THANK YOU QUEEN
heres the writing so far:
I walked quickly into the ring. I spotted Holly standing next to her big bay mare, Diva. I walked up to her and poked her shoulder.
“Hey.” Holly kept her eyes on the arena. There were 2.9 jumps set up in lines and diagonals with Christmas decorations next to them and under them. There were candy canes, trees, and bows around them as well.
“What's your course?” I asked.
“Outside candy cane line, green tree diagonal, snowflake diagonal line, red bow single, and end with the first snowflake jump of that line.” Holly pointed at the final jump then turned around. “There's 14 people in my class. I'm kind of nervous.”
“GIRL. That's a perfect amount! They place in the top 8 and you are obviously gonna do well. This is equitation too! You cook at eq.” I smiled. “You got 3rd test-”
“Addy Freeman, please enter the ring and do your class. On deck is Kelsey Ross and in the hole is Holly Chapman.” The announcer's intercom crackled.
“Holly get on. Beatrice-the announcer said that they will have the results for your under-saddle class out at 4:30.” Meredith walked around Diva and put down Holly’s shiny stirrups.
“Thank you! Good luck Holly!” I waved goodbye, then I stepped out of the way of a dapped gray entering the ring and headed towards the stands. When I got to the stands, I sat down and started to watch the rider. The pair started at a walk and then did a canter transition. They headed towards the first jump. There were two large glitter candy canes next to the standards and two red and white on top of a white faux brick wall. The gray lifted up and over the jump and the rider pushed her hands forward as well as her heels.
“Bea! BEA!” A voice whispered loudly from behind me. I turned around. A brown-haired girl with freckles stared at her. Gwen!
“Hey, girl!” I lifted myself out of my seat and sat next to her.
“Hey! Do you know when Holly’s going? I was told to video her.” Gwen explained.
“She’s not next but after that rider goes she will go,” I replied. I then pulled out my phone to check the time. 4:23.
“Huh?” Gwen tilted her head. I sighed. Gwen wasn't the brightest sometimes.
“Holly is after the next girl who goes. The girl in the ring right now is the person before she goes.” I clarified, hoping she got it.
“Ohhh. Okay. She's gonna cook. Trust.” Gwen nodded, smiling.
The dapple gray horse and rider took a final circle and then headed out of the ring. I lightly clapped and so did Gwen.
“Kelsey Ross please enter the ring. On deck is Holly Chapman and in the hole is Adriana Fisher.” The announcer said over the speakers.
“I think I met this girl at that one clinic we had. If she's on a big bay I know her.” Gwen shifted in her seat. The girl who walked into the arena was in fact on a big bay horse. “Yep. She did the hunter/jumper week camp with me last year.”
“Cool! Is she good?” I asked. I really wanted Holly to win.
“Yeah! But when I went to camp with her she did jumpers, so she may not be the best in equitation.” Gwen explained to me. The girl on the bay definitely rode like a jumper. She pushed for the stride and she went very much so with the horse. She wasn't bad, but she definitely rode like a jumper.
“Yeah, I can tell.” I shrugged. “Her eq’s not bad though.”
“Uhm hum.” Gwen nodded.
We sat for a few minutes and watched the bay. Finally, she ended her round. Gwen clapped loudly.
I saw Holly standing next to the in-gate. I quickly gave her a thumbs-up. Holly's show coat was crisp, her helmet shiny, and her boots polished to perfection. Diva's coat shined and her hoofs had a layer of clear polish.
“She's gonna eat so hard,” Gwen whispered to me.
“For sure.” I pulled out my phone and handed it to her. “I probably have more storage, so use mine.”
“Thanks.” Gwen took the phone and punched in my password. 1. 4. 3. 0. Her brain power is just so crazy.
“Holly Chapman please enter the ring. On deck is Adriana Fisher and in the hole is Isabella Linn.” The announcer's voice said loudly.
Holly started walking into the ring. She sat up straight and her chin was up.
“Looking confident!” Gwen whispered. She then pressed play on my phone.
Holly cued Diva into a canter. She sat for three strides then lifted up into her half seat. Holly bobbed up and down with Diva’s canter. She stretched her heels down and rose again elegantly.
“UGH give me your eq!” Gwen said into my phone for the video.
I leaned over next to Gwen, “For real!”
Holly headed towards the first jump. Her hands were light and she sat up straight. She pushed slightly for the distance and they got it. She lifted into her two-point and her hands slid up Diva’s neck. They landed and then looked for the next jump of the line. Diva reached for the jump and took a long, but Holly stayed with it and looked flawless.
“SO GOOD! Oh my gosh!” I looked over and Gwen was smiling.
“COOKING.” I agreed.
Holly landed her lead and continued to the right. At the corner of the large arena she turned and looked at the green tree jump. It was a jump with two christmas trees on the right and left. There were a few tree branches under the jump. Holly reached the jump and took it with ease.
Gwen leaned over and whispered in my ear, “She's definitely going to do well.”
“Yeah. She was super nervous but as long as she keeps doing what she has been doing, she may win for all I know!” I had only seen 3 other rounds, but of those 3, Holly was in first.
“Hopefully.” Gwen laughed quietly.
We watched the rest of Holly’s round and it was outstanding. She took the right of the jumps at a good distance and got all of her leads by doing flyings. She got left behind a little bit on her last jump because she two pointed a split second late, but it was overall a great round.
“That was amazing! I can't believe she just did that! Well not saying she can't jump well, but that was another level!” Gwen praised as we walked back to Holly and Meredith. They were both smiling when we arrived.
I stopped next to Diva and pet her silky black muzzle.
“Holly, that was an awesome round! You got every distance, but the one long one, got your leads and most of all looked outstanding!” I praised her. Holly grinned then patted her horse.
“It was all Diva! She was so amazing!” Holly leaned down and hugged her.
“You did very well! I would work on keeping your wrists flat, because they were bent a little. You also were a little wonky to the last jump. That won't make you lose points, but it looks cleaner and neater if you are more straight. I liked your pace and your jumps were very good! You did get a 5 stride in the 6 stride line, but as I said before it won't affect your placings. I believe that you can fix that very easily. That was one of your best rounds of the show! Great job!” Meredith told Holly.
“Yeah I was either to collect to get the 6 stride or extend to get the 5, but I chose to extend. So I can definitely fix that.” Holly nodded deep in thought.
