Horses - 2009!
In 2009, MiKayla leased a Bay Quarterhorse mare, Ima Cute JoJack, barn name JoJo. JoJo had not been ridden much when she came to our boarding barn for MiKayla to work with her. MiKayla also taught JoJo the art of showing English. She was only 14.2 Hands tall and a lot of people swore that she was an Arabian as she arched her neck when she showed. MiKayla had a good show season with JoJo, and we were able to go to more shows as we purchased a little 2 horse straight load bumper pull horse trailer in February 2009. Besides Flying Arrow and Quad County, we also went down to Warren County Saddle Club and over to the Yale Saddle Club shows. Lots and lots of horse showing. MiKayla showed JoJo at the State Fair and received a Purple in English Pleasure (2nd year in a row), a Blue, a Red, and a White. All in all, a very good show year.
MiKayla & JoJo at the 2009 Iowa State Fair
Above - MiKayla & JoJo - 2009 Iowa State Fair
In 2009, Kirsten and Taylor were working their way thru the show circuit and becoming quite the team. We did find something that Taylor liked to do, patters. The harder the better. This horse loves to think and the tougher the pattern, the more she excelled. Kirsten and Taylor also received 2 year end awards at the Flying Arrow Saddle Club awards banquet - 2nd place in Showmanship, 9-12 year olds and 3rd place Western Pleasure (12 & Under).
Also, in 2009, MiKayla rode Taylor at the Quad County Saddle Club queen contest, winning the contest and representing the club at the 2009 Iowa State Fair Cowgirl Queen competition. The Cowgirl queen competition is judged 50% on Beauty of the contestant and 50% on Horsemanship. It is truly a beauty contest on a horse. MiKayla made it to the final cut of 16 from the original 60 but was disqualified when her hat came off on the fly by (when they run around the arena, one by one, doing the salute). We did not know that the hat coming off was a disqualification so even though we were ecstatic that she made the cut, we were immensely disappointed to find out why she was disqualified. Live and learn for next year, the only way the hat is coming off is if skin and hair come off with it.
MiKayla & Taylor at the Quad County Saddle Club show being awarded 2009 Cowgirl Queen
MiKayla & Taylor at the 2009 Iowa State Fair Cowgirl Queen Contest - Taylor was not acting the best!
Kirsten & Taylor also received Paint Alternative Competition (PAC) points in 2009 in Showmanship and Western Pleasure.
The end of July 2009, we decided to spend the money and get MiKayla her own horse. She was always at a disadvantage as every year she started with a new horse with a new lease, where the others that she competed with were able to build a better and stronger bond with their horses that they had year after year. We purchased a Chestnut Overo Paint for MiKayla, a 3 year old gelding named SweetTasteOfVictory, aka Tory. MiKayla started to show Tory after JoJo went back to her owner's home after the Iowa State Fair. MiKayla and Tory did very well in halter classes, earning PAC points at 2 of the 3 shows that we went to that offered PAC points. Tory started at around 15.3 hands when we purchased him, and this winter finds him in a major growth spurt. Tory also has done very well at the Kirkwood Winter Challenge horse show in November 2009 earning placings in Halter, Walk-Trot English, English Pleasure, and Walk-Trot Western. MiKayla is still working on his Western Lope.
MiKayla & Tory
In the fall of 2009, we made the decision to sell Kirsten's horse Taylor to get one that meshed more with Kirsten's personality. This is a tough year to be selling a horse and to sell one in the late fall/winter season, proved even tougher yet. But, we found Taylor a home and moved forward with finding Kirsten a new horse that she can continue to grow her skills on.
Kirsten showing Taylor in Western Pleasure at the Yale Saddle Club show.
