Paradise Jumping Derby

On Wednesday Feb.25 Paradise hosted it's second annual Jumping Derby.This year we moved the competition out to the cross country course ,rather than the upper show jumping field.This decision was made due to the fact that all my portable cross country jumps were securely staked into the ground and it was FAR to much effort to pull up all the stakes and move everything.So the show jumping course went out there! It was a risk to do but better take that risk than deal with my temper tantrum that was rapidly arising as we spent HOURS pulling the wretched stakes up.

At this time of year I get very itchy to get back into the saddle and as I am screaming at a bunch of metal stakes and hauling jumps around I felt myself becoming very volcanic.I employed my deep breathing and many shrink techniques learned over the years,and designed the show jumping track,then found the XC jumps to go along with the 4 divisions.

This process took every bit of two days.I was stapling paper plates onto the jumps in the dark.DEFINATELY asking myself what in GODS name was I doing this for?Answer?I want to build another water jump,So I can do all of this even more!Can you say MORTGAGE?Can you say PAYMENTS?Oh no,I say BUILD MORE!

So I hadn't done the four course maps or this and that and I woke up at 1.15 and got cracking wednesday morning in the frost.

The Jumping Derby was great fun and everyone liked their courses.I am very greatful to all of those that came.WE had about 75 rides.A bit down from last year but enough to make it all worthwhile.

I think jumping derbies are great experiences for the horses and riders.They are informal but we make every effort for the riders to present their horses to real questions so everyone comes away having had a great school.I look forward to having the next one.