Home from EMM ...... Lincoln, NE

(I loaded a bunch of pictures and they loaded in random order....I am leaving them that way)

Last year after the EMM I mentioned to someone that I wanted to shoot for Top 10.  I have learned so much and if I take my time and do what is required well enough, I should be able to do it.  I achieved that goal!!!!  Woo hoo!!!!  On day 1 I was in the Top 10!  At first I was happy but took it in stride, then when I thought about it, and thought about how many times I have heard how important ground work is and how much work I put into it, I was EXCITED!!!!  The benefits showed.  Day 2 threw me second from the bottom because I chose not to ride.  Nerves still got the best of me, but that is okay.  I am not giving up....I am working on it and WILL ride him again.....I am happy to say I will be able to keep working on it with Boom!  I ADOPTED HIM!  We are no longer working on a time schedule, so that will help.
Jay rode him during the adoption and I did the talking about him.  Jay and Boom looked fantastic out there!  Jay would love to take him home but I was already informed by his wife that he was only taking ONE horse home....and that was his EMM horse Levi!  Hee hee!  Anyways, a couple people were bidding on him, I quietly watched, then it just hit me....I had to bring him home.  So here he is and I have been officially informed that the door at our place has closed!  We can't take in any more critters until we re-home a couple of the others.  :-)

Jay and I are working out a deal...he is itching to work with Boom so I have a feeling once things settle down a bit, we will be visiting Jay again.  :-)

Here is Boom and I after the adoption.  When we unloaded him at home, he and Tandee nickered at each other, then Tandee squealed and kicked....I am sure it is to remind him who is boss!

Here is Jay and his blind horse Levi.  Let me tell you, they were absofreakinlutely awesome together!  Levi trusts Jay so much!  Jay has already started the ball rolling for Levi's cataract surgery.  He is taking donations, he has sold a few things......one way or the other he is going to help Levi see again.  Jay and Levi were interviewed by one of the local t.v. stations (ABC)...Levi was tired and let Jay do all the talking.

 

 Yep, that is me on a very tall horse!  This is one of the Top 10 horses and the horse is huge!  I was trying on their saddle.
Jay rode in my saddle on Boom one evening and said that the first thing he would do is get that saddle off him.  When Boom makes a turn, the front of the saddle rolls off the shoulder so it feels like you are going off.  That is the feeling I have been trying to explain to people.....so I am looking at other saddles that will fit Boom and I both.

I am signing my paperwork on Boom.  It felt good and right!
I also got myself a pink camo BLM hat for being an adopter.

Here are the signs that Jay's wife Brenda, and daughter Meghan, made for Levi's stall.  There were so many people who stopped by and we all got a chance to talk about Jay and Levi.  Everyone appreciated that Jay had the chance to take Levi back and get another horse, but Jay decided to do what he signed up for, train the mustang he received, and look at them now!  Jay showed that a horse might be blind, but it doesn't mean that he can't be taught, be a great riding horse, and have a good life with a loving family.

Yesterday I was outside watching the butterflies.....

A line up of the adult trainers before the Top 10 announcement....

Boom and I hanging around in the middle of the group waiting our turn for the in hand course.  We are not around a lot of horses like this so he was pretty wide eyed much of the time. He is like a little kid with new eyes....everything is like a big 'Wow' factor to him.

A few of the boys of the Midwest Mustang and Burro Saddle Club!  The hand to the left of the screen is Randy, then Mike (Jessi's Dad), Bryan and my Brian.  They helped some of the other yearling competitors move stuff and in and out of the arena for their finals.  It was like a big family and was a great feeling.

Look!  Craig Cameron is trying to be tall!

Youth trainer Abby with her boy Jackpot.  Jackpot was loving on all the kids.  I heard that Abby was surprised by her Dad - she got to take Jack home!  Woo hoo!

Jessi and Valero.  Lero seems to know when the camera is around.  Jessi and Valero got 4th place in the youth finals.  Woo hoo!

Jessi and Valero during Showmanship....

Me and Boom, and Jay and Levi laughing it up about something....

Now who could be behind that hat smooching on Valero????  (Hint:  April's husband....)

