The Battle of Good vs. Evil On the AEC Beginner Novice Course

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The battle begins … Photo courtesy of Amanda Chance.

A wise Internet meme once said, “Always be yourself. Unless you can be a unicorn. Then always be a unicorn.”

A team of Area V riders took that advice to heart at this year’s Nutrena American Eventing Championships. “Always Be a Unicorn,” as they dubbed themselves, was comprised of Amanda Chance, Bobby Covington, Jeannette Bayer and Sherri Hampton. Whatever sparkly, rainbow-colored magic they were channeling paid off with a win in the Beginner Novice Adult Team Championships.

“We had a unicorn themed golf cart called the ‘Unicart,’ all kinds of unicorn-themed decor, threw a unicorn party for everyone at our stabling on Thursday night, and did this unicorn themed course walk,” Amanda says. “Team spirit, we have it.”

The "Unicart." Photo courtesy of Amanda Chance.

The “Unicart.” Photo courtesy of Amanda Chance.

Bobby and Amanda board at Sherri’s barn in Austin, and all four team members train and show with Amanda Merritt, who is based at Anchor Equestrian in College Station. Says Amanda, “We even made our trainer wear the unicorn mask in our team’s official ‘win’ photo! It was great. Diane Pitts and Mark Phillips laughed pretty hard — a little levity in awards!”

Let’s circle back to this unicorn-themed course walk, though. “The course walk was my baby,” Amanda says. “I ‘wrote’ the rough screenplay, I guess you could call it, Bobby played the white unicorn and Jeannette played the black unicorn.”

Enjoy:

(Fittingly, in addition to winning the battle of good vs. evil, unicorn Bobby also won the Broadstone Beginner Novice Amateur division.)

They also put together some behind-the-scenes webisodes of the Unicorns’ antics throughout the week, a series titled “The $h!tshow with Amanda and Bobby.” Fair warning: “They are not particularly PC and there’s cussing. But hey, adult riders,” as Amanda put it.

Eventing Nation is a family website, you know, so we’re not going to post them here, but if you want to check them out yourself: Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5.

Congrats to “Always Be a Unicorn” for their win — you guys are winning at eventing AND life.

Go Friends. Go Fun. Go Eventing.

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