{"id":2189,"date":"2012-07-06T16:22:07","date_gmt":"2012-07-06T21:22:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mofoxtrot.com\/viewpoint\/?p=2189"},"modified":"2012-07-06T16:22:32","modified_gmt":"2012-07-06T21:22:32","slug":"2011-world-celebration-versatility-blog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mofoxtrot.com\/viewpoint\/2011-world-celebration-versatility-blog\/","title":{"rendered":"2011 World Celebration Versatility Blog"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is the 2011 blog from the World Missouri Fox Trotter <\/a>Celebration.\u00a0 I posted the stories as I lived them when I could.\u00a0 They will go away soon this year tom ake way for the 2012 blog.\u00a0 I want to keep them forever.\u00a0 I am honored to have been “the versatility blogger” two years in a row!<\/p>\n

Reflections and Stories<\/a> September 14th, 2011 |<\/p>\n

Nova has improved quite a bit over last year. This year I caught on to the need for slow and steady, quiet hands, the head position that has her gaiting the best and my communication between her and I.\u00a0 Poor Jenny, my trainer, has been trying to get me to understand my role for two years.\u00a0 I think it\u2019s sunk in now.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Tony Vaught tried to get me to understand my body\u2019s role in the reining horse spin and the slide stop this year.\u00a0 I did fairly good in the spins because Nova is so awesome.\u00a0 Maybe next year I will understand my role in the slide stop.
\nHere\u2019s Tony and Jenny talking about their favorite student, me!\u00a0<\/div>\n
\"\"<\/a> Just when ARE we going to get Susan to play with Cows?\u00a0<\/div>\n

Speaking of an awesome slide stop. This is Jennifer Vaught and Big Barn\u2019s Slinger, as perfect as any horse can get in a slide stop:\u00a0\"\"<\/a> STICK THIS!<\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0I was glad to discover that my brain had a fine time remember the versatility patterns. They were crystal clear in my brain.\u00a0 No dementia for me this year!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u00a0I was thinking about all my fellow competitors.\u00a0 Everyone who got a higher placed ribbon that me, deserved it. Well Mostly!\u00a0 ha!
\nHere\u2019s the three great amateur riders that \u201cdusted me\u201d and Nova all week. They are all terrific people and I love them greatly:<\/p>\n

\u00a051 Tequila\u2019s Montana Sunrise, Robert Womack, for Robert Womack, Missoula MT
\n10 Jake\u2019s Elvis J., Robynn Gabel, for Robynn Gabel, Lander WY, Jaquelynn Dahlstedt, Lander WY<\/em>
\n11 City Girls Bud, Ricka Mathews, for Ricka Mathews, Humansville MO, Bill Mathews, Humansville MO.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0I asked Jane Zubia<\/a> why she came all the way from Wyoming to the Celebration.\u00a0 It was after a big long day of amatuer and open classes. She paused and quietly said, \u201cSomeone has to!\u201d\u00a0 That was a deep thought with few words.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Our youth from Utah were heavy into it.\u00a0 I had two days of writing these winning names.
\n42 Cloud\u2019s Eldorado, Abbirose Buckley, for Abbirose Buckley, Mapleton UT<\/em>
\n43 Sunrises Gold Patriot, Stephanie Harper, for Stephen\u2019s Fox-Trotters LLC, Wallsburg UT<\/em>.
\nEvery amateur and open competitor is glad that the Youth have their own classes. Otherwise they probably would just beat the socks off\u00a0 us.\u00a0 I know they would beat my socks off!<\/p>\n

\u00a0Our Open riders showed how it\u2019s supposed to be done. The rest of us just look on in amazement when they ride<\/p>\n

\u00a0My extended Vaught family daughters, Caitlyn Vaught won Ranch Horse Reserve World Grand Champion and Nichole Copple won the Ranch Horse and Versatility Youth World Grand Championships.\u00a0 We went home a happy extended family!<\/p>\n

