Little Everglades CDE

Our first show of the season is behind us. Little Everglades CDE in Dade City, Florida, was held on a large and beautiful property with a large steeplechase track and the greenest dressage ring I have ever seen. It looked like it had been spray painted hunter green. There was lots of room for stabling and parking and great spectator areas on the steeplechase track itself right next to hazards.

Dressage day went fairly well. We had the best FEI score of the show, and had increased suspension, elevation and collection during the test, but a few mistakes, too, which cost us some points. Overall I was very pleased with the feedback I got from Cooper's performance but have things to work on at home. I like to have a bigger point cushion after dressage :)

On Friday morning, the long listed drivers had cones practice with Michael Freund. The course set up for us had many twists and turns. Michael had useful information for each of us. Cooper was quite good, and our speed was good, too.

The weather stayed pleasant all weekend, but was hotter on marathon and cones day than our South Carolina horses were used to. A frequent breeze helped, but many horses came in a bit hot at the end of the marathon. Thanks to help from Aikenites Dottie Paul and Barb Mettle at the vet check, Cooper started the hazards cool and calm.

The marathon went well, again some small mistakes added points to our score, but most hazards were quite technical, tight and very long and we were pleased with how it all went. Hazard number three had a steep hill in the middle that we had to go up and down three times, pretty tough for single ponies and horses. Cooper was game even as he got tired toward the end of the course and his temperature was very good at the end.

We were a close fifth in the marathon, and ended Saturday in second place. There was less than one point between first, second and third places in our class. Suzy was in first, me, then Randy.

Cones day ran efficiently and our class was held just before noon. Janelle Marshall was first to go (she scratched the marathon on Saturday as her pony had an outbreak of hives and bumps all over his body) and posted a double clear (I think) so it was definitely doable, but the top three of us in the class failed to get it done. I was too slow and had two balls, and fell to third place, a point behind Suzy. Randy ended up in first. Thanks to Dottie for riding with me as groom in cones!

Results will be posted later today on Drivingnews.us.

I think we got the rust off at this first show of our season, most others in our class did Sunshine State a few weeks ago. I am going to try a four wheel carriage for dressage and cones instead of the road cart, thinking that might make Cooper's job easier. We'll experiment with that and see how it goes. Cones practice is surely in our future while we prepare for Live Oak in a month. Live Oak is holding the USEF National Championships for Ponies and Pair Horses this year and I'd really like to keep my title :).


Thank you to the organizers, land owners and volunteers that made this show happen, we will look forward to competing next year. Wildlife sightings: A snake on section E, an alligator in a pond next to the marathon course, and lots of cranes and egrets.

Ranch website: www.littleevergladesranch.com