Over the weekend I took my very first trip to the Fair Hill International Event, one of the most prestigious international three day events in the world, this is the ultimate test of a horse and rider. Through tests in dressage, endurance, and stadium jumping the horse and rider teams work together to show that they can compete in the most demanding and highest levels of equestrian sports.
But before I could attend the event, I had to go on my very first school bus ride!
Trooper tagged along with me on this adventure, and we were both pretty excited about taking the bus to the event grounds from the parking lot.
I can only imagine how exciting it must be to take the bus everyday to school! Those lucky kids! I even sang the wheels on the bus during the ride just to make it even more fun.
Once in the park I quickly made my way to the arena, because the real reason I came to the Fair Hill International was to cheer on my friends from the Chincoteague Pony Drill Team!
Made up entirely of Chincoteague Ponies (and the only one in the world), the drill team performs at events to choreographed music. It was great to see my friends again, as I had not seen them since I went to Chincoteague a few years ago so that my pony friends could frolic on the beach.
After I said goodbye to my friends I was ready to check out the other events at the Fair Hill International. (Above is me pictured with Misty’s Icicle, the only cremello colored pony in the Misty family line of ponies)
Of course my number one mission was to RIDE A PONY! But since most of them were busy competing I settled for this cardboard cutout of one instead.
And here’s what I would look like if I was a world class eventer like the riders that were competing at Fair Hill! Dashing right?
Next up I hit up the Dog Agility area, where they very nicely let me try a practice course – which was the first time I tried a course outside of my weekly classes at the Dog Training Center. I was a little distracted by all the smells on the course (and the fact that some of the obstacles seemed a bit different than what I was used to), but I did complete all the obstacles!
You may have heard my pal Trooper crying in the background of the video – he was utterly convinced that the course was going to eat me up if he wasn’t out there to protect me – or better yet, herd me around the scary obstacles. Oh Trooper, such a silly boy.
Next I headed over to watch some of the show jumping on the hill with the other dogs. You might not be able to tell from this photo, but almost every person came to the event with a dog. Great Danes, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Greyhounds, Jack Russells, Labradors, and I even spotted a few Dachshunds among them.
Watching the show jumping was quite spectacular as the horses soared through the air, but I have to admit, the Fair Hill International really wore me out!
I’m already counting down the days until next years event though!
Make sure you check out some more photos and video of the Chincoteague Pony Drill Team at the Painting Pony Blog.
