HOME | DD

Description

For show: Fall International Showjumping Festival 2023 -OPEN,Welcome to the first Fall International Showjumping Festival!Grab your pumpkin spiced lattes and wool hats in preparation for this shows fall festivities hosted at Inveraray Castle in Scotland.This show is hosted by yours truely @Heartsng and our glamorous guest judge for this event is @lulupisita so a huge thank you for help judging the event!Opens: 1st SeptemberCloses: 31st Octoper(Extensions are possible if needed)Show Document if you'd like to become a sponsor for the show please comment below HERE...Fall International Show Jumping Festival

Horse: OM Hermes
Age: 9
Rider: Richie Byrne
Age: 41
Country Representing: Ireland
Stable Representing: Oak and Myrtle Stables
Class: CSI2*

Story:

As lovely as the showgrounds in Scotland had been, and she always enjoyed being at a show with Richie, Kate had to admit she had almost never been so excited to leave a show - and definitely not for such a positive reason. As the horses and David shipped to mainland Europe where Richie would base for a few weeks and compete, possibly on the Irish Nations Cup team, for a few weeks, the pair took a little detour. Kate virtually bounced through the halls of at least a dozen castles as they travelled around Scotland, and down in to England. As she looked through the halls of the countless books she had read, her smiles never left her face. Some were darker and in less fine repair, other a bit more touristy, but all just as rivetting. Kate chattered on to Richie at each one, telling the various things she knew about each one to a man who had lived, if not in the towns, at least close by and probably had learned at least some of this in his own schooling. He was an excellent sport though, following her closely wherever she chose to go, never looking bored or urging her to leave. Occaisonally he had a more personal story to tell, or an odd bit of history, often as much rumor or local legend as fact, but mostly he let Kate experience them how she preferred. And he loved watching her. She practically glowed as they walked stone hall to stone hall, and he loved seeing her so excited.

After a week moving steadily from Scotland to England, through the English countryside in to London, then to the coast, it was time to head to Ireland. They spent a couple of days in Dublin, some sight seeing, some shopping, mostly resting from their whirlwind week (and one sight seeing venture to a music club featured in one of Kate's favorite songs), then it was on to Richie's family home in Kilkenny. Despite the beautiful scenary, and yet another beautiful castle in Kilkenny Castle, Kate was much more on edge the further from Dublin they travelled. After a short stroll through the castle grounds, Richie sharing more personal stories of his childhood near by, it was on to his house, and Kate's stomach was in knots.

The pair had been dating for nearly two years now, but Kate had never met Richie's family. They had never travelled to the States and though Richie travelled home sporadically, like now it was almost never just to visit: there was usually a show or a horse sale around the trip, and Kate had always had a conflicting schedule herself. Her parents, who lived nearly nine hours away but at least in the same country, had met Richie a few times, and though it hadn't gone badly, it hadn't been smooth. Her dad was so like her, but still her dad, and neither parent was sure how they felt about the age difference in Kate and Richie, over ten years between them. They had warmed up to him, but Kate wasn't sure how she would be received. And though she could honestly say most people liked her, she wasn't used to meeting significant other's parents... and she wasn't sure if his parents blamed her for Richie's divorce, even though he had filed before they started to be more than just acquaintences in the show world.

As they turned off the lane onto a long driveway, despite a tight knot in her stomach, Kate smiled. The farm was definitely older, not fancy in the slightest, but immaculately kept in the ways that mattered. There was some brambles poking out along a fency, the grass was a touch long, but the fences were solid, the barns swept, jump poles by the rings carefully stacked, and someone was out dragging the ring as they drove by. It reminded her of the eventing barn she rode at in Louisiana, which made some sense as her instructor had been English. As the car rolled to a stop, her smile lessened as she chewed on her lip for a second. Taking a breath, she applied a bit of tinted chapstick and swung out of the car, putting on her best customer service/talking to the boss smile. She could do this. Her worries were for nothing. Richie took her hand, and headed to the house. Halfway there, the door opened and the woman she assumed was Richie's mom stepped out. Though she beamed seeing her son's face, when her eyes slid to Kate's it changed completely. "Oh, I assume this is her."

