We are the champions, my friends!

Emma was in her second horse show today (she participated in her first this past November and finished second in her class, which was thrilling.) I was not optimistic about her repeating her good showing this time around...she had been bumped up from beginner class to intermediate and she hasn't ridden very much the past two months because of the cold weather and being out of town.

Anyway, this will give you an idea of how she did this time around...



First place in her class!!! I couldn't believe it...she beat a 15-year-old and an 11-year-old, among others. I was worried because at one point, one of her feet came out of the stirrups and she had to bend over to get her foot back in. But I guess the judge missed it because when they announced the standings, she had won!

The mother of the 15-year-old, who finished fourth, was not thrilled. After the class was over, she said in a loud stage whisper "Well, of course she won...she's so tiny and cute." Sarah, our trainer, overheard her and said "The only reason she won was that she rode better than anyone else today." The woman looked a little chastened but gave me a couple more glares. I swear, some equestrian moms can give pageant moms a run for their money.

But it was a wonderful day. It's kind of bizarre how excited you can get when your child performs well at something. It's not like I did anything...except pay for the lessons!