Written by Sandy Thompson

The weekend of the ARCA Autumn Challenge started bright and early on the Saturday morning helping with the set-up at our grounds. Saturday arvo included a

ride to run through my dressage test AGAIN and take Gerald over a small log having realised I’d omitted this during out training and only practised over poles. Then

a wash (he thought it was his birthday at this point) followed by putting my daughter to work with her plaiting skills. And WOW! – we were ready for our first ever competition!!

A restless nights sleep later, constantly waking up to ensure I hadn’t overslept, and it was ARCA Challenge day! I dragged Kiera out of bed for the start of our role-reversal day of me riding and her being my strapper/helper. I was actually amazingly calm and made sure to get a Team Gerald and Sandy pic under the amazing ‘Selfie arch’ (thanks to Lynn Dique and her Mum) and watched the start of the 95cm xc and some of the dressage.

One of the most memorable moments of the day for me was watching a lady from another club ride over to assist Suzie to calm her pony and get him in the dressage arena – an act of true sportsmanship and so lovely to see!

As I got tacked-up, the nerves were starting to kick in and then...OMG!!...the warm-up arena!!! How scary is that place!! Horses going everywhere while I was desperately trying to mentally and physically run through my test with a brain that had suddenly just

gone to mush!!

Once marshalled in, I went against Kiera’s advice to trot around and just stood at the top of the arena near the judges car so that I could mentally run through my test before it was my turn. Katrin welcomed me in an extremely cheerful way which did help towards calming

me a smidgeon and then we were off...

Rather than trotting down and around at the bottom, I just wanted to trot down the side and enter the arena straight away like I practised at home...and from there, I was in my sand arena at home just ensuring I did the same routine I’d practised numerous times, until the final halt and...YES!... we’d made it through...and BREATH again. I think my salute to the judge actually looked more like me collapsing with relief...sorry Katrin!

That was the worst part over for me and having been told that they were needing riders for the poles ring, we did a quick saddle change and went straight back out.

This was the fun bit and after a couple of warm-up ‘jumps’ we went in to start our round. We were off and around the first 4 and up to No. 5, the bank, and around to 6 and then the logs. Through the trees and a real “jump” over 12 got Gerald all excited – Steady! Steady! Sit back...!! Coming round the tree at the final bend (next to the fence by the parking/yards) a lady stuck her head out of her car window and called “Well done!” to me, showing again the friendly, encouraging sportsmanship of the day!

And over the final pole and through the finish flags in one piece and with a massive smile on my face! YAY! I had completed my first competition and I’d had an absolute ball!

That really would have been enough for me, so to have my name called out during presentations as the winner of the class just astounded me and really was over and

above any of my wildest expectations!

But my lovely embroidered rug now has pride of place on the end of my bed and acts as a motivator to keep getting out there and actually looking for more outings that Gerald and I can do! Looking forward to the Hunter Trials at Moora...

I would like to thank the committee and everyone involved for organising a brilliant day – and to the kids who helped and supported their Mum’s – the day ran seamlessly and I have only seen and heard positive feedback from anyone who attended!