Finally unpacked

Well, I finally unpacked all my models that I took to Eureka Live. Overall, it was a pretty good show. Lets see, the cross country jump I made for Show For The Cure took 4th. Personally I think it should have placed higher against the competition that was there. I spotted several things things wrong with one entry in particular. The entry was a D'arry resin, a slightly altered Vespers I think, going over a slanted log fence on top of a bank jumping into water. Let me set the jump for you, the horse would have jumped out of the water onto the bank, and then jump over the slanted log fence back down into the water. Now the horse was perpendicular over the fence and his body was in a position as if he were half way over an oxer not preparing to land in water. The entry also had one of D'arry's riders, which was not in a position to land in water either, not to mention that the rider would have been sliding around in the huge saddle (an unfortunate problem with D'arry's riders). Now don't get me wrong, I absolutely love D'arry's resins, I hope to own many of them in the future. I'm just not a fan of the rider to saddle proportions. So, back to the entry, I just couldn't see how the horse had done the bounce out of the water and over the fence in the position he was in. I wish I had taken a picture of it.

I'm also glad that I didn't take my usual performance entry, in which I enter nearly all western classes and all english classes. The reason for this is that the judge was from out of our region where they obviously judge differently than we do. When it comes to pinning a division champ and res. champ we use a point system. Each ribbon has a point value and which ever horse has the most points gets champ and the next highest gets res. champ. To me this is the most logical way to do it. Well, this judge gave the champ and res. champ to whom ever she wanted to regardless of how many ribbons they had. I just don't think that it is fair that someone who entered every class and got a 3 1st and a 2nd and some lower ribbons would be beat out by an entry that entered a few classes and got only one 1st and maybe some lower placings.

In the halter rings I did pretty well. My best horse, or rather foal, got 1st in the appaloosa foal class and then received foal division champ. I also got several 1STs and 2NDs but no other division wins.

I've got several ideas floating around in my head for some stablemate jumps. I've got a hunter jump planned, I'm thinking a burgundy and white (or cherry stained) standards with a fence and rail. I'm also thinking of making another Horsetrader stadium jump with some differences from the first one I made a year ago.

Getting ready

All packed and ready for Eureka Live tomorrow. I'm just double checking that I have everything I need. I hate getting to a show and finding out I left something important at home. I'll only be showing two performance entries since I want to revamp my performance props and tack. I'll be showing my Arabian dancing horse costume which normally does well and I will be showing Anna's jumper in cross country with the tack and jump we made for Show For The Cure. I'm looking forward to see how it does.

I plan on making a few cross country jumps in the coming weeks. I have some ideas and reference pics of jumps I found while doing research on the levels of cross country. So, keep an eye out for those in the weeks ahead. I'll also me making a few random props like trail bridges, bending poles and road apples...

More pics...

I got the clear rod to finish off the cross country jump for S4TC. So heres the finished results...please excuse the halfhearted photos.

Another Donation for Show For The Cure

I wanted to donate more to this show because it is such a wonderful cause. I just finished these draft size overlay halters done in shades of pink. The colors are fitting for the show and for breast cancer awareness. As always they are perfectly scaled for the Breyer drafts and even the Stone drafts. They include a matching lead with attached stud chain.

Of all the 'nylon' tack I make I think overlay halters are my favorite to make. I just love thinking up new color combinations and different halter styles. One day I hope to learn how to put words on the overlay.

Show For The Cure donation

There it is, all finished. My part of a joint donation with Dreamflite Design. Anna made a cross country tack set to go with the jump for a custom G3 jumper. I'm still waiting on some acrylic clear rods to make a support for the horse so he is going over the jump in a proper position.
I am pleased with how the jump came out. I can't wait to show the set this Sunday at Eureka Live. Anna has lent me her jumper with the tack she made to show with it at the show. It's going to look great all together.
I hope the donation brings in a lot of money for the show since all the profits go towards cancer research. I look forward to donating to this show again, since several people in my family have had cancer, so the cause is close to my heart. My grandmother beat breast cancer, but later was taken by esophagus cancer.

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