Sometimes you just have to laugh
Well team, it is time for another Eventing Nation competition. Following on from my review of the brilliant new book Stories from the Saddle by Samantha Miles, we have a chance for you to win your very own copy. Eventing Nation has 3 to give away, I will post them to you anywhere in the world.
How do you win?
Easy, you must tell us your most embarrassing story from an event, in or out of the saddle. Send your story to me by email ONLY to [email protected] yes this is a real email address, especially to embarrass you!
Once all of the entries are received, I will chat with the EN Chinchillas on their secret Skype account and we will select the finalists and then give you the EN readers a chance to choose the most embarrassing stories. The top three will win a copy of the book.
If you miss out on a prize don’t worry, the book is available globally. You can buy it online from www.shop.abc.net.au or as an ebook from Amazon.
To kick off, and in cooperation with the latest round of the blogger contest, I asked the EN Team and the Author of the book, Samantha Miles to tell me their most embarrassing stories from an event. Here they are in all-their-glory. The stories are so good I have broken them up into two parts.
Samantha Miles
When I was riding cross country out at Hawkesbury ODE at Intro (Beginner Novice) level they had this black and white wall type fence up on a hill. I was cantering up to it with visions of the winner’s rug firmly in my mind when lo and behold the great Heath K Ryan stepped in my path, as he was walking the course.
Of course I was not very cross at the great Heath Ryan, instead I swerved a bit out of his way ( as one does when you are a very very humble rider) and he tipped his hat and smiled at me and stood and watched while I took a very undirect line to the black and white fence and had a classic, last minute, horse drop the shoulder refusal! The shame, the shame…..!
ESJ
My story comes from my early days in the sport. I was a member of an adult riding club called Kellyville Riding Club (now Hawkesbury) and we regularly had the opportunity to do clinics with some top class riders. I did a cross country clinic with Stuart Tinney and I know I made an impression on him not because of my riding skills but my inability to keep my horse Kingston still. I remember Stuart quite clearly telling me he expected to be able to stand in one spot without being trampled.
Anyhow later that year I was at an Sydney Eventing competition. I was riding in Introductory (Beg Nov) and at the time I was having ‘stopping’ issues in showjumping (which I learnt after getting a SJ coach were all about me not the horse). So there I am trying to run a 2 foot 7 jumping course and I had a stop and rolled straight over the front of my horse. I got back on and think I completed, albeit with a heap of penalties.
Later that day I was out walking the XC course and ran into Stuart, keep in mind this was 2002-03, Stuart was a reigning Olympic (teams) champion. Stuart said hi, and said “sorry to see you had a fall in the jumping earlier”, I was mortified that he remembered me and noticed my fall. I guess I would have much preferred Stuart remembered me for a great round, or nice dressage test. But unfortunately not, it was because I had a horse that nearly trampled him and because I landed on my ass in the jumping.
Coren Morgan
As we know, riders can be superstitious. I am no different. A few years ago I was riding at a rather large horse trial and as usual I was sporting my good luck “item.” After strolling up to the show jumping on my stead (heading to walk my course) I realized I was running late. I jump off, walk my course and go bolting back to my beast.
Quickly I dart under a rope and…. RIP. There go my breeches. Straight up the backside. See as I have only a few horses till I jump, I decide to just get on. Of course, I thought to myself “I’ll stay sitting most of the time.” Well needless to say, it is impossible to stay sitting in show jumping. And now there are people out there that know what my luck item is- Sponge Bob Square Pants Christmas undies. Yes, each Sponge Bob is wearing a Santa hat.
Ali Smallpage
I guess my most embarrassing moment happened a winter or so ago at Ocala HT.The story: I took my Horse to Rocking Horse to compete in the Training Three Day. Coren was working for Buck at the time, and they were trailering in and out. When I would take my horse on walks throughout the weekend, I’d stop over and chat with her. I never did introduce myself to anyone else.
Then a couple weeks later, I drove down to hang out with Coren at Ocala HT. I thought it would be more polite to introduce myself to the entire team since I’d be hanging with them all day. So, I walk up to Buck and tell him, “Hi, I’m Ali Smallpage, I’m not a stalker, I’m just hanging with Coren and helping out,” thinking he wanted to know why I had been hanging around at Rocking Horse and Ocala.
Well, all Buck heard was, “I’m a stalker”. Everyone was laughing, and I was trying to explain, but it was too late. So, it was a running joke for the rest of the weekend, but I was mortified.
Part two will be in a couple of days, so start thinking of your most embarrassing moment, write it down and email it to [email protected] to win your copy of Stories from the Saddle. Entries close on September 14, don’t worry I will make it East Coast US time not Aussie time.
Yours in Eventing,
ESJ
