CW Event Team Blog

Karen and horses arrived safe and sound to the Kalispell Airport at about 1 pm. On Monday. Press was on sight, and it made the front page on Tuesday.

Our horses are just up the hill in the temporary stabling.

Amanda’s mom, Teri arrived also on Monday afternoon. Sweet, sweet lady. She stayed in the camper the girls were in.

We went to a nice dinner that Becky gave for her friends and riders at a restaurant in Whitefish. Whitefish is the name of a town that is on the lake Whitefish Lake. Becky and Jerome live on the lake there. Food and company were great!

Tuesday morning, we worked all the horses. We had set up a rafting trip for a big group that afternoon—with Montana Rafting Company. We left at 2 pm. It was great that Teri was here to go with us on our adventure.

Our boat guides name was Tyler. He was very nice. Lucas sat on the back with him, and held onto the side rope, and middle rope. Hannah Sue Burnett and Amanda claimed the front seats, Teri and Teresa were behind them, then Jess and I. Making our way through bone cruncher rapids and more. It was SO beautiful, we were right alongside the Glacier National Park on the Middle Fork of Flathead River.

The trip took about 3 hours. We watched for Grizzly bears along the river, but did not spot any. We had a few paddle slash wars with Karens raft on the way down.

That evening Jess, Lucas and I, along with Karen and Max, went to Jerome and Beckys house for a little bayou ettuffe. The deck along the back with beautiful views of the lake. We sat with Becky, Jerome, Max, Karen, and Sara, Drew, and Phillip Dutton.

Great conversation and company! I got a fantastic picture of the sunset on the lake.

I spoke with Becky, and she wanted me to enter Ready for April in the 5 year old Young Event Horse Competition that was to happen the next day, on Wednesday.

So I did, and he won! He was excellent. He is coming along so well.

So that took up a little time on Wednesday! Simba, Teddy, and Slew Boy all worked well. We got our packets, and the contigent of riders and horses have arrived!

There are over 470 entries—it is a record. It is amazing how the “West” travels to the events. The barns are spread out, so they “stake out” a space with buckets, rope, whatever is handy to “reserve” the space for their trailer or camper in front of their stalls.

I roamed around on the scooter, and saw one set up where they had brought a big inflatable pool to swim in!

Teresa’s parents arrived on Wednesday afternoon. They arrived with their black lab. The girls are getting their support crews in! Teresa went to dinner with her folks.

Teri, Amanda, Lucas and Jess went to go scout out the rodeo that was up by the raft company. They had gotten a late start, they missed the actual bull riding, but they were able to pick up the flavor of it. Some ice cream on the way back also made it worthwhile.

Amanda’s dad, Ron, her brother Alden, and cousin were on their way from California. They had been told to come up through Nevada and Idaho. They had some complication with the roof of the motorhome, and were delayed a bit. And the route included about 200 miles up and down some mountains. But they were on their way!!

Thursday, the novice horses did their dressage. That morning Simba did his barn inspection. Slewboy and Teresa put in a very good test, and so did Ready.

Later about 5 pm, I did my dressage test on Simba.

Ron and the boys arrived about 7 pm on Thursday night. They have their motor home parked right by our stabling. They have their two dogs also.

Friday was cross country for our Novice horses. Teresa gave Slewboy a fantastic ride. Ready was also good and brave. It was a lot of fun.

Friday night we did the big trailer cook-out. My bar b que chicken, Jackie Mars’ beef hamburger, some grilled tuna, grilled vegetables and salad. With the O’connor crew, and Teresa’s family, and Amanda’s family, we fed 18! Delicious. Topped off with fresh pies from Virginia, and s’mores.

Today, Saturday was a good day! Simba was a star on his first full 3-day. We did the full format three-day preliminary. He was great on his steeplechase. Cooled down well, and then was a star on the cross-country. It was a great course but truly a test as the skinny’s, corners and accuracy questions came toward the end. Fence 20, three from home was very challenging. A corner with minimal approach from a steep downhill slide. Simba looked for a half second for an easier route but then stayed straight and true.
It was fun to do the full format again and reminded me of how much better the young horses go cross-country after having done the steeplechase.

Later about 2:40, Amanda and Teddy starred in a great round in open intermediate!
It too was a true up to the standard course and Teddy and Amanda made it look easy.

Tomorrow starts with Simba’s jog at 8 am.

We will be in touch!!