Back 9 Farms

Show Season has begun!!!! Last Friday night Annette, Kenzie, Justin, Christy and I went to Chesterfield to play. It was a really last minute decision, but we had fun hanging out with Carla and Shane and getting our 1st taste of showing again. Kenzie placed 2nd in Pony Class and 2nd in Youth Walk- Trot (big classes of like 17). I managed a 5th place in Walk-trot (like 25 entries!!)and Adult Western Pleasure. There was some really stiff competition, so I was thrilled with those!! We stayed all night just to decide to not let Justin and Christy run after seeing how slippery the ground was, so it was not a complete night, but was lots of fun!!!

Yesterday was the 1st Gibson County Saddle Club show and it was a good one!!!

Pony Halter - 1st Mackenzie Johnson, 3rd Chloe Lott

Gaited Halter - 1st Hannah Miller

PeeWee Western Halter - 1st Taylor Singleton, 3rd Linda Simons, 4th Lyssie Simons

Youth Western Halter - 1st Alexis Montgomery

Adult Western Halter - 1st Christy Cunningham, ?? Andrea Gibson (we will claim her since she does drill team with us!! and is such a blast to have around!)

PeeWee Hunt Seat - 2nd Linda, 3rd Lyssie

PW English Equitation - 2nd Lyssie, 3rd Linda

PW Walk Trot - 2nd Linda, 4th Lyssie

PW Western Pleasure - 1st Linda, 3rd Lyssie, 4th Taylor

PW Western Horsemanship - 2nd Lyssie, 3rd Linda, 4th Taylor

PW Poles - 3rd Linda

PW Flags - 2nd Linda, 4th Lyssie

Pony Barrels - 5th Mackenzie

PW Barrels - 3rd Linda

Youth Hunt Seat - 1st Alexis

Y Eng Eq - 1st Alexis

Y Gaited - 5th Hannah

Y Walk - Trot - 2nd Meghan Tauzier, 3rd Marley Oliver

Y West Pl - 2nd Rachel Carrington, 3rd Alexis

Y West Eq - 1st Alexis Montgomery, 3rd Meghan Tauzier

Y Poles - 5th Rachel

Y Speed - 1st Sarah Saddler

Y Barrels - 1st Sarah, 4th Rachel

Adult Hunt Seat - 1st Christy, 2nd Andrea , 3rd LeeAnn Johnson

A Eng Eq - 1st Andrea, 2nd Christy, 3rd LeeAnn

A Walk Trot - 2nd LeeAnn, 3rd Annette Reese, 4th Christy

A West Pl - 2nd Annette, 3rd Christy, 4th LeeAnn

A West Eq - 2nd Annette, 3rd Christy, 4th LeeAnn, 5th Rhonda Livingston

A Barrels - 1st Christy

A Poles - 5th Christy

Lead Line - 1st Oliver Carter (family friend of LeeAnn's lead in by Mackenzie - ridiculously cute!!)

That would be 58 ribbons by my count for the Back 9 Crew.  Again - these pee wee classes had like 19 and the youth had about 20. Even the adult classes had about 10. So FABULOUS job, everyone!!! These were the 1st ribbons won by a several of these folks, so that is always exciting!!! And all of our crew were polite, helpful, and represented us well! I am so proud of all of you!!! This is gonna be a great season! Henry is coming up this coming weekend for a few of us. stay tuned for more ribbons!!!

Well the banquets for the 2008 show season are in the past and now it is time to start thinking about 2009!! We are working hard at the barn to try to decide who is going where and organizing horses, trailer space and how we can fit it all in! I think if we had 10 trailers and the horses to fill them, we would still fall short! We are very proud of all of the accomplishments in 2008, both in and out of the show ring! I am really looking forward to showing more myself, as is Ms Annette! Little Linda and Lyssie will both be showing a seperate horse in the pleasure events and the speed events.  I just realized today that Christy would be moving up into the adult classes - that is scary - she can't be that old!!!  We don't know yet who else will be going with us to the different shows - we have to really work on trailer slots.  I wish we had enough room to take everyone who wants to go! So hang on, it will be another wild ride this show season!!

Also thinking ahead means planning for summer camp. We will be doing a few things differently. I will taking a group of my French students to France and will not be here the 1st week of June, so we will be doing a week of 1/2 day camp for riders ages 4 - 8. This week will really be geared toward that age range and offer a less strenuous day for our youngters! Then we will have 3 weeks of regular horse camp. And of course the week of July 4th we will be having advanced camp Mon - Thurs.  Unless there is a huge demand, we will not be offering any other weeks of camp in July. If the need arises, then we will take a look! We will attending hte annual summer camp fair Feb 7th, so let me know if you now what week you would like to attend!!

I hope everyone has a great week - stay warm!!

Well, I am finally at home on my computer and able to close out the old thread and start a new one!!  My computer at school will not support the editing software for this site, so I cannot do antyhing but read and post within a thread. But finally, here we go!!

Linda, Annette, Carrie and I had a great time at the North American International Livestock Expo watchign Dandy in his first AQHA show. He did a great job. Jackie competed in the healing competition. Even though Dandy did not place, he really had a great run, especially considering that Jackie has just been roping off of him for 3 months!! He is only going to get better!

We had the Oakfield Saddle Club Banquet last night and our kids did great!!! And even though Shane and Carla were not boarding with us until until a couple of weeks ago, I want to recognize their awards as well!! So here are how the year end awards shook out...