Valero getting ready for his Finals routine.

Just a neat shot....

Line up of all the yearling competitors during the Showmanship competition.

On the way there Brian and Angela were comparing directions....

Boom got an introduction to kids on wheels!  These two boys and several other kids were having so much fun with this stroller!  Most of the horses were okay with it, but there were a few like Boom who thought there was a time and place....and this was not it!  Ha ha!  I am surprised that stroller had wheels left at the end of the weekend...do they make these in adult sizes?

Self portrait at the gas station on the way to the EMM...

Brian, Valero and Jessi chatting and watching Jay hose down Boom....

Self portrait at the gas station with our friend Chris, who followed the caravan to Lincoln, NE.

Diana Thebo, another trainer, took her EMM horse Cochise AND two of her other ones for the Extreme Cowboy Race.  Diana ended up with 5th place with her mustang Cody who is about 22 yrs old.  Woo hoo!!!!

Diana checking in Cochise after we arrived....

Cochise is getting a bath....

Jay works for Fed Ex and drives a truck, does truck driving competitions, etc.  We all joked that this was Jay taking Levi to the EMM.....

Jay letting everyone know that Levi is blind, so just talk to him and he will be fine....
For some reason nobody knew he was bringing a blind horse.  Even during the walk thru the judges did not know about Levi having vision problems.  That surprised me a bit...

Jay played with Boom in the arena the first evening then hosed him off.  Jay had fun working with Boom.

During the trainers meeting we got our choice of stress toys....and I played during down time.

The first evening it stormed BIG!  We were on our way to the hotel and this is the sunset we were blessed with.  Isn't is beautiful?
We checked into the hotel then headed back to the facility to play in the practice arena....Jay joined us there and we stayed until 12:30 a.m.....it was like that every night.  Too much fun to be had!  We can all sleep later.  :-)

It was a long exhausting weekend....some people napped when they could.  (Hint: she carries a camera...and it isn't me) :-)

Boom and I after the in-hand portion of the competition.

Brian 'resting his eyes'.....

Several members of the Midwest Mustang and Burros Saddle Club showed up.  It was fun to see everyone.  One of the gals said she counted 27 of us from the club who were there.  How cool is that?

Self portrait of me and the group......

Look!  Esser is getting a picture of me getting a picture of everyone.....

The Midwest Mustang & Burro Saddle Club set up a table and handed out cards and flyers.

Part of our group.....Peace Man......

Brian and I made Jessi rhythm beads....Brian and Jessi have this ongoing thing with buck-eyes.  They hide them in each others stuff...so Brian made his rhythm beads with buck-eyes and instead of regular bells, he used little cow bells.
He also made her an ankle bracelet with them telling her that they have healing powers (she sprained her ankle a while back).

I made her a traditional set of beads and a mane clip.
When I found out what color her Showmanship shirt was, I added the turquoise blue beads.

Jessi and Valero....

This is Patti and her hubby...she has been so supportive and just a great friend!  Love you guys!!!

I was playing with colors....

Valero is a lippy little thing...always testing his environment.  I was laughing...I don't know if he thought this was a Scratch-n-Sniff or a Scratch-n-Taste.

Us walking back to the barn after the in hand class...

Brian and I are used to doing things ourselves and are happy being that way.  But I have to say that this weekend was so much fun, and even tho we did not get time to visit with everyone a lot, it was wonderful and I can't think of another group of people I would rather do something like this with.  The members of the Midwest Mustang & Burro Saddle Club who showed up were so much help and supportive.  April and Bryan surprised us all!  Oh my gosh....I knew they wanted to be there but they had stuff going on, and I was disappointed.  While at the event someone mentioned them....then I realized they wanted to surprise us!  Thank you EVERYONE for EVERYTHING!!!!

What is in store for Boom and I?  Hard to say....will take it one day at a time, and enjoy every single one of them.

Brian and I are going to be spectators at the TN EMM in October, and are excited about that.  It will be nice to be able to sit and watch everyone, plus visit with some friends we have met over the past couple of years.

Until later......Karen and Tripp who is a little ticked off that Boom came back.  :-)