The Final Round Blogger Contest entries are in–and in a twist of seminal intrigue, we’re offering you the opportunity to weigh in on each article before we declare a victor.
Their Final Round Assignment: Two basic requirements for every post on Eventing Nation: words and visuals. You’ve proven you’re capable of the words bit; now we need to know you’ve got an eye for aesthetics. Your Final Round eventing-related article, themed “Insanity in the Middle,” must be at least 200 words (there’s no word limit) and visually enhanced–the more creatively, the better–with at least one photo you’ve taken, or diagram you’ve created, or video you’ve shot, etc. We stress that access to expensive camera equipment is unnecessary; see Wylie’s FEI pictograms for proof that imagination, at least in the context of this assignment, will be your most invaluable asset. Words and visuals will be judged 50/50 on the same basis as previous entries (Interesting, Funny, Informative, Creative).
Here’s Lauren Nethery’s final installment (for Lauren’s previous entries, see Round 1, Round 2). To read the previously posted final installment of Yvette Seger, click here. Stay tuned for entries from Emily Diagnault and Jenni Autry. Entries are presented unedited for fairness’ sake. Thanks for your hard work, Lauren, and thanks as always for reading, Eventing Nation. Please leave feedback in the comments section.
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Bio: Age: 24 years old
Background: In short, if it has four legs I will ride it. Horses of all shapes, sizes, and psychosis’, bulls, camels, so on, and so forth. I currently manage a farm in Lexington, KY, retired my Advanced mare in 2009 and am presently enjoying bringing my handful of an OTTB (more on this later) back to the Intermediate ranks after eighteen months off from a hoof injury. I start a lot of young horses under saddle, both for sport and for racing, teach lessons, compete horses for clients, wrangle pot-bellied pigs, and trim miniature horse feet. On a Monday.
Entry: Top 10 Signs That You Have Indeed Become ‘Insane In The Middle’
10. Your first survival instinct is heels down, eyes UP!
No horses were harmed in the taking of this photo. However, egos were bruised all around. Copyright: Xpress Foto 2006, used with permission.
9. An afternoon at the pool does not include bikinis and sunscreen.
Taler taking a dip at Kesmarc.
8. Even other extreme sports enthusiasts think you are crazy.
Suspended thousands of feet in the air on a flimsy ledge? Childs play compared to Eventing, those horses (and jumps) are HUGE!
7. Dressing up for social occasions is nearly unheard of (unless Boyd/Will/Hamish/Jose will be there). Costume contests on XC, though? Abso-freaking-lutely!
Smiles all around at River Glen many years ago on my first FEI horse, appropriately named ‘Sinner’.
6. If it eats and poops it must jump. If it doesn’t, it must be willing to learn.
Roxie Woodall, Event dog, practicing skinnies. | My mother during her first XC school
5. ‘Normal’ recreational activity implements become fodder for new jumps. This includes, but is not limited to: kayaks, canoes, sprinklers, picnic tables, lawn chairs, pool noodles, inflatable crocodiles, and festive holiday items such as christmas trees and those motion-activated halloween decorations that shake and howl.
Exhibit A: Canoe Jumping. Jenn O’Neill and Antebellum Q
4. Sometimes you simply cannot suppress the urge to hug your favorite equine.
The timing of my hug impulses has improved since this video was taken.
3. A weekend without a horse show involves you and several Eventing compadres riding BULLS instead.
I find it helpful to practice my lower leg position even in my spare time. Photo courtesy of Joey Clark, 2009.
2. Outright favoritism, unfairness, and/or idiocy from Dressage judges often insights within you fits of rage.
Photo courtesy of icanhascheezeburger.com
1. You spend entire weeks of your summer feverishly writing, editing, scrapping, and rewriting articles for Eventing Nation on a quest for unpaid, labor-intensive, unknown-to-the-outside-world GLORY.
My most artistic and accurate depiction of my current physical and mental state. Photo courtesy of Paint and 1am.
