  To get into the "Learning" judge program I need 3 scores at 60% and 2nd level. As I want to work up the judging ranks I'll have to get my Bronze, Silver, and then Gold if I want to be more "advanced" judge.  Dressage is very systematic.  The dressage pyramid is amazing.  Great programs.


See I told you it gets complex.

Imperial Officer "Cavalry" Shoot

My friend who does professional equine photography came to our barn and did a photo shoot with 3 of us equestrian gals.  I already have enough pretty pictures of the Sith Pony.  She's pretty she makes for pretty pictures.  But I don't do a lot of nerdy photo shoots with my horse.  Actually since I never showed it off, here's our side saddle shot.  I think I'll try and make a matching apron for Davera's side saddle show next year.

Anywho.  Here's some of the shots from Kayla's photo shoot.

  

Full gallery:

Richmond Christmas Parade

I did the Richmond Christmas Parade with Garrison Tyranus on Dec 7th.  I heard many of the members call this the 3 mile death march.

There was a lot of walking.

We froze to death.

But it was a hella good time.

2014 Show Season

I've beginning to look towards the 2014 show season.  My plan is to take lessons during the winter and if I can hit up a winter schooling show and I'll do one Feb/March time frame.  See what our scores are and decide if I want to do training level or first level at the licensed shows beginning in April.  Here's the very tentative calender.

April 5+6: Vada Nova Spring Show, Leesburg, VA
May 3rd+4th: Dressage at Meadow (Doswell, VA) or CDCTA (Leesburg, VA)
June 7th+8th: Vada/Nova Summer Show, Leesburg, VA
June 21st+22nd: PVDA Ride For Life, Upper Marlboro, MD
Aug 9+10: Vada-CH, Culpeper, VA
Sept 13th+14th: Vada/Nova or VADAF Autumn Show Leesburg or Fredericksburg, VA.

I need 8 scores at 4 different shows to qualify for the USDF All Breeds awards.  Showing horses is definitely not cheap.

Museum of Sci Fi

Museum of Sci Fi wanted to shoot a promo commercial to support their fundraising efforts to build their preview museum.  I first heard about this project a few weeks earlier and really wanted to donate money.  I donated $50 towards the funding.  With it being Christmas season I couldn't donate anymore.  But then this troop popped up I jumped on it.

Dec 1st, bright and early Ray and I journeyed up to Washington, DC.  We stopped by Starbucks and got our coffee.  This lady came up to us and asked us what we were dressed up and we told her.  She was really excited to hear about the Museum as well.  

We got to the Capitol building and found parking and met up with a few Old Line Garrison members and a few Tyranus members as they got there.

It was a really fun troop.  They only wanted stormtroopers for the commercial  but we got a ton of pictures taken by tourists.  It's amazing how quickly news traveled and people came up to me saying that they heard about it on the metro, twitter, facebook, and came running.

We got featured on WTOP (local news radio station), DCist, and the Washington Post.  I've heard we also were featured on some other news networks.  Hardball showed a brief clip of the stormtroopers while they were shooting the commercial.

Be sure to check out the Museum of Sci Fi Fundraising Site

 

Air & Scare 2013

One of my first events to ever squire for when I was interested in joining the 501st was the Air & Scare hosted at the Air & Space Museum in Chantilly, VA.   It’s a huge event that draws over thousand people.  This year was my first year I was actually dressed in my Imperial officer.   My friend Raymond was also in an Imperial officer costume.  So we got to pull double duty as handlers and be dressed up.  My friend Kelly wanted to come and help.  A big help she was.  She’s not a huge Star Wars nerd, but she told me she had a blast with the event. 

It was a fun event.  It was great seeing a ton of happy kids and adult kids see their favorite Star Wars character.  There was a little girl dressed up as a witch probably around 4 years old who walked up to one of the Jedi and smacked him with her broom.  Funny how much the bad guys got a lot of love versus the Jedi. 

Jon, myself, and Raymond. 

Imperial Officers represent.  :D  

Tiny one hit the Jedi.  We approved.

Vader, Vicky and I.  

For a Trekkie Vicky is okay.  :D  

Patrick Clinic

Last month my trainer came down to teach us one last time before he headed for Florida.  Patrick Tigchelaar is an excellent trainer.  I haven't had much chance to take very many lessons from him this year, due to other goals and budget constraints.  But I signed up for a 2 day clinic.

A lot of non-horse folks ask me, "why do you take lessons, don't you know how to ride?"  Well I do.  But riders should always strive to better themselves.  I have flaws in my riding that effect my horse.  We're a pair and my issues effect hers and visa versa.  My mare is built downhill which means her hind quarters are higher than her withers (peak of her shoulders).  My bad back and previous hunter/jumping makes me want to lean forward, which puts her on her forehand.

Patrick I would never say is a teacher that nit picks on the rider.  He kind of nit picks the whole picture.  But this weekend he really was focusing on me, because 1/2 her issues are me.  My bad back combined with her build sometimes we get all wonky.

It was two great days.  Really got her to be light in the bridle and really worked on getting me to sit back and keep my left arm which has a tendency to poke out.  And now that she's not a young horse I need to keep my hands forward and not so much giving rein.

It's a never ending process.  But hopefully we'll be able to do 1st level at the licensed shows next year and maybe 2nd.  We'll see.