I knew that every day at NAJYRC was going to be busy, whether or not I was competing that day. But the first three days at Young Riders have given me whole new definitions of hectic and crazy.

No matter what time it is, there is always something to do. A horse needs to be walked, a stall needs to be mucked, tack needs to be cleaned — the list goes on and on. Working all of those things around lessons with Mikki and various meetings just doubles the crazy.

Nothing would ever get done if it weren’t for our amazing hard working grooms. I swear my horse has never been this clean for this long in her life.

Kentucky weather has also been an eye opener. Who knew that it could go from a torrential downpour complete with thunder and lightening to sunny and 90 degrees in just 15 minutes?

And while flooded stalls are never fun (let’s just say that we had to scoop water out of one of our tack stalls), Ruby seems to be a fan of the heat and humidity. I can’t say I’m disappointed about that.

All settled in!

The golf cart decorations and opening ceremonies at Spy Coast Farm have been a staple of NAJYRC for years. Area 1 went a little overboard with decorations, but our gold carts look amazing. It’s so funny to watch people’s reactions as we drive by.

Area 1 runs on Dunkin and Minions are just too cute

The skies opened up just as the golf cart parade was about to begin. As result, the lovely parade turned into a race, complete with water cannons. Teams from every country, area, and discipline raced from the Rolex Stadium to Spy Coast across muddy fields, trying not to tip over. Standing on the back of our gold cart was definitely one of the more terrifying experiences of my life, but it was extremely fun.

Wednesday was jog day, and it started bright and early. Most of the team fit in flat lessons with Mikki in the morning before making our horses spotless and perfect for jogs.

Our super grooms made sure each horse was perfectly braided and turned out, complete with matching quarter marks. The whole team looked great with our matching dresses and shining ponies. We had a few tense moments when one of the Area 1 horses was held, but all the horses ended up passing.

Area 1 – Accepted! From left to right: Paris Beddingfield, Killea Gynis View, Caitlin Tierney, Jessye Ebzery, RF Luminati, Katie Lichten, Claire Paulhac, Clonemethan Crest, Mariah Gallien, Abby Dubrowski, Beau Voyager, Madison Gallien, Abby Niles, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Anna Billings

Competing at NAJYRC is a bit like doing Hercules’ seven tasks, and many of them happen before you even ride.

First, you have to get there. Then you have to pass in barns. And then you have to pass the jogs. And while each step in even more nerve-wracking than the last, the completion of each gives you an intense sense of satisfaction.

Receiving the Junior Championship patch for my show coat after jogs today gave me that feeling. It’s a symbol that I’ve made it. I’m officially competing at NAJYRC.

Looking beautiful at jogs

When something has been hypothetical for so long, it’s hard to start viewing it as a reality. This has been my experience with NAJYRC.

When a 12-year-old me heard about Young Riders from a family friend, I immediately knew it was something I had to do. And so the dream began. After three years, when it became evident that my horse at the time was not going to be a Young Riders mount, planning began in earnest. My next and current, horse, Ain’t Misbehavin’ or Ruby, was leased with the goal of NAJYRC in mind. Once I had her in the barn the planning started in earnest.

Ruby and I at our first Prelim

We set a hard schedule for ourselves. In just under a year, I went from never having successfully completed a Training to placing fifth at my first Prelim. While dressage was not our finest moment and we had our issues in show jumping, we rocked around cross-country finishing only a few seconds over optimum time.

We ran four more Prelims after that, running around the biggest tracks in Area 1, from Groton House to Fitch’s Corner and Millbrook. My tiny little freight train of a horse showed me the ropes, and I could not have asked for a better teacher.

Just a year and a half after bringing her home, Ruby and I cleared the last fence in the show jumping at the fall Virginia Horse Trials CCI* with a (just barely) qualifying score. Crossing those finish flags was the most satisfying feeling in the world. The excitement was exhilarating, but even more overwhelming was the relief. I had done it; I had qualified. I may have cried a little walking back to the barn. But qualifying is not a guarantee that you will go to NAJYRC. And so we waited.

The Area 1 Team at Training Sessions
From Left to Right: Caitlin Tierney and Killea Gynis View, Madison Gallien and Beau Voyager, Katie Lichten and RF Luminati, Mikki Kuchta, Anna Billings and Ain’t Misbehavin’, Mariah Gallien and Clonemethan Crest

Preparation really began in June with the first team training sessions with our team coach, Mikki Kuchta. But even spending two days with Mikki and the four other Area 1 team members did not make NAJYRC feel like a reality. Neither did scrambling to find sponsors (a huge thank you to GGT Footing, Shires Equestrian Products, Equi In Style, Strafford Saddlery and Town Hill Farm for their generous support), and fundraising.

I kept waiting for it to hit me — for that sudden realization that I was really going to Young Riders. But as I counted down to Kentucky in jump schools, gallops, days and hours, it never did.

After five years of dreaming, two years of planning and eight months of waiting, it’s finally happening. I have not just qualified or made the team. I’m finally physically going to Kentucky. Ruby is on her way, and I am trying (and failing) to pack my own equipment as I type this. Yet, I don’t feel any different. It still does not seem real. Maybe it never will.

But I can say this: When Ruby and I trot down centerline at the Kentucky Horse Park on Friday, that same little 12-year-old girl will be grinning from ear to ear.