susanne
dB
We just got home from our first show of the year in Boring, Oregon...exhausted but very pleased.
We originally had big plans for the NWMHC Schooling Show...showing both Mingus and Flash,, with proper conditioning for each, but my hospital stay forced me to scale back, so only a rather soft, untoned Mingus went.
As you may know, I show Mingus in his unclipped natural summer coat, but this show is too early for that, and I wanted to avoid a repeat of last year's "alpaca cut" -- an interesting look, but not worthy of an encore. Well...I clipped Mingus' head and neck first -- and the clipper blades went dull. Oh well, so we'd saved the cost of a blanket...
I had also hoped to attend the Saturday clinics, including a halter presentation clinic by Portia Sue Kalinka, who was also the show judge, but Keith had to work so late Friday night that I didn't have the heart to get him up early. We arrived a little after noon, with plenty of time to clean him up (not possible at home, with our sea of mud). Liz (Nootka) had reserved a stall for us alongside hers, so we hit the ground running.
After one look at Mingus' partial clip job, Liz offered us the use of her Double Ks, which we accepted after first locating a blanket in the right size and color with Prime Design's vendor booth. With tips from Liz and Kathy Howard of Columbia Miniature Horse Farm, and a few hours of hard labor for this novice clipper, Mingus was a new man, sleek and naked, and none too happy with us. We wrapped him in his warm blanket and Keith took him to play a bit before we fed him and put him to bed.
Since we had horses, dogs and cats to feed at home, we headed back to Scappoose (a 1-1/2 hour drive), fed the troups, set our clocks ahead for Daylight Savings, and fell asleep...only to realize that I had confused the time we needed to wake up and the time we needed to leave...so we ended up arriving at the center with very little time to get ready. We had hoped to take Mingus out and "blow the stink off of him," as he was rather excited, but instead it was a quick grooming and a brisk walk around the show barn....along with a brief chat with my sister and mom, who had come to see their grandpony and nephew.
While we waited outside the gate, the class before us went on and on, and Mingus got more and more agitated. He seemed to calm down when Keith handled him, so we decided at the last minute to take him in for amateur halter. I loved getting the chance to watch him for a change, and he looked tall, handsome, and amazing (and Mingus looked pretty good, too...haha).
In between fidgeting, Mingus set up beautifully, stretching just slightly and correcting his foot placement upon command. The judge kept returning to look at Mingus, and I hoped this meant that she like him, not that he was moving too much for her to get a good look! As they called out each placement starting with 6th place, I hoped this bode well, rather than that he got the gate...third, second...then FIRST PLACE, WOODWINDS' MINGUS!
Mi
Open halter followed soon after, and I found it hard to argue with a blue ribbon (and a trophy), so Keith once again took him in. This time the class was much, much larger. Although Keith was showing in his second ever halter class, trying to calm down an antsy Mingus and competing against professional trainers, they took third place!
A short break, then it was liberty...of course, now Mingus was settling down and acting the model citizen -- wouldn't you know. Keith and Mingus and I entered the arena, Keith's original music, written specifically for Mingus began to play, and Mingus leaped away with a kick, a fart, and a loud whinny for good measure. He ran like a Kentucky Derby entry (for good and for bad -- not trot, even for a momen). Whereas most of the entries stayed at one end of the arena, Mingus delighted in running behind the judge's table, cutting as close as he could without knocking them over). He ran straight toward me, turning and kicking at the last moment. The music stopped, and he cam right to Keith. A perfect liberty run -- but no liberty trot, so he only took 6th place, but the sheer entertainment value was worth the entry fee.
Amongst the small but enthusiastic audience was Mingus' original mommy, Carmel Guzman, who was deservedly proud of the once skinny little colt she had saved.
After lunch with Liz, Martin, Brandon and Colton, Liz and Martin took photos of Kyan and Lark, and offered to take some shots of Mingus, who gamely posed despite having had quite enough for the day.
We then loaded the van to the chorus of Mingus' distressed whinnies -- he evidently thought we were going to leave him again, and he didn't wanna. He was obviously relieved when at last we loaded him, too.
We're all back home...Mingus is out in the corral showing off his spiffy royal blue blanket to Thelonoius and Flash...Keith fell immediately asleep...and I'm at my computer, writing up this story. All of us, even the one who can't speak English, are extremely tired and extremely happy.
