Today's competition was very exciting. Since I was the first rider, and the competition started at 7.45 am, I had to wake up at 6.00 a.m. Man I was so not a morning person! But since it was a competition I guess it was an exception, so I cooperated.

After checking the schedule I got on Arctic Mirage, and proceed with the test. I was quite nervous but after few words of encouragement from instructor Katrine, I proceeded on with the test and did the best I could. Wow! I did unexpectedly well and I got 3^rd out of 23 other competitors. But I guess, it was also the fact that all the good riders were only coming on the next day.

Well after the test I still had 1 more event to go through, before the day was over. That was a show jumping event, and to my surprise i was still going to ride the owners favorite horse. I was also very shocked that he did not kill me yesterday night.

So I hopped on Pricilla and started warming up for jumping. I some how managed to control her better than I did yesterday, but it was still very sad that I forgot about the 9^th jump so there goes clear round. AWWW!. Well after me it was time for the two most experienced riders. God they were all so good Joanne, Stephanie and Tanja so well (I did not spell Tanja’s name wrongly, her name is not an English). They all performed a clear round.

But it really is hard to talk to any one as I was always the only boy there, and there was always so much age difference. The competitors were always above 16years old, or under 11years old, the only people who are about my age is, Michale, who was 12 and liked to ask me stuff, Jolene who was 14 and loves to play with the younger girls, and Joanne 15 who liked to pat horses, disturb her sister Jolene, and be playful.

But the best jumpers were not amongst us, it was infact two of the stable boys which won the event this came a shock for most people. But I was not one of them, as I have worked as a stable boy before and knew that who else could ride better than a person who understands, showers, feed, exercise and plays with the horse. So never judge a book by its cover.

So after all of the exiting jumping and some falling off 2 meter horses we settled down to watch the very people who taught us how to ride, rode. Well all three instructors did really well at first but then one or the horses kicked, then followed by a chain reaction.

After a while a horse tried to bite another horse, then followed up by every horse in the arena going wild, and galloping every where. Not being evil or anything like that. But it was kind of funny, seeing our own instructors galloping around in pure havoc. In the end, it was the thought of riding for us that counted, and we all knew that horses are unpredictable creatures, so we still gave them an a rousing round of applause.

At night we watched the videos of all of us riding and for some strange reason we got stuck at the tape of our instructors demonstration. And just kept rewinding it again and again laughing non- stop(i almost died of laughter i could not breath).