A Little Friendly Competiton

[Katherine Carr]

Katherine had spent some time getting the jumping arena ready for a little in-house competition. It was a basic six-bar competition, so the six fences were set in a line, a stride between the first two and two strides between the rest, the heights ranging from 90cm to 1,30m, which would allow even the novice jumpers to have a couple of clear rounds.

There had been posters about the event posted around the campus for a couple of weeks now, no sign-up required, and now all she had to do was wait for the riders to arrive.

When there was a gathering of half a dozen, she decided to get started, and the people could just be added onto the list she now had. She nodded the first student into the arena to allow them to get started.

How this is going to work:
This will be run the same way as a class, just post your character/s jumping the first round, I will wait and when it's been 48 hours since the last person has posted, I will post again on this account and "raise the fences", and then whoever cleared the first round will post again (in the same order) and this will continue until it ends.

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

Cara had been in two minds about whether to do the six-bar or not, on the day however, she decided just to go for it.

She was up as early as possible so that she could get Tex looking like a million dollars. He wasn't a show jumper, but he could jump high - and he wasn't likely to gas his competition like Pyre would. With the pony plaited up and ready to go, she turned her attention to her own appearance and when she was happy that she was dressed for success, she led the pony out to the jumping ring the posters had told them to go and she began the warm up.

When they were given the cue to enter the arena, she trotted her flaxen Welsh in and rubbed his neck before they rode their opening circle, moved into a canter and turning him toward the line of fences, she rose into two-point as cued him forward, moving her hands forward so that she wasn't in his way or messing with his stride.

With the six fences cleared easily, they rode from the arena to await the next round. She kept the pony moving, transitioning between a walk and a trot to keep him warm.

[Andrea Valentine]

Andrea had heard about the six-bar around campus. Frankly, she was thrilled about it, although she'd been stuck for a few days. She had two mounts at the academy, and both of them could jump. Since Felix was a couple hands taller than RJ, she ultimately decided to go with him. She'd groomed him until his coat shimmered. As usual, she employed her brother's help with the grooming. He was excellent at braiding and she'd convinced him to braid the mane and the tail.

The color of the day was gray! Well, more of a silver. Light gray. Her jacket and helmet were light gray, and so were the tendon boots and ear bonnet that Felix was wearing. Even the border on the saddle pad matched. So maybe it was a bit much. She was just used to going all out! She was way too excited not to.

Before she knew it they were warming up in the arena. For once, she was one of the first people to show up. She took Felix through his gaits until he was soft on the bit and responsive to cues. She was just thankful there was enough time to get him to that point. When it was their turn to go, she trotted him in and cantered a circle around the arena. They were ready for this! She pointed him toward the fences and rose into a half-seat. He felt the change in her position, ears flicking back toward her for a split second.

They cleared the fences with grace, Andrea carefully counting the strides and managing his pace. When they were done, they left the arena and Andrea went back to be excited again.

[Bradley Ryman Palmer]

[Mikala Palakiko]

A little friendly seemed the perfect time to try out his new horse, and Mika spent a little extra time getting Butch all beautified and ready for a little bit of competitive jumping. "Let's see if you're worth the money my parents paid." He muttered as he put his helmet on and led the horse toward the jumping arena.

The competition seemed as lax as he assumed it would be, and almost laughed at the fact that he was competing against a pony, though he'd seen the girl ride enough to know better than to tell her exactly what he thought about her pony. When it was their turn, he smiled toward his barn manager and trotted Butch into the arena, rode the opening circle and barely pushed the Warmblood into a canter as the horse seemed to step over the jumps before they exited the arena. Hopefully the rounds would get a little more worth their time.