\u00a0I realized that Nova is not a Showmanship kind of girl.\u00a0 She\u2019s supposed to stand still and let people gaze at her perfectly lined up, saddleless body.\u00a0 Her idea of a good time is to take a forward step..or a sidestep. She\u2019s an outgoing extrovert and she wants to move. sigh\u00a0 I\u2019ll just say this once\u2026if you\u2019re going to have a horse, you\u2019re supposed to ride. Sorry, that just slipped out.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Then I have two stories to tell.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Robynn Gabel told me this story about Elvis, her grand horse. Back when Robynn was a beginning adult rider, she bought the wrong horse.\u00a0 Many of us adult riders buy the wrong horse when we start out.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Battles occurred and it was a nightmare. Robynn ended up having a wreck with that horse and getting badly injured. Time passed and the injury healed.\u00a0 Her special husband told her he wanted her to go look at a horse.\u00a0 The bitter Robynn said,\u201dWhy would I want to look at a horse?\u00a0 I\u2019m not going to ride a horse ever again.\u00a0 I\u2019ve had it!\u201d\u00a0 But, that curiosity must have peaked and she thought it amazing that her husband would do this. So she went to see the horse.\u00a0 The owners did everything with that horse to show how tame he was.\u00a0 They probably rode him, slipped underneath him and stood on him.\u00a0 \u201cWell fine!\u201d Robynn said, but I\u2019m never going to ride another horse and she stalked out.\u00a0 She heard horse footsteps behind her. She turned in alarm because her own horse would have followed her and bit her.\u00a0 Robynn turned. Elvis walked up to her, put his head over her shoulder and hugged her.
\nI\u2019m glad to have met Elvis in the arena.\u00a0 Elvis went into the Costume class too, dressed as\u2026 ELVIS!\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Elvis is retired as of the end of the Celebration.\u00a0 A grateful family\u00a0awarded Elvis a special plaque for his role in making children\u2019s lives better.\u00a0Robert Womack, my best friend Bob, is from far away Montanna also.\u00a0 (The Montana stories are just piling up this Celebration.)\u00a0 You remember Bob was voted the most fun rider in the versatility arena when he purposely knocked all the poles down\u2026just to show us it could be done.<\/p>\n

\u00a0So, I asked Bob why he was here.\u00a0 He said that his son was supposed to come\u00a0 to the Celebration and he was a smokin\u2019 rider.\u00a0 But the son was just called up for duty in Afghanistan and couldn\u2019t come and ride in the Celebration.\u00a0 So, Bob decided he would come and try to fill his son\u2019s shoes.\u00a0 Bob came and won about everything. Bob is the Versatility Amateur World Grand Champion!\u00a0 He did his son proud! Tequilla\u2019s Montana Sunrise did the Womack family proud!<\/p>\n

\u00a0I just might be done now with the Versatility Blog.\u00a0 It was an awesome week.\u00a0 We had a great turn out in all the classes.\u00a0 I\u2019ll just close with a prayer of happiness for the great time I had watching my grand horse, Velvet, and Jennifer Vaught in the open Ranch Horse classes.\u00a0 Oh my stars! Thank you Jenny for all the great performances at the Celebration\u2026for they were performances.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> This is Missouri Fox Trotter ROPING!\u00a0<\/div>\n
\"\"<\/a> Rope Floats to the Cow!\u00a0<\/div>\n
\"\"<\/a> Let’s Get that little doggie to run a Figure 8!\u00a0<\/div>\n

\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Keep up with my real life blog in the Missouri Fox Trotter Connection<\/a>:
\nSusan\u2019s Viewpoint<\/a> Stop in and enjoy my horse life From Splat to Bridleless<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Posted in Susan Engle<\/a> | \"PostCommentsIcon\" No Comments \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\"PostHeaderIcon\" BANNERS<\/a><\/div>\n
September 11th, 2011 | Author: Susan<\/a><\/div>\n
\n

