# Pi and I finished our last cowhorse show of the year!



## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

The last show was a "Super Show" - a 2 day show. We entered three classes - the association's 5K, open boxing and the NRCHA 1K. Friday we went for a lesson in the morning before hauling up to where the show was and then I rode Pi in the show pen. Couldn't believe her, she acted as if I didn't just ride her in the morning, zooming all over the place! Let her get her energy out and asked for a few stops and she did pretty good. 

Saturday's show. I bombed the reining portion of the 5k by overspinning. :x Couldn't believe it, since we were having a really NICE run. Got scores on reining in the other two classes. Cow work was OK, but there were A LOT of great runs so we finished low in the classes. The current leader in the NRCHA 5K (who rides with the trainers I ride with and I know her and her horse - they are awesome), did the SAME thing! She NEVER does that! And then she lost her cow so she actually scored lower than we did in the 5k. That never happens, LOL ... 

Sunday we did about the same, although I made it through the reining pattern in all classes. We just could never seem to get a spark going, so while we did "OK", we did not do stellar. But the Lady above, in the 5K came back and smoked us all into oblivion! She scored a 75 in reining and a 76 on the cow for a 151 total! :happydance: I was so happy for her since she and her horse are that good and the day before was a fluke. 

I'll post pix when the pro photog. post them. 

So we ended the year 4th in the NonPro Limited and 8th in the 5K. In the NRCHA 1K we were pretty far down (they don't update the standings for months after a show!). Not really happy about that, but we got a lot figured out this year and I can consistently sit my stops in the show pen, so I'm really happy about that! But I'm dedicated to do better next year and my trainers are all excited about my chances. I'm also very appreciative of the people who mentioned how much I improved this year, which means a lot to me, too!

So, On to Next Year!


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## jenkat86 (May 20, 2014)

Yaaaay! I've been looking for this update!

Not a horrible way to finish out the season. Sounds like you still had a blast. That's the whole point at the end of the day...isn't it?


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## jgnmoose (May 27, 2015)

Sounds like you had fun this year. Looking forward to getting into this myself.


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

@jenkat86, it was not horrible year, but I was hoping for better (don't we all, LOL). But, as said, we got a few things figured out, so NEXT year we will hopefully get better scores.

And yes, jenkat & @jgnmoose, we had a blast!! It's so much fun and I ride with a great and supportive group, which really helps. jgnmoose, I hope you do get it in ... I know you'll have a blast too!!


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Cannot wait to see the show pictures.  Good job, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself!


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

Thanks, @PoptartShop!


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

Congrats! I'm sorry you overspun,  I always worry and stop one before when I am confused. On my new colt it would be one after though. Lol 

It sounds like you did good though! I am super jealous.


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

Thank you @Knave! Yea, if I mess up in spinning it is usually by OVER spinning, LOL. After screwing up the first run I made a point of counting OUT LOUD! Made all the difference. Hope you get to do some cowhorse shows, too, so we can be jealous of you!!


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

Thank you! Me too. I planned on pushing them next year if I got my spins a bit better (we are still doing the baby exercises), but my colt is lame and may stay that way. I've kinda started looking, but I'm really not seeing anything I like excepting a yearling that would obviously still put me out. I may end up having to go in that direction if I want talent though because the started horses with talent are going high if they are even going.


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

@Knave, sorry to hear about your colt.  and I hear you about the price of horses! 

I'm sort of generally looking for a long 2 yo that's been started, but have not seen one that I'm crazy about (there are some which are OK), although prices have been surprisingly good. But, of course, what I'd REALLY like is WAY beyond any price range that is in my galaxy. 

Pi is reasonably well bred and loves her job and I think we can be competitive next year. If I could get one like her for her bargain basement clearance price, I'd jump on it in a hot second! But that gem has yet to reveal itself. :lol:


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

It's hard hu!? I did get that one in a million colt last fall (the lame now colt). He's bred like you wouldn't believe, naturally moves very well, and is not only extremely cowy but pretty darn gentle. I couldn't figure why I got him so cheap. Then I got him home and realized he has some other issues. I still love him though and think he was the steal of a lifetime, but we'll see if I ever get him sound again.

