Western Week and Show.

The day after a show is always a bit of a strange day. From a busy, populated, full of activity mini-village environment to a quiet still and very sparsely populated one is a huge change. We were really dreading the clear up today but to our delight nearly all the stables and other areas used for the show needed little doing to them. That can only happen with the cooperation of all those who attended - thank you for helping things finish on a high note for us.

It is a sad fact that of the seven last major shows in the UK only the GOE international escaped heavy rain - all the others were affected in some way and to some degree by the wet stuff either, just before, or during the show.So much so that the organisers of the first GOE this year had to take the difficult decision to cancel. If what we are witnessing is the result of global warming then we may have to adapt to an elongated summer and change plans to hold shows in the sunny summer months of October and November !

Fortunately the new roof arrived just in time and we could function albeit it in a smaller arena than we would have all preferred.

Thank you to all the competitors and the traders for sticking it out and keeping our heads up from time to time when God’s bathwater was starting to get the better of our spirits. To the volunteers who helped throughout the week especially - Dominique, Jude, Adam H, Debbie, Lucy, Simon, Chris, Sue, Jo, Jane, Heather and anyone else who pitched in you were just great.

To the show team and Judges – thanks to you all - professional and a pleasure to work with as always. Finally to the team here you were ‘awesome’.

To our sponsors – without you it just doesn’t happen.

We’ll get the results out as soon as we can.

John

Post edited by: John, at: 2008/08/11 14:19

As someone who loves outdoor shows we were so looking forward to the West Coast Show, and Friday was great - after a horribly early start for the trail and English we enjoyed watching the reining bathed in sunshine.
Despair at the rain which began to fall during the halter on Saturday soon turned to admiration for John and the team as they organised indoor warm up,a covered collecting area and sensibly run classes in the newly covered arena.
Just as everyone was getting really sodden John and Lisa produced stirrup cups which were enjoyed by the spectators and mid-warmup pleasure riders alike!
Trail in a smaller than usual area just tested the rider's steering!
Then there was a fantastic bbq on the Saturday evening with a lively band and we almost forgot the weather until Ilan reappeared in the marquee dripping wet!
Landing in a big puddle en route to do a late horse check seemed pretty funny at the time.
Sunday was sunshine and showers and again a swift reorganisation under the direction of the indomitable Jane Muir made the best of the covered space while giving the outdoor arena a chance to dry for the reiners
They reckon us Brits thrive on adversity - ask me when I've waded thru the huge pile of human and horse clothing which is plastered in mud, but my memories of the weekend are still of fun,fun,fun!

Hi

Thanks to everyone who organised the show and everyone that was there. This was my first show and I enjoyed myself so much I cant wait for the next one. Even the boyfriend is thinking about having some western lessons so look out Mendip staff you might have to help me find another horse for Leon coz Blue is MINE!!!

Thanks again!

having been at your place days before the start of the show and witnessed the extreme effort in getting the roof up and all the other things in place ---well done---

I noticed during the show how we were all getting a little stressed and tired, but you (John Calder)were the person most stressed by the weather and deserve a big congrats for getting the show completed without missing out any classes.

So we will all be back next week for Show 3 & 4.

What?? Another show or two?? I'll repack the bling box, then!! (( Only kidding, John!!)

You can't always blame the weather - there ARE times you have to thank it, like before the trail class in Show 2. Now nothing, but nothing, was motivating me to attempt that pattern in what I call the 'bish, bang, wallop' class - or so I thought, until I realised my horse was fetlock-deep in water in his stable and could probably do with an hour out of his home-brewed swimming pool (NOT, I endeavour to state, an insult on show management, only my horse has an added talent of turning into half-horse, half-JCB come dinner time ).

And you know, the pattern even in the smaller arena was rather more achievable than my demons may have earlier imagined - in fact, if we hadn't gone through the back-up like Michael Schumacher with no concept of a handbrake turn and played footie with a battery of cones, we'd have done pretty well!!!

Personally, I think the TMS team did an amazing job through the whole week, for which big thanks, but much more importantly, I think the concept of pre-pleasure whisky is something every show circuit should consider, take-up was great, and a lovely way of testing the smoothness of one's horse's jog - more please!! (that's the whisky, not the pleasure classes, there's only so long you can grin while pretending to be in control!)

hey folks, congrats huge well done to all. Onward and upward for the next shows, enjoy your holiday John and Lou, you both deserve it. Next year, I promise to sit glued to the seat and not attempt Irish (or Australian) folk tunes

It was a joy to work for such dedicated and hard working team and to serve such enthusiastic competitors - even you Owen - who managed a smile at 6.30something when asking if the coffee was ready yet.....sorry I didn't manage a smile back

J