Dawn Young of Free Rein Design<\/a> made Banners to post around the grounds and at the Versatility Arena.\u00a0 Not everyone that visits the Headquarters Show Ground comes down to visit the Versatility Arena, so those people that hung their banners in the versatility home did so knowing that the audience would be limited.\u00a0 They put their banner in the versatility arena because of their belief in our versatility part of the fox trotter \u201cpie\u201d.\u00a0 Part of the\u00a0 cost of the banner raised money for the versatility events.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> The 4 P’s Ranch and Boss man Saddles\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\"\"<\/a> Big Barn Ranch-Versatility and Competitive Trail Horses\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\"\"<\/a> A most amazing wonderful Champion horse for sale-Does It All\u00a0<\/div>\n

\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> Vote Fox Trotter on America’s Favorite Trail Horse!\u00a0<\/div>\n

OK, this wasn\u2019t a banner, but it\u2019s time to talk about America\u2019s Favorite Trail horse.\u00a0 We have more than one Missouri Fox Trotter that made it to the finals!\u00a0 This is huge.\u00a0 One vote per email address is allowed. We want everyone to vote for one of the Missouri Fox Trotters!\u00a0 Here\u2019s what I\u2019m going to do.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got an \u201cAOL\u201d,\u00a0 \u201cYahoo\u201d\u00a0 and (Google) \u201cgmail\u201d email adress.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to get a \u201cymail\u201d address.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be looking around for other free email accounts and then I\u2019m going to use all those accounts and vote!\u00a0 I urge you to do the same.\u00a0 I met J.W. Hendrix at the Versatility arena.\u00a0 He is a wonderful person.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> Boss Man Saddles – Harry rides his saddles in the events and the saddles are great!\u00a0<\/div>\n
Posted in Susan Engle<\/a> | Tags: Missouri Fox Trotter<\/a> | \"PostCommentsIcon\" 1 Comment \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\"PostHeaderIcon\" FRIDAY-Can\u2019t Believe It\u2019s the LAST DAY<\/a><\/div>\n
September 10th, 2011 | Author: Susan<\/a><\/div>\n
\n

Let\u2019s see\u2026Friday was a big day!\u00a0 Velvet and Jennifer Vaught won Reserve World Champion. Susan (that\u2019s me) and Nova won two Reserve World Championships.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nova and Velvet gave the crowd their best ever performance in the Ranch Horse Pleasure and Ranch Horse Versatility classes.\u00a0 That was awesome.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Nova and I defeated the tire in 2011.\u00a0 We pulled the darn heavy thing! We pulled it at a fox trot.\u00a0 The tire defeated us in 2010. We got Nova\u2019s feet messed up in the out of control long rope.\u00a0 This year, I dallied the entire loose end of the rope around the saddle horse and took off fox trotting!\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nova jumped the log in the Versatility Ranch class and I stayed in the saddle.\u00a0 We were clipping along at a nice fast canter and sailed over the log.\u00a0 I think everyone in the crowd was amazed that I was still on the top side of my horse after that jump.\u00a0 And then we had to immediately slow down into a fox trot and trot over some sand embedded poles.\u00a0 Nova was sort of strong on continuing our strong canter, but she obeyed at the last moment before we stepped over the first pole.\u00a0<\/p>\n

We had to do all that and then do a mini reining pattern!\u00a0 Nova and went so fast, she blew my hat off.\u00a0 Luckily, I have a stampeded string.\u00a0 I\u2019ve never learned how to keep a hat on my head at any gait other than a walk.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Budweiser Horses in their three semi trucks pulled into the headquarters of the Missouri Fox Trotters and gave an earth pounding demonstration of eight beautiful horses pulling a wagon. Boy Howdy!\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Our great Versatility committee planned a great award ceremony where Velvet and Nova won 4th in the world in their respective events.\u00a0 High Point Fourth in the world for both my great horses. Thanks to Jennifer Vaught for making this a special story to add to the journal of Velvet\u2019s amazing life.\u00a0 How that horse has enriched so many thousands of people is a whole separate story.\u00a0 I don\u2019t exaggerate.\u00a0<\/p>\n

