Virginia Appaloosa Club Horse Show

My friend invited me to come to her Appy club horse show last weekend. I didn’t want to ride in it, because Vintage’s feet need trimming and I don’t want to show up looking like that, but I did go along and become her official photographer/creepy person in bushes. If you like my work, and are in VA, buy me a sandwich, and I’ll come take photos of you, too.

Pre-show dramatic trailer photo. THE END IS NIGH

Sweet Pea is thoughtful about being tacked up.

It was her first show, and her happy was contagious.

We had a lot of time to kill while they did some fancy western thing called “showmanship”. Those crazy western people!

One such western person.

and another

and then the whole lineup

Despite hiding in the trailer for a while, they decided to start the saddle classes, in spite of a horrible phenomenon called rain. Ugh.

But she kept on smiling!

And she won division champion! yay! (although she was the only one in her division, but she was good humored about it)

Then they prepped for a class I’ve never heard of, Command and Out. Apparently if you can’t do the command, you are out. I guess that makes sense.

Fancy western person. Seeing western is like watching another language!

I thought her jacket was a pattern of sunflowers, so she was my favorite rider, until I looked at the photos now and see it’s not. Now I feel betrayed.

They started their spins at the same time.

I didn’t stick around for the western classes, as my friend wasn’t riding in them, and I had things to do. But it was fun to watch! Maybe next time I’ll ride in it.