Crossing The Bridge and America’s Favorite Trail Horse!

 

Ok folks. Last “Gone With The Wind” ACTHA CTC post.

I only took about 80 photos on Sunday. Because quite frankly, I was freezing cold and sick of the wind. So, my focus was just taking the bare minimum of photos, so my fingers didn’t go numb.

After the Gate Obstacle, which was Obstacle #2, Colleen drove up to pick up the judges and I asked her how to cut across to Obstacle #6, The Windy City Bridge Obstacle, so we could be ahead of the riders. She informed me that Obstacle #6 had been switched with Obstacle #5 (The Airs Above Ground Jump Obstacle). Good thing I asked. But she still could only give me some vague directions to find the obstacle, basically, just head west until you start seeing orange paint and ribbons. If we started seeing pink ribbons we had gone too far west.   

With Jax driving, and a trail map, we drove west, and even though we tried to drive at a northerly angle, we still managed to end up at Obstacle #6, which had been changed to the Jump Obstacle. It was great to see my sweet friend, Lynnette there, though. She owns a gorgeous Arabian mare, named Tango, and Apache and I have ridden with her a number of times.  That’s her on the left.

 

We didn’t stick around to visit, though, because I wanted to make sure we arrived at the Bridge Obstacle before the horses and riders, and with some extra time for me to plan out my photo location and angles.

We left Obstacle #6 and drove north and down through a deep arroyo and finally found The Windy City Bridge, Obstacle #5.

Jax tested out the bridge and helped me line up my location and photo angles. 

 

And about 15 minutes later the riders and horses arrived. And it was game-on!

Of all 19 horses, I think there was only one that refused the bridge and flag obstacle.

Most of the horses very willingly stepped up onto the bridge and walked across. The Open Riders had to stop their horses in the middle of the bridge and have them stand there for the count of 5.

 

This is the horse that refused to cross the bridge. The horse was probably thinking, “What’s the point of crossing that wooden contraption, when I can easily just cross the arroyo down here?”

 

 

Even though he earned no points crossing the bridge, Joe and his PMU Draft gelding, who were riding as NMSAR Safety riders, decided to try it anyway. My camera loves this horse, so I was happy to snap a photo.

 

 Most horses just strolled across like it was no big deal, even with the colorful flag flapping violently in the wind just behind them. I think the flag was there to psyche out the riders more than for spooking the horses.

 

 And here’s our favorite Appaloosa, Lady Bug ridden by our NM blogger friend, DunAppy.

 

The Open Rider’s horses were just fine with standing still on the bridge for the count of 5.

 

 

 

Mike’s Paso Fine mare, Electra, danced across the bridge in her special speedy gait.

 

 

This gal, R and her beautiful mare are my neighbors. I discovered this fact yesterday, when she contacted me on FaceBook about buying a photo CD. R lives within riding distance, just over a hill and a few fields. Val and I actually rode past her house a couple summers ago, and she walked up to us and said Hello.

This was their first ACTHA ride and they did a terrific job.

I had doubts that Dawn and her Arabian would make it across the bridge. But they finally did, albeit a little wonky.

I wanted to take a better photograph of the two of them, so I shot this one really quickly after they finished the obstacle.

And then it was time for my friend Theresa and her handsome Zeema, a Hungarian Warmblood/Lipizzaner cross to cross the bridge. They did so perfectly.

I really like the zebra saddle pad.

 

And of course, Jessica and her rescued Palamino went across the bridge like they do it every day…and they probably do.

Her partner Charles and his coming 3 year old paint were unfazed by the bridge crossing just as they were by all the other obstacles that day.

I was happy to take a group photo of that last bunch of riders before we hopped in the Mule to take us back to WNCR so I could burn all the photos onto CD.

On the way back, I snapped off this photo of one of the NMSAR Safety Riders and his Tennessee Walker gelding. We rode with them in an ACTHA ride last Spring and Apache really disliked this horse. We had to keep our distance because she would toss her head, pin her ears, and give the stink eye.

Almost back to the WNCR CTC camp we stumbled upon this interesting “art sculpture”. The barb wire, twisted metal and coyote skeleton were protecting a fairly deep hole in the ground, probably to keep cattle and horses from investigating and falling in.

 

At the end of the ride, DunAppy pulled me aside and said she had something special to give me. For me?!

And I was thrilled that she gave me a jar of her homemade grape jam and a jar of the best homemade bread and butter pickles EVER! I was honored that she shared them with me and I must admit, have been enjoying these tasty treats every day since the CTC. Thank you DunAppy!

 

So that’s it for the “Gone With The Wind” ACTHA photos.

My next Photo Assignment is this weekend, where I will be photographing the America's Favorite Trail Horse Audition at 4 Winds Equestrian Center in Estancia, New Mexico.

There have been regional auditions all across the country this month, with a few still happening this weekend.

America's Favorite Trail Horse will be aired on Dish Network and Cable. (Direct TV is in the works!). There will be 13 one hour shows and America will be voting for their Favorite Trail Horses who could win huge prizes, including gifts, cash and even a new barn!!

All regional winners will be invited to come to the National Finals at the Franklin Family Ranch, near Austin, Texas May 8th - 12th, 2011.

In at least 10 of the selected televised episodes, America will vote for their favorite Trail Horse. The horse with the most votes will win $5,000 for that day's performance!!!

Grand Prize winners will be announced and their performance shown on a full length nationally televised TV show.

1st place - $25,000

            2nd place - $15,000

                        3rd place - $10,000

Check it out, and you will see some of the riders and horses that I photographed in this post!

I am honored, and a little nervous, to be invited to participate in this weekend’s regional AFTH Audition as the event’s Official Photographer. Wish me luck!