We ended our great time with a catered BBQ dinner. The versatility competitors, workers, volunteers and friends all sat around and ate some darned good food. We had a raffle. We poked fun at each other.\u00a0 we told lies and stories. What an amazing group of people gathered together on Friday early evening to end a great time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Posted in Susan Engle<\/a> | \"PostCommentsIcon\" 1 Comment \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\"PostHeaderIcon\" THURSDAY \u2013 RANCH HORSE DAY!<\/a><\/div>\n
September 8th, 2011 | Author: Susan<\/a><\/div>\n
\n

Cutting, Roping and Working Cow horse is the most exciting events in the Versatility Arena and it lived up to it\u2019s name. We got the top horses, the top riders and the best youth in the World.\u00a0 It\u2019s a World Show and we have the best.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I got to sit on the sidelines and cheer on the riders.\u00a0 Our cutters controlled the cows.\u00a0 We had some lively cows and a few that weren\u2019t crazy about going anywhere.\u00a0 It\u2019s the luck of the draw in ranch horse events with cows. They have their own agenda and usually it\u2019s not the same agenda as the rider.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The winners are all announced on Twitter at MOfoxtrotter.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lynne Burger and Jodie Styron decided to make a food event happen.\u00a0 A whole bunch of amazing food was cooked to feed horse back riders at a horse show (and the watchers).\u00a0 They brought the food out, the hungry people hovered around while pictures were taken. Finally, pictures were done and thecrowd descended on the food making it disappear.\u00a0 Look for the food article in the journal!\u00a0 I\u2019m excited about that.\u00a0 They might try for other horse magazines and there will be fox trotters in the pictures.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Ava 2nd grade came to visit today and they got to see the amateur and youth cutters.\u00a0 As they filed along the side of the arena, the crazy cow decided not to go along with them.\u00a0 That rider g0t another ride as it was thought that the string of kids might have affected the cow\u2019s desire to run into the pen.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some cows in the cutting class understand about the pen and they go down the side of the arena, maybe too easy if the rider has a great horse.\u00a0 If the horse and rider are inexperienced, having a cow that understands about going to the pen is lucky.\u00a0 That\u2019s what you have in Ranch Horse Event\u2026luck and skill.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tony Vaught, open rider, has won the roping class three years in a row.\u00a0 That\u2019s outstanding.\u00a0 Sally Scott won the Working Cow Horse event and I bet the score sheet was close.\u00a0 Suzanne Nebeker, Janet Johnson et all were great.\u00a0 That\u2019s what the crowd pays for to watch this event.\u00a0 I heard one woman sitting beside me say, \u201cI forget how much I love it down here in the Versatility Arena.\u00a0 I love to sit here and watch these horses and riders.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lisa Petty started showing today.\u00a0 I\u2019ve watched her horse improve year after year into a formidable competitor in every event from jumping, racing and cow events.\u00a0 Her horse is a fabulous cow horse.\u00a0\u00a0 Lisa has this horse for sale.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The youth were great in all three events.\u00a0 I don\u2019t believe any youth roped their cow, but it wasn\u2019t for the lack of trying.\u00a0 Nichole Copple and her horse Dusty were going about a hundred miles an hour in the working cow event, trying to beat turn the cow on the run down the fence. The cow tripped at the end of the arena and fell. Dusty tripped over the cow and fell against the gate.\u00a0 Nichole\u00a0held on even though her leg was\u00a0slammed into the gate.\u00a0 Dusty got up and kept on trucking and Nichole jumped off and checked him out.\u00a0 Ended up that neither Dusty nor Nichole were hurt.\u00a0 Where this all happened is where a bunch of us were sitting.\u00a0 SCREAM\u00a0<\/p>\n

Waland Burger won the amateur roping and that was fun to watch.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jennifer Vaught rode my horse, Velvet, in the Ranch Horse events today. Velvet and Jenny were awesome and both looked like they were the horse and rider on the best professional Horse Magazine.\u00a0 If any of you are reading this and want a beautiful picture, I highly recommend contacting Jenny Vaught and Velvet!\u00a0 But then I\u2019m a tad prejudiced.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Yesterday, Harry Patterson told me that I was the most improved rider in the classes.\u00a0 I immediately pronounced him to be my #1 Boyfriend.\u00a0 Today was a sad day as Harry was disappointed to find I wasn\u2019t a real cowgirl participating in the cow events.\u00a0 I hate to disappoint my new #1 Boyfriend, so this coming year will be one of Susan and Nova meets the cows.\u00a0 Maybe next year Harry will find out I\u2019m a real cowgirl\u00a0<\/p>\n

