Final day

The final week of showing for Shelby and Telly. They travel home with Lori, Christine, Brie, and Ali. I will stay for another week with Steph and family. Congrats for a great two weeks. This week was a huge success with two championships and one reserve championship for Shelby and a championship for Telly. There will be no blogging as my computer is not in operation so there will be some final thoughts once I get home. Take care, Trish

Many faces of Telly.

Okay some of these shots may be disturbing. She is trying to take over Ali's role of best assortment of faces. Beware!

Cantina

More ribbons for the WG riders today. Celebration in La Cantina with the Karaoke and Pizza night.

Ode To Victor

You clean our stalls.

You feed our horses.

You wash their legs

When we're finished their courses.

I am late for my class.

Oh no! What to do?

I look in the stall

It's Victor to the rescue.

The suds they do fly

In the blink of an eye

The tack is all clean

To a mighty sheen.

The horses he bathes

For all of us saves

Our clothes from the drier

Keeping spirits much higher.

Through rain sun and snow

The answers you always know

The Spanish lessons are a plus

Mucho Gracious from all of us.

Thank you Victor for making our trip extra special and looking after our horses so well. We will miss you.

More stuff

More ribbons for the Willow Grove clan today. Jumpers once again got to show in the Grand Prix ring. A nice treat. Power & Speed with many jumps and touring all over the ring. The Tucson wind was with us for most of the morning. Cuts down on the exfoliating that needs to be done on our skin. Sandblasting is definitely an alternative.

Week 3 Grand Prix

Chuy's

The end of Week 3 ended in a celebration at the famous Chuy's Mexican restaurant. Much sillyness was had by all.

End of the week.

Things Janine has learned while everyone else is in Tucson.

My broken a**'s hurt bad especially when you laugh! No matter how hard I try I can not find a lost horse passport from 1300 miles away. Walkers are a cool fashion accessory. Knitting 16 and counting dishcloths is boring. Good friends are to be cherished even if later repayment will be extremely costly?!! Learning to text isn't as hard as I thought. Knowing that everyone is having fun and doing well. PRICELESS!! Did I mention that my broken a**'s really hurt. Love Janine.

What I Have Learned. By Alyssa Olson

Cultivating in front of a jump is not a good idea. Also known as plowing. We do farm remember. Trish calls is Park & Pop. My right rein comes in handy. It is amazing how my horse does not drift left anymore. I love Victor. I see a permanent Mexican groom in my future. Down Jackets are a must in Arizona. The cheering/coaching/comments from the Olson boys never end when I am in the ring. I still love them though. Due to the downturn in the economy - fake tails in the hunter ring are non existent. Even though they are under the age of 10 boys will still break your heart. Horse shows are not nearly as much fun without my mom.

End of the Day Part 2

A Day in the Life of a Horse Show. End of the Day.

Back at the barn we finish up at the end of the day. Kudo's to all. A well deserved libation or two.

In the Ring again.

A Day in the Life of a Horse Show - In the Ring

A day in the life of the horse show. In the Ring. Pre accident. As you can see much fun and success is being had. Many ribbonsclutter up the walls. Blues (first in the USA); and two reserve championships for Shelby and Gracie. More in the ring pictures for this week on the next page.

A Day in the Life of a Horse Show

At the ring - Walking Walking Walking. 15 jumps in the power and speed. Where do we go?? Left or right. Orange or Blue. Oxer or Vertical. Jumpers before Equitation or after. Hunters before jumpers. Which way do we go - Jeremy, Boyd, Robbie, Drew - Please help us know where we are supposed to be. Heads up for the water truck. Squirt and Stir! He will get you wet you know. More walking, walking walking. Learning many courses at once.

A Day in the Life of a Horse Show

At the Barn: Here are some shots of us getting ready to show. Much preparation is needed to get this team rolling. And Starbucks consumed.

What I have learned. By Shelby Edwards

I learned I must keep a rhythmic ride with the stride staying the same. I will not run down the hill in the Grand Prix ring; towards the ingate; with a big smile on my face as I am winning the class - I just know it. But then I invent a new sport - how far can I move the last jump from it's original position in the ring. Kinda like javelin but with showjumps.

I learned about a new method of putting a hairnet on. The pressure sores on my ears are a bit painful though. I learned I do not have enough hands. How do you hold the reins when you have to whip walk the course and drink water. What is a girl to do? The drug testers are not really scouts looking to find America's Next Top Rider (Is it me? Is it me?) I can survive at a show without my mom. Shhhhhhh!!!!!!! Don't tell my mom - she will be hurt. Of course I had Brie and Victor to look after me. Oh yeah and Ali. And Jenelle. Pony riders are terrifying. Especially the run away one that jumped out of the ring and ran the girl into the tree. Ouch!

Up and Running

Up and running. Or maybe not quite yet. Ali is doing much better for all of those people who have sent your well wishes. Thank you to everyone.

Sad news

We sit waiting for news. We are trying to be brave but know that Ali is the one having to be the brave, A freak fall in the warm-up has sent our precious Ali to the emergency room. Lori (surrogate mother of the year) sits with Ali and waits. Last news is another two or three hours before x-rays. Probably collar bone injury. We will let you all know how she is. Keep her in your thoughts.

What I have learned. By Chantelle Budd

I will go through the finish line. I will go through the finish line. I will notice where my timers are. I will not turn left after the last fence when there is no where to go (after jumping clean by the way). I will not have a lazy warm up. I will energize my horse all the time. I will not tip my shoulder at the first fence and then not fix it. I will carry my hand and keep my leg at every single jump through the entire course. Oh yeah, did I mention the going through finish line thing?

The Team

More Stuff

Breakfast of Champions

Rice Cakes and Peanut Butter. You decide!

Random Pics

Cantina times

As always the Tucson shows have a great after hour fun times with parties (free food and drink - not free) after the horse show. We thank the shows and their sponsors for this great perk. Why go to Chuy's when Chuy's comes to us.

more pics from AZ

You have got to be kidding me Part 2

Snow is Tucson. You have got to be kidding me. Schools are closed. Roads are shut down - even to residents. You have got to be kidding me. Not a sturdy as us Canucks we thought. Well - They were not kidding us. Snow and Cold feels very different down here. Luckily we learned from our last trip that it can be colder in Tucson than it is in Calgary. Thanks for the touque Jenelle.

p.s. Jenelle and Ali would like to add their contribution to this blog - A very large mexican man changing his clothes in the mexican taco stand. You have got to be kidding me!!!!! We won't be eating Mexican that is for sure.

"You have got to be kidding me"

You have got to be kidding me! Rising at 3am to catch our plane to Tucson. Who ever thought that was a good time to fly?? 2:30am - You got to be kidding me- Nikki (Golden doggie girl) does her usual - let's wake up mum 1/2 before she needs to get up.  4:30 am - You have got to be kidding me. There is no one at the Delta counter at the airport. And we got up for this?? 5:00am - You have got to be kidding me. After the longest line in customs Brie and I finally settle in for a snooze in the departure lounge and yes there is suddenly a screaming chicken - You have got to be kidding me - A screaming chicken. Yes it is an ad for Calgary Farmers market on the TV above our heads. Where is our plane we wonder? Oh look there is one outside. Brie says - it cannot be ours it is far too small. Well - you have got to be kidding me - it is ours. Should have figured it out from the two pilot and one flight attendant thing. Not even enough room for our bags as you see we were sitting in seats 1D and 1E. You have got to be kidding me. Anyone who knows me well understands my lack of enthusiasm to fly. I assured Brie that these little planes go way faster - I think she thought - You have got to be kidding me.