Meghan Marshall
3rd hour

It was always so difficult to wake up in the morning for school, but never hard to wake up early on the weekends to step into the brisk air in preparation to show her horse, Cowboy. Amy was an equestrian, and that meant early mornings and late nights were the inevitable. Today was the first morning of the APHA World show in Fort-worth, Texas. Amy Smith never thought that she would compete on the American Paint Horse Circuit due to the level of difficulty but she also knew these were the steps she had to take to be a World Champion. This year was different for Amy and Cowboy, It was their last year of Youth 14-18 before she went on to be a Amateur. Amy knew that after this she could no longer compete with cowboy because Amateur level was too competitive. All the handwork was paying off as her and Cowboy moved to the top of the list in points on the circuit. This morning she knew she had to do good to keep up the points and qualify for the High Point. Amy walked towards the barn and thought about how hard her and Cowboy worked everyday to get where they were.
"Amy! Good Morning! Are you ready for today?" Amy's trainer Heather hollered across the isle way of the barn.
"I'm very ready, its just a matter of getting Cowboy ready. He seems pretty into his morning hay" Amy smiled while she spoke about cowboy
Cowboy was in his blanket munching on his hay. Amy loved him, he was her boy and the best horse she had ever owned. Cowboy was the Hunter Under Saddle horse she always wanted. Amy managed to pull cowboy away from his hay and start primping him for the morning classes. Cowboy was a beautiful brown chestnut with a copper shine to his coat, and he had the sweetest big brown eyes. Once cowboy was ready to go she tied him in his stall and went off to get herself ready. The light gray hunt coat she had custom made stood out on the circuit, no one was brave enough to wear a light outfit around a dirty 1.200 pound animals. It made sense, but nothing Amy did made sense, which is what made her and Cowboy unique. "Are you good to go?" Amy's mother, Hilary, asked while knocking on the motor home door.
"I'm all dressed mom! Just putting my make up on." Amy replied. Amy looked at herself in the mirror, her blonde hair pulled back into her english cap and her dark brown eyes popping out due to all the eye make up she had put on. She never really thought she was the prettiest girl, but she was content with herself. Amy wasn't that tall but she was skinny and had a slight natural tan. Judges don't just look at the horse in the ring, they examine the rider too and Amy knew to look presentable. Hilary stepped up into the motor home, her long brown hair lay flat and her light green eyes shined with excitement.
"Okay Amy your class number 123 and they just did third call, ill grab cowboy and meet you by the gate."
"Thanks mom, you have to pin my number once we are up there." Amy said while watching her mother walk towards the barn cowboy was in.
"Yeah i got it!" Hilary yelled over her shoulder. Amy walked up to the ring where her mother was standing with cowboy and took the reins from her hands
"thanks" She mumbled.
Heather was walking towards them to prep Amy for the class that she was about to go into. Cowboy was a good show horse and nerves never seemed to get the best of Amy or him. Without a word Heather grabbed the reins and swung herself into the saddle on Cowboys back. She watched while heather trotted off and stretched Cowboys neck from side to side. Amy knew this would make him more at ease in the ring and easier to push him body around with her calfs.
"He feels good today! Hold that inside leg on and push with your butt into the trot, you will be fine." Heather informed Amy as she stopped cowboy in front of her.
"LAST CALL! class 123 Youth Hunter Under Saddle." The announcer said loudly. Amy swung herself into the saddle and spun Cowboy around facing the entrance gate. All her competition was ready on their horses to enter the ring as well. The gate opened and Amy pushed Cowboy into a big trot, as soon as she was in the gate she began posting and picked up the right diagonal. Cowboy looked graceful and his legs were sweeping and his stride looked long. Amy kept her shoulders back and chin up. Even though she wanted to smile, she kept it serious in the ring and it was her job to own that ride. Once everyone was in the ring and the gate closed, nothing else mattered.
"Walk your horses please, walk" Commanded the announcer.
Amy squeezed her legs and sat down hard and Cowboy knew that meant walk and keep it slow and collected.
"Good boy Brizzle" Amy whispered Cowboys nickname.
The other riders all walked and each person found a spot on the rail with their horses. The Air was still brisk and the sun was up making it more bearable to be in light show clothing.
"Canter your horses please, canter"
Amy put her spur into cowboys side and kissed to him, it was graceful and smooth the transition from the walk to canter. Amy sat up and rode the motion while cowboy glided down the rail. It was beautiful to watch Amy on Cowboy, they made a great team and they just seemed flawless while they continued down the rail. It wasn't nerve racking cantering on for awhile, it was always the best part and it never seemed like a job to her. In the back of Amy's mind she knew this class was it, the Hunt class she had been waiting for, the class her and Cowboy worked so hard to be the best in.