Harry rode in each event and did good.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t up there in the winner\u2019s circle, but it wasn\u2019t for lack of a good try!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Friday, I have three events!\u00a0 Come and watch the Versatility Arena at 9:00am\u00a0<\/p>\n

Posted in Susan Engle<\/a> | \"PostCommentsIcon\" 2 Comments \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\"PostHeaderIcon\" Day 4!<\/a><\/div>\n
September 7th, 2011 | Author: Susan<\/a><\/div>\n
\n

Today was another fun day in the Versatility Arena.\u00a0 We gpt to see our new and furture champions. We got to watch our three year olds and four year olds perform everything!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Today we had the 3 Year Old Boss Man Versatility Futurity and the Boss Man Versatility Derby (4 year olds).\u00a0<\/p>\n

Our future is assured by all these wonderful young horses.\u00a0 The results of today were posted on the official Missouri Fox Trotter Twitter account which is MOfoxtrotter.\u00a0 Find that Twitter and read the results of the classes almost before they are announced.\u00a0 HA!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Janet Johnson won the Boss Man Versatlity Derby and Brent Ratlif won the 3 Year Old Boss Man Versatility Futurity.\u00a0 Congrats to both and all the riders that participated.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This day was a day of rest and emotional balance for me after the full day of showing in everything yesterday.\u00a0 Thank Goodness.\u00a0 Have I mentioned that every day of this horse show is like a month of living.\u00a0 It\u2019s that huge.\u00a0 You never forget the experience and it makes you come back year after year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Versatility area was filled with cars and golf carts today.\u00a0 The stands had cheering people.\u00a0 Horses and riders stood around waiting their turn.\u00a0 Other horses and riders from all over the show grounds occasionally come down to visit.\u00a0 We even had cows today. They all performed nicely.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Overall it was a good good day and perfect weather continues.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Posted in Susan Engle<\/a> | \"PostCommentsIcon\" 1 Comment \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\"PostHeaderIcon\" Day Three<\/a><\/div>\n
September 6th, 2011 | Author: Susan<\/a><\/div>\n
\n

The Versatility blogger is a tired puppy. Up at 6:30 after a fairly sleepless night, the day stampeded on.\u00a0<\/p>\n

We had such a good turnout of amateur and open horses! Everyone is fun and pleasant to be around.
\nAfter a rocky Showmanship start with Nova (who can\u2019t stand still)\u00a0 in the morning, we did wonderful in all the riding classes.
\nNova and I nailed the reining class. I had fun out there on the pattern. Some said that Nova and I looked sexy!\u00a0 I surely felt sexy out there with that slow smooth canter. Boy Howdy, you have to experience something like this just once in your life!\u00a0 When we came out of the arena, we got cheered.\u00a0 Harry Patterson (one of my new #1 Boyfriends (in training) yelled, \u201cThat\u2019s the Way It\u2019s DONE!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s Nova and I entering the \u201cdouble\u201d\u00a0 box in the trail class. We had to go thru it, come back into it, turn a 270 to the right in one box and then a 360 in the other side of the box and exit.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> Double Box – Don’t touch the Poles!\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

I\u2019ll leave you with this picture-judges, great volunteers, DQP, helpers, judge and riders and horses all working together to make this a wonderful experience!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then Nichole and Velvet transformed themselves into a zebra and an African woman and wowed the crowd in the evening show Costume Class!!!\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pictures later\u00a0<\/p>\n

