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Description

Show: European Masters - Greek (2024)
Class: Team event
Placing: 1st Place
Rider: Julia Llort
Horse: Tears Of Paradise

Story:
(Word count: 1088 words)

First leg of the European Masters of 2024 in Greece, first big seasonal event I join after moving back to Europe… To say I was excited would be an understatement, I am over the moon!

Settling down in The Netherlands had been surprisingly smooth. Not that I was expecting trouble, but the language barrier is still there even if almost everyone talks in English. Have to say though that the little Dutch I knew from back when I did the formation with the van Leeuwen is slowly coming back, and they are as supporting as they were back then. Jan and his family have even begun to help me with the language courses, something I’ve picked up to keep me distracted and busy in the late and grey afternoons in the barn.

There were still horse transfers and management to do between Scott Peak and us, but Maxwell Moore was being the most comprehensive owner ever by letting us do it progressively like this. When I moved I did take six horses at the time with me, mainly the ones I needed to have competing the soonest in Europe, two of them in particular for the European Masters.

The first big show of the season was for Tears of Paradise, this big black flashy lady had quickly become my partner in crime on important competitions, placing on every ring she stepped on. I have to admit that, when we flew to Europe, I did not have them all with me that she would be ready, but she has proven me once more that if I give her the time she needs and we work diligently together, she will be the first to step forward ready to face any challenge.

Tera surely knew something was going to happen, in a good way I mean. She seemed to have an extra sense when it came to shows, or maybe it was just that she could feel my excitement? As soon as we touched ground she made herself be seen with a loud greeting by my ear, almost leaving me deaf, not that her flashy looks could go unaverted for too long anyways, especially her unusual colored platinum gulastra plume tail and her high white stockings, which were covered by the travel boots, not going to risk an injury on those precious bouncy legs of hers while traveling.

The training sessions in the show venue and the last warm-up in the show arena had all gone really well. Letting her get used to the low fencing of the show ring had been a great idea. I could not stop thinking about the other Trakehner I had in the lineup for the European Masters every time I saw the low fence on the hill side of the arena… I bet Caraxes would have loved to jump over it at least a couple times, thinking it was just another jump of the practice course, or just to give some “spice” to the parkour. The idea was so real that I could practically see him there right now.

The Team Class was the last one of the day, so I just took Tera for an easy walk in the morning to have a look at the busy surroundings. I found that for her it was best if she could curiously look around and hear the bustling noises before the event, as if it helped her mind also get set in the event. I also, kind of, used it as an excuse to take a look around without having to handle the crowds, quite curious how everyone gives you more than enough space when you are walking with a more than 300 kilogram animal next to you.

Tera took quite a nap in the afternoon, but as the tension and excitement around the barn grew so did her excitement. By now we had already established a routine when it came to important shows, and Tera, just like me, seemed to find comfort in them.It was nothing out of the ordinary, just me taking my time to pamper her in all possible ways, plaiting her mane with some perfect braids that made her close her eyes in delight, it was always reassuring to see her this quiet with everything that went on around us.

Needless to say we were more than ready and geared to go when our moment came. While walking the course I could see a couple of tricky turns, where surely Tera would try to gain some speed as she had some room to go. The triple combination could also pose a bit tricky if I did not approach it fully straight, but it was not that much of a concern considering who I was riding.

We did one last jump on the warming up arena and then patiently waited for our turn at the parkour, the excitement building up. It did not matter how many times I stepped into a show ring, the excitement was just as it was the first day. Tera could feel it, and she trotted into the arena with her usual bouncing gait. She just felt like a kid, excited to go out and play, such a joy to ride a mare like her.

I raised my hand to greet the judges and the bell rang a second after. As I asked Tera for canter I took the chance to quickly go over the course mentally one last time before leading my trustworthy companion towards the first obstacle.

Tears Of Paradise had been gaining show experience lately, her results proving how much she could improve after every round. As soon as she saw the first jump, I could feel how her whole body relaxed, her excitement becoming power that she was moving all over her body to take us over the first obstacle of the course. Normally with how the first jump goes you can have a feeling of how the rest of the parkour is going to go, let me tell you, this one felt wonderful.

Tera was fully responsive to my aids, not rushing any stride, simply soaring over the arena with her gracious galloping. Her legs seemed to float over the jumps, she felt weightless. There was not a single point that went wrong, nothing that I would have changed, I swear, with this mare, the more I compete the more I fall in love with her.

She is an angel that came down from the heavens to make me love the sport again.

***
Let's try this again! This time bringing some really nice Trakehner horses to the show jumping arena and a lot of excitement for this year!

The goal is to compete in all the legs, but with how real life is going right now I just can't make any promises but hey! first step is here! So up for a good start!

