WE MADE IT!

This year, the email didn't land in our junk mail folder! ;)

#USHJA #GoldenBackstagePass #USHJAoutreach

It felt like a long show season to not only qualify for nationals through IHJA but also win the USHJA Outreach Golden backstage pass by becoming USHJA Zone 5’s as well as all US’s 12 Zone’s top scorer. Winning the golden backstage pass for real this time, was the goal. And it was gloriously met!

In all honesty, once that goal was met, we all got nervous by the inevitable and unrealistic expectation to our going to back to Nationals — by last year’s Champion outcome!
We did not want that to be our expectation as it was pretty much setting us up to come home disappointed of an experience meant to be The Reward in and of itself — for all the efforts put in leading up to it! We discussed this at length as a family and agreed to curb those expectations as much as humanly possible and remember to enjoy this new experience as it came.
Last year Sam won National Champion in .70 meter and 4th overall in .80 meters (at 11y/o) — This year she decided to compete in .80 meter again which they won overall first place State wide (IHJA) for 2022. She also decided to compete in .90 meter instead of defending her .70 Championship title… Note Sam had never competed at .90 meters before this National Championship, but she wanted to push her limits instead of trying to repeat history and trained hard for it for one intense month leading up to Vegas.

Points wise, this year Sam and Idol tied for Reserve Champion in .80 meter but placed 3rd overall for not placing in all rounds…
They reached:
TOP 3 in Jumpers
17 y/o and under:
- 3rd place .80 meter
- 2nd place/ Reserve Champion .90 meter
- 1st place .90 Grand Prix
at 12 y/o
AMAZING!!!!

As well as a 5th and 8th place in EQUITATION!!

The week started with an exhilarating win in an open .80meter ring (all ages) with over 60 entries!!!! Then Sam struggled to finding the pace/control over eagerness for a while, getting them to always be the fastest but at the cost of not always being clear. It takes a lot of mental focus and strength for a twelve year old to find that right measure and she did, by the end of the week! Her last ride was PERFECT. She didn’t end up winning by exorbitant amount of seconds as she had up until then (by 4 -7 seconds!!) but they ended CLEAN!
I think I can speak for Alan, Emily and myself; in that over the span of this one intensely long hard week we saw this kid grow by soaking up the punches (disappointments) and not only learn from them but was able to apply the lessons learned from one course to the next! We could NOT be more proud of her.

Samuelle is not only the rider but also the groom, getting up early in the morning to muck, bathe, feed, walk and care for her horse and going to bed late after the long day of schooling, waiting at the gate, competing, going to daily educational events offered by USHJA and trying to catch up with family in Vegas for support! All by her own choosing and set discipline! No one had to make her do any of it, not even her homework this time around!! (Well, except for making her eat her veggies still LOL!)
All three of us were trying to ignore the cold that was slowly creeping in on us. Vegas was much colder than anticipated and even though we spent the entirety of the week inside, our stall was located close to the exit doors that were often left open for traffic. We were freezing down there! It’s probably going to take Alan & I a few weeks to recover from all of this but years of joyful memories and pride… An experience like this is a glue that bonds the family like nothing else we’ve ever experienced! 

Ow, I guess I forgot to mention: even though Sam and Idol have a true love for jumpers they also decided to compete in Hunters and Equitation, since the golden pass allowed for it at no expense. Mostly out of curiosity to see where they would place on a National level!
In Hunters, where the horse is being judged (for all our non horse friends and family,) we didn’t stand a chance as the only OTTB thoroughbred in the ring with all the beautiful and elegant (expensive) warm bloods. We met our expectations there! In Equitation however, where the rider is judged upon skills/style and position (hands, legs, feet, etc) as well as the correct amount of strides taken before the jumps (no speed taken into consideration,) they placed 5th and 8th out of a class of 22!! Which made us all jump of joy! 

Emily, Sam soaks up your teachings like a sponge. She is SO LUCKY to have you as a trainer and in her life! Thank you for this opportunity and experience of a life time.

~ mom, November 22, 2022

#ushja #outreachgoldenpass