Well, if I come across two long 2s that are perfect I'll let you in on one. Lol. Keep me in mind if you find them too.


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

Knave said:


> if I come across two long 2s that are perfect I'll let you in on one. Lol. Keep me in mind if you find them too.


:thumbsup: I have a feeling we'd find the Holy Grail first!!! ROFL!!! But yea, If I find some, I'll send a few your way, too!! Love to share!!  More people in cowhorse the better!!


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

Haha. You're probably right.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

Hey, I see a pretty cool 3-year old posted for sale today!! He looks right up my alley, but is too far away. Is OK near you? If so I found you a prospect if 3 isn't too old.


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

Aw, darn! 3 YO is a little older than I want if I bought now. If I bought now, I'd look for a futurity prospect. OK is not near me - I'm in CA. But that does't really matter if the horse and price are right. Get it vet checked and transported out!! How far are you from OK?? Lots of the sales (cutting, reining) are gearing up ... there are a few Metallic Cat babies I'd LOVE to have, but they are WAY beyond my price range ... still, might go online and bid just cuz. LOL ... I'd be dropping out after my first bid. Heck, at Snaffle Bit I never even got a bid in, they started too high for me!!


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

Me too! The one today is by Little Cat Olena, some pro training, flashy enough and only 5,000. I'm sure there's a hole somewhere, but they usually don't show the holes in ads. Lol

I'd want a 2 too unless I particularly liked it, but I'm not really set on the futurity, more just snaffle bit at the fairs. I've got lil ones, so I can't really do much traveling, and not much money to boot. I would push and take the gamble for something I was pretty confident in, but it would have to be spectacular and I'd really have to think I had it won.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

Oh, NV. I couldn't take the chance with that much money! Lol. I can always dream though.


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

Knave said:


> Me too! The one today is by Little Cat Olena, some pro training, flashy enough and only 5,000. I'm sure there's a hole somewhere, but they usually don't show the holes in ads.


That's a good price! No doubt there's holes, expected on a 2 yo.  But at that age you can work through them. Yea, my "futurity dreams" is not the big competition but the winky limited division, LOL! I just want something I can go and compete and have fun at the futurity - not looking to do anything REAL competitive, just be in it really. I just want to be able to go to & ride in one futurity; I"m not getting any younger so it would have to be in the next year or two. I have no little ones, but $$ is always a problem, especially for any premiere NRCHA event!


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

Bones probably could have done it, but he was behind when I got him and I didn't want to push him that fast thinking I'd make snaffle bit this coming year at the few fairs I could. He is exceptionally talented I think, and hopefully he'll get sound again, and adding the hope that he can compete at that level again...

I got lucky with him because of his neurotic behavior I am assuming they decided to sell him. My grandpa made a good point to me the other day when we were talking about my replacing Bones. He said if I keep looking at 30-day colts that they will have already been dismissed from being that competitive. Like if they were going to make it they wouldn't have been sold. He said the trainers can sift them in that amount of time (which is mostly true) and that if I wanted a hope of competing at that level I'd have to buy a yearling instead of a two.

So who knows? Maybe Bones will get better or maybe I'll find another barely started and dismissed for an odd reason horse. Lol. There has to be another well bred rig who self mutilates and is neurotic right?


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

Knave said:


> Bones probably could have done it, but he was behind when I got him


Pi could not have done it; she was so mentally and physically immature taking her to the SB would have blown her mind and she probably would have been injured (her older sister was injured right before her SB and didn't go. She recovered and went on to win the NP Hackamore though.) Looking at the horses who did well at SB this year, I was surprised at how mentally and physically fit the majority of them were to compete. A testament to breeding and the training program no doubt.



Knave said:


> I got lucky with him because of his neurotic behavior I am assuming they decided to sell him.