Posted in Susan Engle<\/a> | \"PostCommentsIcon\" No Comments \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\"PostHeaderIcon\" Day Two- Youth & Novice and More<\/a><\/div>\n
September 5th, 2011 | Author: Susan<\/a><\/div>\n
\n

we were treated just about everything today. The Novice classes are done. The Youth have all the Ranch Horse events on Thursday.
\nMore open events were today. Well, just one but it was the English class with all the fancy braiding and little pieces of leather minus a horn pretending to be a saddle.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Youth Reining pattern was much more difficult to remember than the amateur pattern that we are riding tomorrow. I\u2019m all in favor of young brains having to memorize more than us old folks!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tomorrow is the amateur and open versatility classes. I\u2019m always glad that the open class is before mine. It helps me finally memorize the patterns!\u00a0<\/p>\n

I met Ray Wilson today and we got caught up. I didn\u2019t recognize him because he looks younger. We couldn\u2019t figure out why. Maybe riding horses just makes us younger every day!\u00a0 Ray is riding a beautiful palomino gelding that is for sale. Ray takes his horses everywhere and they have the correct gaits. Which leads me to a little speech on buying horses at the Celebration. You see people that you like, riding the smooth gaits. Ask those people if they have a horse for sale. There are several sales during the Celebration. There are dome been there done that horses that can put you in the show ring next Spring and the young pre-champions with proven bloodlines. Find one for yourself!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tomorrow night-Tuesday- is costume class. My horse Velvet will be in it with Nichole. Her sister Caitlyn is in it too. I can\u2019t spoil the secret of the costumes!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Posted in Susan Engle<\/a> | \"PostCommentsIcon\" 1 Comment \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\"PostHeaderIcon\" Day One!!!<\/a><\/div>\n
September 4th, 2011 | Author: Susan<\/a><\/div>\n
\n

I haven\u2019t yet been able to leave the Versatility Arena today. We live it down here. Thus year we have the Youth Association B-B-Q to feed us. Yum\u00a0<\/p>\n

The first day of Versatility has Janet Thompson and Kayley Watson winning multiple speed events.\u00a0<\/p>\n

We have our very favorite rider now. He\u2019s a crowd pleaser. Robert Womack is the crowd favorite. Robert was running the barrels as fast as lightning and knocked over the first couple of poles. Then he proceeded to knock over every pole, just to prove a point. And he did. The crowd cheered! Robert came right back in the Stake Race and he is the amateur World Champion!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Karen Grady, our versatility show chair came out for the stake race. She demonstrated the pattern for us. She got a big cheer from the crowd!\u00a0<\/p>\n

The winners from each class today are posted in Twitter MOfoxtrotter\u00a0<\/p>\n

It was around a 100 degrees here yesterday with Missouri humidity. About 3:00, the cold front marched in. It started spitting little rain while we were having our show. Most of us got cold and we had to get jackets. It\u2019s been so long since I\u2019ve had a jacket on, I can barely spell the word.\u00a0<\/p>\n

More from today later. Gotta run and watch the weanling model class. My stallion has a baby in the class! And he is cute!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cont.later\u00a0<\/p>\n

Posted in Susan Engle<\/a> | \"PostCommentsIcon\" 1 Comment \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\"PostHeaderIcon\" Made It!<\/a><\/div>\n
September 3rd, 2011 | Author: Susan<\/a><\/div>\n
\n

I\u2019m here! No Problems getting here! Old truck and ugly ttailer made it fine! I pre entered and slick and efficient office staff got me set up in seconds!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Everyone is here! Stalls are filled with horses. Trucks and trailers pulling it every minute. Golf carts are all here too! It\u2019s a busy place! It feels like I never left last year.
\nAll people were out tonight riding. It was just a little too hot this afternoon.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Thank you Craig Dansie for letting Velvet and Nova stay in your stalls
\nThank you Mary Nunnley for letting me hook up to your stalls electricity. Mary\u2019s stalls are for sale in barn 17. She has 3 stalls for sale and they are wonderful.\u00a0 It\u2019s a quiet place, the view is wonderful and the people that live in the adjoining stalls are wonderful.\u00a0<\/p>\n

KFC is closing. I got in right before they closed. It\u2019s difficult to blog when eating chicken!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Youth and Open Speed events tomorrow!!
\nYee Haw!!!\u00a0<\/p>\n