"Walk your horses please, walk your horses" The announcers voice was loud and clear.
Amy sat down in the saddle and squeezed her legs, Cowboy gracefully slowed to a walk. Amy knew she just owned her ride, and as proud as she was of herself and Cowboy, she could have sworn the judges could feel it. No one wanted this as much as Amy, she was certain of it.
"Line up in the center of the ring facing the judges stand" The ring of the announcer was echoing throughout the arena. Amy guided Cowboy to the center of the arena and turned him to face the Judges. It was easy looking at them, at least easier then she thought. 18 years of her life and for more then half she had worked for this moment, so easily staring into the eyes of the people who could give her want she wanted would have seemed more difficult. Amy realized what made it so easy as she patted Cowboys neck. Every day she spent laughing with her horse, riding and showing all over America was what she did it for all these years. Riding on the weekends for fun and having Cowboy as her best friend made being a world champion seem so small. Her life was better because of the discipline riding had taught her, the patience, and the love for a sport. Riding was a lifestyle. The speakers squeaked and it made Amy more anxious. It seemed as if an hour went by but in reality it was probably only thirty minutes before the Announcer started to speak.
"Judge A, B, and C will set up cones with their letter. If you are chosen for the top 10 under any of them you stand behind that cone in the order of which you are placed. If you are chosen by more then one. you just move to the next cone and the overall placings will be announced. Thank you! Judge A has placed her top five as follows, 1st place goes to Heather Brower on Zips Sacred Assets, 2nd place goes to Amy Smith on Your'a Tuff Cowboy-"
Amy's heart dropped and she pushed Cowboy forward to stand at cone A. 2nd place was good enough for her in a class with such competition. The announcer Continued on with the results.
"Judge B as follows, 1st place goes to Amy Smith on Your'a Tuff Cowboy, 2nd place goes to Stefanie Carrol on Only One Invitation, 3rd place goes to Heather Brower on Zips Sacred Assets-"
Amy felt as if that moment she may fall to Cowboys neck and cry. Listening to the other places was hard, she was almost in a daze. 1st place, more then she expected. Cowboy could feel her happiness and his ears were perked up. Waiting for the third judge was torture.
"And lastly, judge C as follows, 1st place goes to Amy Smith on Your'a Tuff Cowboy-"
The announcer hardly finished saying Amy when she threw her arms around Cowboy. Amy knew what this meant, winning under 2 out of 3 judges gave her the World Championship. The sweat, tears, blood, joy, pain, and all the hard work seemed like nothing at that moment. The other contestants were all standing spread apart behind different cones, but Amy didn't move. The announcer stated what she already knew
"The world champion of Youth 14-18 hunter under saddle goes to Amy Smith on Your'a Tuff Cowboy"
The ring master brought yellow flowers and a red and blue medal over towards Amy and Cowboy. As the ring master handed her the World Champion medal, she was told to take her winning lap. Amy held up the medal and pushed Cowboy forward into a smooth canter. The flash of the cameras, the crowd only looking at them, this was her dream come true. Amy circled around the ring and saw her mother and trainer grinning at her from the stands. Cowboy slowed to a walk towards the out gate and Amy walked him out and jumped down from his back. "Amy! oh my god! that was the best ride i have seen out of you! Congratulations, you did it. No one deserved this more then you. I couldn't be more proud" Amy's mother choked out while tears filled her eyes.
"I cant believe this, i owe this to Cowboy. I just rode for us, we worked so hard." Amy threw her arms around Cowboy's neck.
"Amy! lets go get your World Champion pictures, bring the flowers. Oh, and congratulations you earned it girl" Heather said from across the arena.
Amy was excited for the picture, heather and her mother would be in the picture as well. Amy walked Cowboy towards the photo stand and it all seemed so surreal. The photographer set out the little stand that said World Champion Hunter Under Saddle, he didn't know that little font on a piece of plastic was the best thing she had ever seen in her life.
"Okay set Cowboy up here and hop on him, smile big and shoulders back! Your mother and trainer will stand on each side, turn your bodies towards the camera please! okay 1,2,3 SMILE!" The photographer pushed the button.
The flash, there it was, done and over in a flash. Having that photo to look at made Amy think, someday will this be in my room and dust will be on its frame? Will she look at it and grin, or be sad it was over so fast and riding may or may not still be in her life? It was hoof prints of her heart and scars to show. Cowboy wouldn't be around forever but she wouldn't ever forget. Showing didn't have to end here, Cowboy still could take her further and she was certain of it. Amy realized it was one goal down so now it was time to dream up another.