rachellyn80 - 2015-11-09 12:30 PM

I just now saw this post and I Thank You all so much! This was the very first BIG event for this little mare and Pj's first trip to Las Vegas. Hotbox hasn't ever even been to the BBR Finals, much less spent a week in a stall away from home. There is more to say about this experience than I'm sure anyone wants to read about. As a mother I am bursting with pride at the class, humility, professionalism, horsemanship, grace, and competitive drive that my child has demonstrated this year.

This week in Las Vegas we really got to see the time and effort pay off. Pj spent more time in the arena and at her stalls than anywhere else. She got her mares out every chance she had and in the arena everytime it was open. Her stalls were immaculate and the mares wanted for nothing. We kept Omnis Cubes in front of them at all times and neither one ever looked like they had been on a trailer for two days, spent a week in a strange stall, or that they were stressed in any way.

Having Susan Clapp haul Pj and the mares out there was the best decision I made. Susan was with Pj day and night coaching her and helping her get a strategy for their approach and what she should expect since Hotbox has so little experience in pens like that.

Her first run was exactly what I hoped for...fast enough to get her in the money, but not aggressive enough that she'd risk a downed barrel. She was on cloud 9! ....I told her that after her run I didn't know whether to break down in tears or throw up, lol. We did everything that we know to do to make sure that Hotbox was prepared for her next run, but when she pulled through the bridle again on the first barrel on her second run I knew immediately that the stifle soreness that we had been battling was the reason she got by it the first day. I had been hoping that she was just rolling a little hard and Pj didn't have her timing right. When she shortened up on the second barrel there was nothing that Pj could do. Hotbox has a heart as big as Texas, but she knows when it's going to hurt. She gets down and works so hard we just have to expect her to tear herself up a little. Of course Pj was devastated and like all great horsemen she wanted to win as much for her mare as she did for herself. Hindsight tells us that running Santana in the second round would have been better....Greg and I wanted it for her because we know the hours that this girl puts into her horses and the pride she takes in her work. The World Championship went to another sweet girl, Kayla Greenwalt from Region 8 and we are very proud of the solid runs she put together!

Greg and I made it back home last night, Pj and Susan will be home tonight hopefully with the mares. Hotbox will get to make a trip to Oakridge to see Dr. Major as well as some well deserved time off. We have a few young horses that are going to get more attention and hauling. I'm looking forward to helping her turn out some more tough horses...and hopefully get to run one myself, lol.