Description

For show: Fall International Showjumping Festival 2023 -OPEN,Welcome to the first Fall International Showjumping Festival!Grab your pumpkin spiced lattes and wool hats in preparation for this shows fall festivities hosted at Inveraray Castle in Scotland.This show is hosted by yours truely @Heartsng and our glamorous guest judge for this event is @lulupisita so a huge thank you for help judging the event!Opens: 1st SeptemberCloses: 31st Octoper(Extensions are possible if needed)Show Document if you'd like to become a sponsor for the show please comment below HERE...Fall International Show Jumping Festival

Horse: OM Hermes
Age: 9
Rider: Richie Byrne
Age: 41
Country Representing: Ireland
Stable Representing: Oak and Myrtle Stables
Class: CSI2*

Story:

As lovely as the showgrounds in Scotland had been, and she always enjoyed being at a show with Richie, Kate had to admit she had almost never been so excited to leave a show - and definitely not for such a positive reason. As the horses and David shipped to mainland Europe where Richie would base for a few weeks and compete, possibly on the Irish Nations Cup team, for a few weeks, the pair took a little detour. Kate virtually bounced through the halls of at least a dozen castles as they travelled around Scotland, and down in to England. As she looked through the halls of the countless books she had read, her smiles never left her face. Some were darker and in less fine repair, other a bit more touristy, but all just as rivetting. Kate chattered on to Richie at each one, telling the various things she knew about each one to a man who had lived, if not in the towns, at least close by and probably had learned at least some of this in his own schooling. He was an excellent sport though, following her closely wherever she chose to go, never looking bored or urging her to leave. Occaisonally he had a more personal story to tell, or an odd bit of history, often as much rumor or local legend as fact, but mostly he let Kate experience them how she preferred. And he loved watching her. She practically glowed as they walked stone hall to stone hall, and he loved seeing her so excited.

After a week moving steadily from Scotland to England, through the English countryside in to London, then to the coast, it was time to head to Ireland. They spent a couple of days in Dublin, some sight seeing, some shopping, mostly resting from their whirlwind week (and one sight seeing venture to a music club featured in one of Kate's favorite songs), then it was on to Richie's family home in Kilkenny. Despite the beautiful scenary, and yet another beautiful castle in Kilkenny Castle, Kate was much more on edge the further from Dublin they travelled. After a short stroll through the castle grounds, Richie sharing more personal stories of his childhood near by, it was on to his house, and Kate's stomach was in knots.

The pair had been dating for nearly two years now, but Kate had never met Richie's family. They had never travelled to the States and though Richie travelled home sporadically, like now it was almost never just to visit: there was usually a show or a horse sale around the trip, and Kate had always had a conflicting schedule herself. Her parents, who lived nearly nine hours away but at least in the same country, had met Richie a few times, and though it hadn't gone badly, it hadn't been smooth. Her dad was so like her, but still her dad, and neither parent was sure how they felt about the age difference in Kate and Richie, over ten years between them. They had warmed up to him, but Kate wasn't sure how she would be received. And though she could honestly say most people liked her, she wasn't used to meeting significant other's parents... and she wasn't sure if his parents blamed her for Richie's divorce, even though he had filed before they started to be more than just acquaintences in the show world.

As they turned off the lane onto a long driveway, despite a tight knot in her stomach, Kate smiled. The farm was definitely older, not fancy in the slightest, but immaculately kept in the ways that mattered. There was some brambles poking out along a fency, the grass was a touch long, but the fences were solid, the barns swept, jump poles by the rings carefully stacked, and someone was out dragging the ring as they drove by. It reminded her of the eventing barn she rode at in Louisiana, which made some sense as her instructor had been English. As the car rolled to a stop, her smile lessened as she chewed on her lip for a second. Taking a breath, she applied a bit of tinted chapstick and swung out of the car, putting on her best customer service/talking to the boss smile. She could do this. Her worries were for nothing. Richie took her hand, and headed to the house. Halfway there, the door opened and the woman she assumed was Richie's mom stepped out. Though she beamed seeing her son's face, when her eyes slid to Kate's it changed completely. "Oh, I assume this is her."