Trainer enlisted my help as a jump judge for Sunday. The teams scrambled to make four teams of five kids (one from each country) and got a chance to ride their new horses for one hour on Saturday. I’m amazed at these riders. Brand new to them horses and they only had an hour to get acquainted.
Sunday was the first competitive event as each team geared up for dressage followed by a derby type round with four stadium fences followed immediately by eleven cross country jumps. The riders from Hong Kong had never been cross country before. They only ever ride in an arena. So different than here in the US and I was sad I didn’t get a chance to talk to them about how they board and care for their horses.
I was put in charge of the up bank at 13 and the palisade at 14 and thankfully all riders were clear through both. In fact pretty much all riders had clear rounds with only two falls on course and two refusals out of 20 runs. Pretty impressive for only just meeting their horse the day before!
I was so glad I got another chance to participate and help out. Everyone was so gracious about getting to ride and compete someone else’s horse and they all seemed to have a good time.
The rest of the week will be jammed with fun, local activities for the riders including a trip to an amusement park, kayaking and zip lining on the Green River, Tryon Horse Country tour, and a fun night at the Tryon International Equestrian Center (home of the AECs last year and WEG in 2018) until their last weekend which will host the Kangaroo Cup, a 3′ jumper show. I am hoping to make it to the jumper show as well and hope they all have a great week.
The Roaming Rider 
Sounds like a great way to get involved. I am fascinated by how people keep their horses in different regions and across the world. I’m sad you didn’t get a chance to pick their brains!
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I was too. I am helping out again this weekend so hopefully I’ll get to talk to them more
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ooooh i love this and love all the pictures! jump judging is so fun, even just in normal conditions, but this sounds like such an impressive set up for these young riders!
also there’s something to be said for jump judging at levels above where we currently school. my first time doing it, i judged this giant prelim produce stand type thing and was blown away by it. and yet, not a single horse even blinked at it. i’ve since also judged training and novice, including one shared giant brush fence at a recognized event that scared the bejesus out of me. again – everyone cruised over like cake. so when we went to school and my trainer pointed me at that same brush? i just tried to remember all of those horses sailing over from a gallop, and it was fine! getting to watch all those horses make it look easy definitely helps inspire confidence in me lol.
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It was a wonderful afternoon. Honestly I think part of my fears come from only ever seeing upper level cross country. I’ve never seen a starter or beginner novice course. Hopefully it will make the small stuff look like no big deal
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I love that this event exists and that you shared your experience helping with it. What a beautiful day, too!
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It was perfect out all afternoon. The poor kids from the other half of the world were melting in the heat though.
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I love jump judging and this seems like a particularly great event to support.
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It was my first time and I really enjoyed it
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