My First Victory Lap by Kristin Titov, Hobby Horse CEO

Turns out I really enjoy victory laps!

Horsemanship was my last event at the AQHA Level 1Championships - West and we were all tired from a long week of showing, but no one more than Plum (aka SPOOK FULL OF PLUM). I had already shown in the L1 Horsemanship earlier that morning and it did not go well. So Beth Clemons (my horse trainer) suggested we take a different approach before the Rookie Horsemanship than our regular routine. We saddled up and headed to the arena as late as possible and then did a very modified warm up, literally not even a full lap, on a mostly loose rein and just made sure he would move forward off my "kiss" at the lope and then in to the show pen we went. Nothing felt easy and the entire pattern felt like I had to fight for it. So it was a relief when our number was called back to do the rail. Just making the top 15 out of 41 felt like a victory!

So I rode as hard as I could using up pretty much every brain cell I had to stay as connected with Plum as I could while keeping my elbows tight, hands straight, and "holding the orange between my shoulder blades" (Beth's visual aid for my posture). In fact the last thing she said to me as I as going in the pen for rail work was "hold that orange tight so we can have mimosas later". I gave it all I had hoping a could make up some ground since my pattern hadn't felt that great.

As they calculated the results and I looked down the row of the 15 of us lined up down the midline of the arena, I found myself hoping for 12th or 13th. They started announcing the placings counting down from 15th. When I realized I made top 10 I was so excited! Every number called I expected to be mine. But one by one the group got smaller and smaller. I could hardly believe it! I kept looking over at Beth and reaching down to pet Plum. When they announced 4th place and it wasn't me, that is when the tears and sniffles started. I was getting a trophy!!! My eyes just kept going back and forth between Beth in the stands and down at Plum as I waited for my number to be called. They were like my visual security blankets grounding me as my heart raced. Then 3rd place was announced and again it wasn't me! More tears and more sniffling. But obviously I was going to be 2nd - after all I've been 2nd in the L2 Amateur Reining at the AQHA World Show twice and 2nd twice at the NRHA Futurity. But they didn't announce my name... as the other competitor (wearing Hobby Horse chaps btw) rode by and congratulated me the thought crossed my mind that maybe they announced the winner 1st like they do in pageants. My brain just couldn't wrap around that I had just won! I stood there in the center petting Plum nervously until they very clearly announced us as the champions. We trotted over and they put the championship neck ribbon on Plum and handed me the trophy. Then it was time for my victory lap. Watching the video back I have to laugh because in all the emotions and excitement we loped our victory lap more like reiners than all-rounders. I guess old habits die hard. I considered asking Plum to slide to a stop at the end, but just didn't have the heart given how tired I knew he was and I was keenly aware of how much more I was enjoying the moment than he was.

Then there was a teary Heytell to my bestie Kim Friedman (all her hard work in Pilates preparing me specifically for this event had paid off), a bunch of texts and congratulations, a win pic and, as soon as we got back to the barns…mimosas!