Western Halter: 1st Carla Alexander

Youth Halter Showmanship: 1st Rachel Gokel, 5th Mackenzie Johnson

Pony Class: 3rd Mackenzie Johnson

Open Poles: 2nd Sara Saddler

Open Hunt Seat: 2nd Rachel Gokel, 4th Lyssie Simons, 5th Linda Simons

Youth Western Pleasure: 1st Rachel Gokel, 3rd Lyssie Simons

Youth Walk Trot: 2nd Rachel Gokel, 3rd Lyssie Simons

Adult Walk Trot: 1st Carla Alexander, 4th Shane Alexander

Open Western Pleasure: 2nd Carla Alexander, 3rd Shane Alexander, 4th Rachel Gokel, 5th Lyssie Simons

Children's Barrels: 4th Sara Saddler

Open Speed: 5th Rachel Gokel

I am so proud of everyone!! Our kids have come such a long way in a short time!! I mean, Kenzie is only 4. Rachel did a fabulous job with Brandy... she is just an old lesson horse!! Lyssie had a great horse in Chico, but was trying to learn how to ride him.  And Linda competed all season in the pleasure classes on an old barrel horse! So I think that all these kids deserve such a pat on the back!! Hopefully next season we will be back with even better horses and more practice!! So congrats to all!!

We have the Henry banquet in a few weeks and then the Gibson County banquet in January, so there are plenty more prizes to come!! I hope everyone has a great week!!!

First let me start off by saying that Cassie's wedding yesterday afternoon was absolutely gorgeous!!! She was stunning in her simple but classic white gown (of course Cassie would look fabulous in a potato sack!!!) Even though it rained some yesterday morning, the sun came out and the afternoon was beautiful!!! We wish her and Josh all the happiness in the world!! Congratulations!!!

On a related note, a big thank you to Joy and Ron. They loaded the horses in the trailer and Ron pulled it to Oakfield so that Linda, Kenzie  and I could go to the wedding. And speaking of Oakfiled....

Halter: 5th Mackenzie

Youth Halter: 3rd Rachel Gokel

Pony Class: 2nd Mackenzie

Children's Poles: 4th Sara Saddler (didn't get her time), Rachel (38.021 + 5), Lyssie (57.621), Linda (NT 36.930), Mackenzie (NT 52.318)

Open Poles: 4th Sara (24.125)

Open Hunt Seat: 4th Rachel

Youth Western Pleasure: 1st Rachel, 2nd Lyssie, 5th Mackenzie

Youth Walk  Trot: 3rd Lyssie, 4th Rachel

Youth Flags: 2nd Linda (26.532) 4th Rachel (40.119) Mackenzie (NT 39.336)

Open Western Pleasure: 4th Lyssie,  5th Linda

Children's Barrels: 2nd Sara (18.625, Linda 21.680, Rachel 29.560, Lyssie 54.830

Open Barrels: 1st Sara 17.656

3D Barrels: 4th Sara 18.665

Speed: 5th Rachel 11.968, Sara 15.287

So it was a good night overall. It was the last Oakfield show for the season and we locked up a few year end awards. The banquet will be in November, so we will let everyone know how the season ended after the banquet.

This afternoon a bunch of us are going to see the World Famous Lippazaner Stallions at the Oman Arena. So I am sure we will enjoy that!!! Hope everyone has a great week!!!

Well, my normal after show update took a little longer this morning... apparently my "old" computer's software does not support the editing feature of this blog site anymore, so I had to go surfing for an update, which then required 15 minutes to downlaod and then of course I had to re-start my computer... so finally, here we go!!!!

We were at Trenton last night for the Gibson County Saddle Club show. This show has gotten so HUGE!!  The halter class had about 20, the pee wee classes are running about 17, the youth classes had about 15 or so and even the adult classes had about 9! So I feel like any ribbons won were definitely earned!!! It was a late show, too - the barrels not ending until after 2 a.m.  I was certainly glad to see my bed last night....er,  this morning!!!So here is how the ribbon count went.

Pony Halter - 1st Mackenzie Johson

Western Halter - 1st Lyssie Simons

Leadline - 1st Lilly Saddler

PeeWee Walk Trot - 1st Lyssie, 2nd Rachel Gokel, 4th Mallory Chute

Youth Walk Trot - 4th Rachel Carrington

Adult Walk Trot - 2nd - LeeAnn Johnson

PeeWee Western Pleasure - 1st Lyssie, 2nd Rachel G, 3rd Peyton Judkins

Youth Western Pleasure - 2nd Rachel C, 3rd Sara Saddler

Adult Western Pleasure - 4th LeeAnn

PeeWee Western Horsemanship  1st Rachel G, 2nd Lyssie, 4th Linda Simons

Youth Western Horsemanship - 3rd Marley Oliver

Adult Western Horsemanship - 4th LeeAnn

PeeWee Hunt Seat - 1st Rachel G, 4th Linda

PeeWee English Equitation - 2nd Lyssie, 4th Rachel G, 5th Linda

Youth Speed - 2nd Justin Reese, 4th Sara

Pee Wee Poles - 4th Rachel G, 5th Peyton

Youth Poles - 1st Christy Cunningham

Open Poles -  1st 2D Sara

PeeWee Barrels - 1st Linda

Youth Barrels - 1st Christy, 4th Sara

Open 3D Barrels - 1st 3D Linda

Little Linda had a great night in barrels - she had two 19 second runs - great job!!!!! Rachel had a rough 2nd half of the night, taking a spill off of Brandy during speed, but was thankfully more scared than hurt. I am nit sure who it is more scary for when one of our kids takes a fall - the rider or all of us standing around watching!!! But Rachel is a trooper, so I am sure she will be back at it quickly!

Well that about rouds up the results. We have a weekend off since this one is the 5th Saturday, unless there is a barrel race somewhere that we don't know about yet. Ms Annette spent her weekend at  a Ranch Horse Show, where Dandy is doing really well, so I am sure she will update us when she gets back. Everyone have a great week!!