(Hopefully Liz will post her photos when she gets home...)
We originally had big plans for the NWMHC Schooling Show...showing both Mingus and Flash,, with proper conditioning for each, but my hospital stay forced me to scale back, so only a rather soft, untoned Mingus went.
As you may know, I show Mingus in his unclipped natural summer coat, but this show is too early for that, and I wanted to avoid a repeat of last year's "alpaca cut" -- an interesting look, but not worthy of an encore. Well...I clipped Mingus' head and neck first -- and the clipper blades went dull. Oh well, so we'd saved the cost of a blanket...
I had also hoped to attend the Saturday clinics, including a halter presentation clinic by Portia Sue Kalinka, who was also the show judge, but Keith had to work so late Friday night that I didn't have the heart to get him up early. We arrived a little after noon, with plenty of time to clean him up (not possible at home, with our sea of mud). Liz (Nootka) had reserved a stall for us alongside hers, so we hit the ground running.
After one look at Mingus' partial clip job, Liz offered us the use of her Double Ks, which we accepted after first locating a blanket in the right size and color with Prime Design's vendor booth. With tips from Liz and Kathy Howard of Columbia Miniature Horse Farm, and a few hours of hard labor for this novice clipper, Mingus was a new man, sleek and naked, and none too happy with us. We wrapped him in his warm blanket and Keith took him to play a bit before we fed him and put him to bed.
Since we had horses, dogs and cats to feed at home, we headed back to Scappoose (a 1-1/2 hour drive), fed the troups, set our clocks ahead for Daylight Savings, and fell asleep...only to realize that I had confused the time we needed to wake up and the time we needed to leave...so we ended up arriving at the center with very little time to get ready. We had hoped to take Mingus out and "blow the stink off of him," as he was rather excited, but instead it was a quick grooming and a brisk walk around the show barn....along with a brief chat with my sister and mom, who had come to see their grandpony and nephew.
While we waited outside the gate, the class before us went on and on, and Mingus got more and more agitated. He seemed to calm down when Keith handled him, so we decided at the last minute to take him in for amateur halter. I loved getting the chance to watch him for a change, and he looked tall, handsome, and amazing (and Mingus looked pretty good, too...haha).
In between fidgeting, Mingus set up beautifully, stretching just slightly and correcting his foot placement upon command. The judge kept returning to look at Mingus, and I hoped this meant that she like him, not that he was moving too much for her to get a good look! As they called out each placement starting with 6th place, I hoped this bode well, rather than that he got the gate...third, second...then FIRST PLACE, WOODWINDS' MINGUS!
Mi
Open halter followed soon after, and I found it hard to argue with a blue ribbon (and a trophy), so Keith once again took him in. This time the class was much, much larger. Although Keith was showing in his second ever halter class, trying to calm down an antsy Mingus and competing against professional trainers, they took third place!
A short break, then it was liberty...of course, now Mingus was settling down and acting the model citizen -- wouldn't you know. Keith and Mingus and I entered the arena, Keith's original music, written specifically for Mingus began to play, and Mingus leaped away with a kick, a fart, and a loud whinny for good measure. He ran like a Kentucky Derby entry (for good and for bad -- not trot, even for a momen). Whereas most of the entries stayed at one end of the arena, Mingus delighted in running behind the judge's table, cutting as close as he could without knocking them over). He ran straight toward me, turning and kicking at the last moment. The music stopped, and he cam right to Keith. A perfect liberty run -- but no liberty trot, so he only took 6th place, but the sheer entertainment value was worth the entry fee.
Amongst the small but enthusiastic audience was Mingus' original mommy, Carmel Guzman, who was deservedly proud of the once skinny little colt she had saved.
After lunch with Liz, Martin, Brandon and Colton, Liz and Martin took photos of Kyan and Lark, and offered to take some shots of Mingus, who gamely posed despite having had quite enough for the day.
We then loaded the van to the chorus of Mingus' distressed whinnies -- he evidently thought we were going to leave him again, and he didn't wanna. He was obviously relieved when at last we loaded him, too.
We're all back home...Mingus is out in the corral showing off his spiffy royal blue blanket to Thelonoius and Flash...Keith fell immediately asleep...and I'm at my computer, writing up this story. All of us, even the one who can't speak English, are extremely tired and extremely happy.
(Hopefully Liz will post her photos when she gets home...)
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