Show Season Prep

I have officially started looking at 2019 shows and how they might fit into my calendar. I feel hesitant to plan a whole year in one go because that is just inviting the universe to interfere with my plans, but I at least have a list of options that I can assess as things get closer.

I work a compressed work schedule where I get every second Friday off, and it just so happens that this year almost every show lines up with my regularly scheduled Friday off, that is not how things usually work and I am taking it as a good sign!

I currently see the show season unfolding in 3 Stages:

Stage 1 Early Season

- April 6-7 Carrots & Cocktails I
- April 26-28 Mane Event (not a show but it is a horsey weekend)
- May 4-5 Carrots & Cocktails II
- May 5 CC/ADA Wild Rose Show I
- May 18-19 My Show (I will ride Hors Concours if I can, might as well take advantage of the feedback when I will be spending the weekend with a judge)

These shows are Wild Rose rated shows. I don't mind so much how I score at these shows but I want to ride at at least a couple of them to force me to show prep early in the season and fine tune my tests.

Stage 2 Core Shows

- June 15-16 Claresholm Bronze Show
- July 19-21 All Breed Show (Dressage Day on Friday July 19)
- July 20-21 Cochrane Wild Rose Show

All three of these shows I have attended in the past and I use as a barometer of my progress from year to year. I would love to be confident in First Level tests for this part of the season and these are the shows that I have the highest goals for scoring at. (I am sad that the Cochrane show switched its date this year so still need to decide which show I want to do that weekend)

Ready to go up centerline once again

Stage 3 Gold Dreams

- July 6-7 Tilted Tiara I
- July 26-27 Tilted Tiara II
- Aug 30-Sep 1 Alberta Dressage Provincials

I have never competed at a Gold Show but I hope this will finally be the year. I need to compete at Gold or Silver shows if I ever want to become a judge or get my (Canadian) bronze medal, both of which I do. I won't ever reach those goals if I don't at least try. I have a lot of self doubt about showing at this level because it is a lot of money and Kachina and I historically don't have very good test scores, however I also know that I am feeling better about my riding than I have in a long time and it's worth at least putting these shows on the tentative plan. If I do these shows I may drop down to Training Level at least partially (Training Level scores are part of what counts towards Canadian Bronze Medal). Provincials are basically a complete pipe dream but you never know!

Stage 4 Bonus

- Aug 24 CC/ADA Wild Rose Show II

This is part of a new Chinook series with some of the above shows and you get a participation award if you attend 3/4 shows so you bet I am going for that! What this show looks like will vary depending on how my season goes, it could either be one last chance to redeem my show season, prep for Provincials, or a chance to get some feedback at Second Level before I go into another winter of training. Either way I hope to be there.

Bottom Line

It is 8 weeks until show season starts, I have work to do!

If you will be at any of these shows let me know!