Best day ever?
In my case it’d be tough to choose, but right there vying for contention would definitely be the day I won the accumulator class at an Aspley Guise showjumping show at Wing.
Yes it was a long time ago (probably somewhere around 1990), and the show itself wasn’t particularly ‘special’ – no qualifier, almost certainly no prize money – but the thrill of the win, the way the pony (Bella – absolutely the best pony ever) jumped her socks off, and the feeling of beating riders that I looked up to, have stuck with me all this time.
Of course the days that weren’t so successful have also made their mark. Landing head first onto my brand new hat which I’d begged to have for months, packing the pony straight back into the trailer when he came out with a shoe hanging off, and getting halfway to a show and realising that the thing that had been nagging me that I’d forgotten was actually the horse who was still waiting patiently in his stable, travel boots and poll guard already on.
But show days, whatever the result, are what lots of our horsey memories are made of. So this year, get back out there, relish the quirks that make the whole event some kind of cross between an extreme equine beauty pageant and the Olympics, and most of all, just enjoy yourself.
Show day ready?
Treat yourself ahead of the big event and make sure you feel like a million dollars. Whether you’re after a new stock pin to add a bit of sparkle to your existing outfit or have decided to go for a complete new look – we’ve got you covered.