My re-learning lesson from today is that when you go to take your shower at night\u2026after a sticky hot day\u2026be certain to take clean clothes with you!\u00a0 Putting your dirty, sweaty clothes back on after a shower is not a pleasant experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Posted in Susan Engle<\/a> | \"PostCommentsIcon\" No Comments \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\"PostHeaderIcon\" Pre-Ava minus Friday<\/a><\/div>\n
September 1st, 2011 | Author: Susan<\/a><\/div>\n
\n

I use my 3 horse trailer once a year..maybe twice.\u00a0 I use it at Ava because it\u2019s a goose-neck and has a me-sized sleeping and dressing area.\u00a0 It has air conditioning.\u00a0 It used to be a nice looking steel trailer, but now it\u2019s probably one of the worst looking trailers that will be at Ava.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I\u2019m pretty proud of it. The rust is art-work is naturally beautiful.\u00a0 The drop down windows in the horse compartment won\u2019t stay closed, so I duct-taped them shut. The 3 slide windows still work, so the lucky horse can get plenty of air.\u00a0 It\u2019s a good thing my horse doesn\u2019t understand how horrid her trailer looks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I take that back. She knows.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I drove it down to a clinic this past spring when I needed to haul three horses.\u00a0 Now, I\u2019ve been used to hauling my nice two horse bumper pull trailer around.\u00a0 It\u2019s perfect and it still looks nice.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When I pulled into my destination with the longer trailer, I sort of forgot that this three horse trailer was longer. The side of my trailer ran into this big steel post and sort of crushed \/ collapsed the front of the fender. Hay, it didn\u2019t rip into the tire, so no fixing needed.\u00a0 That post also ripped part of that rubber strip thing that goes down the side of the trailer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I folded up the rubber strip thing and wrapped it with a bungy cord so it wouldn\u2019t attack cars on the road.\u00a0 My husband promised that he would cut off that rubber strip, but he has forgotten.\u00a0 It\u2019s sort of ornamental.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nova really has never forgiven me for me running into that post.\u00a0 She and I have words when I ask her to get into this trailer.\u00a0 You see, she was in the trailer when we drove into the post. You can imagine the words she has for me when I asked her to get into that evil thing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The last thing I check before heading to Ava is the air conditioning.\u00a0 I pulled the trailer up to an electrical outlet tonight and my air conditioner still works.\u00a0 YAY!\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> Velvet and I used to own a trailer without Rust!\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

It rumbles and vibrates, so I\u2019m thinking that there must be mud dobbers on the fan.\u00a0 The weather forecast is for me to desperately need that air conditioning until Monday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Come on down and see my beautiful trailer.\u00a0 Judge for yourself if it\u2019s the worst looking trailer on the grounds! Vote for me! Find me on the south side of barn 18!\u00a0 You will instantly know it\u2019s my trailer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Posted in Susan Engle<\/a> | Tags: Missouri Fox Trotter<\/a>, Velvet<\/a> | \"PostCommentsIcon\" 1 Comment \u00bb<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\u00ab Older Entries<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is the 2011 blog from the World Missouri Fox Trotter Celebration.\u00a0 I posted the stories as I lived them when I could.\u00a0 They will go away soon this year tom ake way for the 2012 blog.\u00a0 I want to keep them forever.\u00a0 I am honored to have been “the versatility blogger” two years in a row! Reflections and Stories September 14th, 2011 | Nova has improved quite a bit over last year. This year I caught on to the need for slow and steady, quiet hands, the head position…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[125,3,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2189","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-missouri-fox-trotter","category-nova","category-velvet"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mofoxtrot.com\/viewpoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mofoxtrot.com\/viewpoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mofoxtrot.com\/viewpoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mofoxtrot.com\/viewpoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mofoxtrot.com\/viewpoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2189"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/mofoxtrot.com\/viewpoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2193,"href":"https:\/\/mofoxtrot.com\/viewpoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189\/revisions\/2193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mofoxtrot.com\/viewpoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2189"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mofoxtrot.com\/viewpoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2189"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mofoxtrot.com\/viewpoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2189"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}