I hear you; I only lucked out with Pi because of her mental/physical immaturity; they dumped her because she was NOT going to cut it as a Snaffle Bitter. Their loss, our gain. I was very fortunate!



Knave said:


> My grandpa made a good point to me the other day when we were talking about my replacing Bones. He said if I keep looking at 30-day colts that they will have already been dismissed from being that competitive.


That's true to a certain extent, especially for the Open division; less so I think for NP and even less for the limited. You could take a washed out Open horse and do well in the Limited with it, depending, of course. Even with the Open, you can have a horse that owners/trainers do no have alot of faith in for the Open who if offered for sale all through the competition but does not sell (because buyers bought into the belief the horse wouldn't cut it) and who then comes through and wins the whole thing (Shiners Dun Juan). That's why I think you can really luck out and find that diamond in the rough - if the combo of timing, training, and the rider/horse get along, even a reject can come through and be competitive. Sometimes the 2 yos are sold because that trainer does not have that connection with the horse and cannot get it to perform as it needs to to be competitive; but then another trainer gets it and goes all the way. I've seen that happen, too. I always wonder about horses who show early promise and then fizzle, if another trainer got the horse, would the horse have done better? Lots goes into the equation which is why I would not count a "washed out" 2 yo out, especially for what I would do with it.

Pi could have been more competitive earlier with a better rider than me (as I have gotten better, she has gotten WAY better). She still would not have made a Snaffle Bitter in Open or NP divisions, but I probably could have done OK with her in the Limited had I been a better rider at that time.

I think there will always be well bred horses offered at rock bottom prices available; the problem is FINDING them. I lucked out that Pi was with a friend of mine for resale. I'm not sure I'll be so lucky in the future, LOL.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

Very good points! I also like to think that because I do not ride 12 horses a day like the trainers do, I can put more time and training into one, thereby possibly making that horse more competitive. This I could be kidding myself about though. Lol

For some reason I always am drawn to the open. Even as a child that was the only way I would compete. I don't know why I am like that, but maybe it was because that was all my parents competed in... who knows? Maybe it's the challenge... maybe I need to change my perspective...

Pi sounds like a lucky find and a great horse! It sounds like you have been successful too! I liked your pictures!!

I also love that you have the goal of competing in the snaffle bit! I would love to compete in a big cutting in the open on Bones one day! I'll be happy if I get him in the fairs though too.


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

Knave said:


> For some reason I always am drawn to the open. * * * Maybe it's the challenge... maybe I need to change my perspective...


There is nothing wrong with competing in the open; look at Anne Reynolds, she did both Non Pro and Open for years (until she got too good and got kicked up permanently in the Open, LOL). But it is hard to be competitive against a trainer who does ride 12+ horses a day and competes on a regular basis at the premiere shows. Then again, if you are showing open in local/smaller shows, that might not be an issue. If you show larger shows that have national association classes, you could always show in the appropriate NP/amateur class where you'd have a better chance at being competitive.



Knave said:


> Pi sounds like a lucky find and a great horse! It sounds like you have been successful too! I liked your pictures!!


Thank you so much! I am fortunate to have her. 



Knave said:


> I also love that you have the goal of competing in the snaffle bit! I would love to compete in a big cutting in the open on Bones one day! I'll be happy if I get him in the fairs though too.


Thanks ... I might not ever get there, but if you don't have the goal you most certainly never will! I talked to Les Vogt once at a show. He had on his SB buckle and I said "I LOVE your buckle" and he said,"you could have one one day, too!" I said,"I doubt that I'll ever have a SB horse." He said,"You never know!" At that time there was no way I wanted another youngster (and I wasn't that great, which supported that thought). But as I've worked through the years with Pi and improved myself and watch some friends get youngster (or breed them) that they take to SB, I thought, "I could do that too!" So it's a dream ... and a goal. Hopefully I'll make it one day! And I have no doubt if you keep working and planning, you'll make your big cutting with Bones! I'll be looking for the pix and detailed post report when you do!! :wave:


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