Presentations for the Freestyle
Me in under the "blow dryer" at the Schafhof that heats and blow dries the horses after work
Nina coming off the lorry at the Schafhof after the show
My dad, Tom, and I standing in the snow at the Schafhof
Nina and I having some kisses
Shaking hands with Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff in the Presentations for the Freestyle
Presentations for the Freestyle
Nina and I with our Ribbon
Nina and I in the Warmup
Tom Putting on Nina's Polos
The show today went really well and Nina felt like she had some fun in the ring! As long as she's happy I'm happy, and she felt the best she's felt all show so I couldn't be more proud! She was so good with all the people today too and the music blaring. Honestly, she was just the best and I couldn't have asked for more from her, she was just great today. It was bittersweet competing today because it was our last ride and show competing in the Young Rider classes. She was the most relaxed and at ease, and it was a lot of fun to ride today. I love it when she gets in the groove and enjoys herself. It was a great way to end our Young Rider career going out with her happy and doing her thing in a beautiful stadium at the YR World Cup in the Festhalle. We came 5th today! Even though it wasn't our best performance, we had a few honest mistakes, Nina just felt so relaxed and happy today that I couldn't be more thrilled. She got lots of bananas after our ride, her favourite, and she made lots of banana sauce that got all over her face. It was pretty funny seeing her covered from ear to whiskers in blobs of banana goo. I don't know if she was wearing more than she ate but it was pretty funny...right up until when Nina thought it would be even funnier if she goobered banana sauce all over my face!! I think she decided that I could smell better, and why not smell like her favourite treat! I love her, she is such a character. I think Nina and I are ready to make the next step and move on now, but the junior and young rider program is so great for the youth of the sport to learn, compete, and develop into professional riders. The YR World Cup is an experience I wish all young riders could live. Tom, my mom, and I are going to sit down when I am home and develop a package that next years representative can have to use as guidelines to better prepare themselves for this experience. There really is no template to follow in terms of what you need to do before you go, and as a result, a lot of stuff was done last minute before we went because we didn't know about it. I think having something to give to our future representatives will be a great way to give back and make things easier in the future.
This experience has been incredible and I am so grateful to DB Schenker and Josef Lederer for sponsoring the YR World Cup, as well as Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff for making this event happen. Her generous hospitality made myself and all the other young riders feel so welcome right from the beginning. Inviting us to stay at the Schafhof and arranging shipping to and from the airport and show was also greatly appreciated by all the foreign riders as well! It made it easy to come here and do what we love, which is riding and being around the horses, and not have to worry about anything because the majority of our worries were taken care of. Patricia from ECOGOLD, I have to thank you for setting up this blog and supporting the Canadian Junior and Young Riders for a couple of years now. We love your saddle pads, and I know I was so excited when you gave me a brand new one for the World Cup! There isn't a day that goes by that I don't wear your ECOGOLD girth covers either. Nina is really sensitive being the chestnut that she is, and your girth covers are the only thing I found that really works! So thank you so much for your continued support of the future Canadian Junior and Young Riders, and for supporting me in this really exciting, unique opportunity! It is really great knowing there is someone so generous back home in Canada that is keen on helping the youth of the sport. Also, thank you to everyone who followed my blog and adventure through Germany!!!! I loved your support and it was a nice way to keep a part of home with me over here. There were a lot of Germans cheering and not so many Canadians in the stands so I think it's great you all followed Nina's and my adventure on here. It was amazing to get to see a part of the indoor circuit here in Europe, and to watch top horse and rider combinations all day long every day. I wish you all could have been here to see it. Although, you would definitely return nice and buttered up for the holiday season because the food here was amazing the entire trip. The Europeans sure know how to dress and dine nicely. It was great to experience it first hand!
Tonight Tom, my parents, and I all went out for an authentic German dinner. It was a good thing I was wearing leggings because holy cow can the German's cook! I think everyone is coming back 10 pounds heavier and as little butterballs. The Bakeries here are incredible as well! I will miss those a lot. I don't think Nina will though, I think she is going to put me to work once we are in Florida in the beginning of January, because she will be protesting all the extra work she will have to do to carry me around up there.
This trip has made me realize how much I would love to come back and train and compete in Europe in the future once I graduate from University. If you want to be successful at this sport (and any sport in general), I think you really have to train and compete with the best, because you get better by watching and learning from those who are better than you. The caliber of shows they have here is also incredible. The Europeans really set the bar for everyone else. When I spoke with a writer from Horse International, she couldn't believe I had never done an indoor show before because they have an entire indoor circuit in Europe that is huge. For this reason and many more, I would love to come back and train and compete in Europe in the future. Looking to the near future, Fleurina and I are going back to Florida to train and compete with my coach Tom Dvorak again this spring. We are declaring for the Pan Am Games this year so it will be exciting to see how our season turns out. I couldn't have imagined having the success Nina and I have had over the years, especially this past year. I am so proud of her and I couldn't have asked for a better partner. I am really excited to see what the future holds for us!
On another note, Tom and I hopefully fly out tomorrow (weather depending). It is snowing really hard here and we are supposed to get another 15cm of snow over night!!! Frankfurt airport is basically shut down right now and the weather forecast is calling for snow through to wednesday. All I want is for Nina to get home safely now, get lots of turnout and some well deserved rest for a week, and not have the same difficulties as she had flying in to Frankfurt. I felt so bad for her and Bentley flying in to Germany getting stuck on the plane for over 24 hours :s I hope she wants to travel with me again LOL. She is going to throw on the parking break before she gets on another plane that's for sure. Anyways, keep your fingers crossed everything works out and she is able to fly out Tuesday night from Frankfurt to Toronto safe and sound.
holland, you are a true competitor in every sense of the word and i couldn't be more proud. it is a priviledge to work with you!
ReplyDelete'keep on ridin'