Description

Show: European Masters - Greek (2024)
Class: Team event
Placing: 1st Place
Rider: Julia Llort
Horse: Tears Of Paradise

Story:
(Word count: 1088 words)

First leg of the European Masters of 2024 in Greece, first big seasonal event I join after moving back to Europe… To say I was excited would be an understatement, I am over the moon!

Settling down in The Netherlands had been surprisingly smooth. Not that I was expecting trouble, but the language barrier is still there even if almost everyone talks in English. Have to say though that the little Dutch I knew from back when I did the formation with the van Leeuwen is slowly coming back, and they are as supporting as they were back then. Jan and his family have even begun to help me with the language courses, something I’ve picked up to keep me distracted and busy in the late and grey afternoons in the barn.

There were still horse transfers and management to do between Scott Peak and us, but Maxwell Moore was being the most comprehensive owner ever by letting us do it progressively like this. When I moved I did take six horses at the time with me, mainly the ones I needed to have competing the soonest in Europe, two of them in particular for the European Masters.

The first big show of the season was for Tears of Paradise, this big black flashy lady had quickly become my partner in crime on important competitions, placing on every ring she stepped on. I have to admit that, when we flew to Europe, I did not have them all with me that she would be ready, but she has proven me once more that if I give her the time she needs and we work diligently together, she will be the first to step forward ready to face any challenge.

Tera surely knew something was going to happen, in a good way I mean. She seemed to have an extra sense when it came to shows, or maybe it was just that she could feel my excitement? As soon as we touched ground she made herself be seen with a loud greeting by my ear, almost leaving me deaf, not that her flashy looks could go unaverted for too long anyways, especially her unusual colored platinum gulastra plume tail and her high white stockings, which were covered by the travel boots, not going to risk an injury on those precious bouncy legs of hers while traveling.

The training sessions in the show venue and the last warm-up in the show arena had all gone really well. Letting her get used to the low fencing of the show ring had been a great idea. I could not stop thinking about the other Trakehner I had in the lineup for the European Masters every time I saw the low fence on the hill side of the arena… I bet Caraxes would have loved to jump over it at least a couple times, thinking it was just another jump of the practice course, or just to give some “spice” to the parkour. The idea was so real that I could practically see him there right now.

The Team Class was the last one of the day, so I just took Tera for an easy walk in the morning to have a look at the busy surroundings. I found that for her it was best if she could curiously look around and hear the bustling noises before the event, as if it helped her mind also get set in the event. I also, kind of, used it as an excuse to take a look around without having to handle the crowds, quite curious how everyone gives you more than enough space when you are walking with a more than 300 kilogram animal next to you.

Tera took quite a nap in the afternoon, but as the tension and excitement around the barn grew so did her excitement. By now we had already established a routine when it came to important shows, and Tera, just like me, seemed to find comfort in them.It was nothing out of the ordinary, just me taking my time to pamper her in all possible ways, plaiting her mane with some perfect braids that made her close her eyes in delight, it was always reassuring to see her this quiet with everything that went on around us.

Needless to say we were more than ready and geared to go when our moment came. While walking the course I could see a couple of tricky turns, where surely Tera would try to gain some speed as she had some room to go. The triple combination could also pose a bit tricky if I did not approach it fully straight, but it was not that much of a concern considering who I was riding.

We did one last jump on the warming up arena and then patiently waited for our turn at the parkour, the excitement building up. It did not matter how many times I stepped into a show ring, the excitement was just as it was the first day. Tera could feel it, and she trotted into the arena with her usual bouncing gait. She just felt like a kid, excited to go out and play, such a joy to ride a mare like her.

I raised my hand to greet the judges and the bell rang a second after. As I asked Tera for canter I took the chance to quickly go over the course mentally one last time before leading my trustworthy companion towards the first obstacle.

Tears Of Paradise had been gaining show experience lately, her results proving how much she could improve after every round. As soon as she saw the first jump, I could feel how her whole body relaxed, her excitement becoming power that she was moving all over her body to take us over the first obstacle of the course. Normally with how the first jump goes you can have a feeling of how the rest of the parkour is going to go, let me tell you, this one felt wonderful.

Tera was fully responsive to my aids, not rushing any stride, simply soaring over the arena with her gracious galloping. Her legs seemed to float over the jumps, she felt weightless. There was not a single point that went wrong, nothing that I would have changed, I swear, with this mare, the more I compete the more I fall in love with her.

She is an angel that came down from the heavens to make me love the sport again.

***
Let's try this again! This time bringing some really nice Trakehner horses to the show jumping arena and a lot of excitement for this year!

The goal is to compete in all the legs, but with how real life is going right now I just can't make any promises but hey! first step is here! So up for a good start!