[Amaya Mae Byron]

[/b] she cooed to the mare as she approached the stall. "Are you ready for this?" She headed to the tack room to grab her brushes. She walked back to the stall and began to brush out the horse's paint coat. Since she was dark, it wasn't too difficult. However, she wasn't quite used to plaiting the horse's mane, she still did her best. It ended up being tighter than she had originally expected. She plaited the horse's tail, and Tinkerbell nickered at her. The mare flicked her braided tail, unsure of what to do with it. Amaya only owned western tack, so she saddled the horse up with all of the purple tack, and headed to change into her clothes.

Amaya did own a pair of riding breeches, in black. She slipped those on, and put on a purple jacket over a white dress shirt. She pulled her hair into a french braid, and put her helmet on. She walked back to the stall, and then led the mare out to the arena where the competition was being held.

She led the mare to the warm up arena, starting with a walk, then moving to a trot, and finally a canter. The horse started with her show lope, but Amaya quickly fixed it. Once it was her turn in the arena, she pointed Tinkerbell towards the gate, and cantered one lap around the arena. She pointed the horse at the jumps, and they easily cleared them with no problem. They headed back to the warm-up arena, and began to walk around until it was their turn again. [/ul]

[Ben Ayers]

Ben had seen the announcements for the six-bar competition, and had almost ignored them - Until a text from Gwen arrived, asking if he was going to go and show everyone what Rowen could do.

Well, Ben could ignore things for himself. But he had to admit, Rowen would be wonderful, and the horse deserved the chance to strut his stuff. So, tacked up, plaited and all, they were in the warmup arena, watching other students take that first flight. When it was his turn, he headed to the arena where the six jumps were set up and breathed, relaxing into the saddle just a touch. They could do this - This was nothing.

After an opening circle, he let Rowen surge forward and clear the fences. It felt like a heartbeat later, they were done, and headed back to the warmup arena to keep loose while others jumped.

[Katherine Carr]

Katherine was pleased with the turn-out, even if only a small number, and once the line had all been through, she entered the arena again and raised each of the fences by five centimeters before she walked back to the gate again, signalling for the riders to approach again. "Cara, you may begin." She said with a smile as she stepped out of the way do the girl could enter on her pony.

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

When they were signaled over, Cara trotted Tex forward, releasing a slow breath, knowing that if she remained calm, the gelding would do the same... in principle anyway. She nodded as they were instructed to ride forward, and she blocked everything else out as they rode into the arena, and moved into an opening circle. Exiting the circle on a canter, she moved into two-point and lined the gelding up with the first fence.

Tex cleared each fence as though they were nothing, and before she knew it, they were cantering away from the line and she brought the pony back to a trot as they exited the arena, encouraging him to walk when they were in the warm-up area once more.

[Mikala Palakiko]

Mika did his best to keep his horse away from the others, more so that Butch wouldn't cause scene and get them thrown from the competition.

He watched as the pony once again took the grid, slightly impressed with the height the animal reached when jumping, though the jumps were still little. And he nudged the Dutch Warmblood into a trot as they were signaled to enter the arena. Barely even bothering with an opening circle, he asked the gelding for a canter and they made their way toward the fences, him nodding as they popped over then one at a time, the gelding still barely breaking a sweat as they left the arena.

[Bradley Ryman Palmer]

Bradley focused on Jasper, walking him around the warm-up arena. He didn't want the gelding to get cold. He glanced up at the gate, and realized he was up next. He headed out of the warm-up arena, and towards the start gate. When he was signaled for his turn, he squeezed his legs to urge the gelding into a canter. He made his opening circle, and then went to the start line. The pair eased over the now-higher jumps with no problems. Bradley nodded, happily and headed back to the warm-up arena to wait again.

[Amaya Mae Byron]

Amaya was a little nervous about the jumps raising, though she was aware that they would keep doing that. Sitting on a western horse, she wasn't sure how far she would make it into this competition. And she was all about winning. Hopefully she could at least do a decent job at it. She watched the three contestants before her, and none of them seemed to have any issues, including the pony. This boosted her confidence a little. At the signal of her turn, she cantered around the arena in her opening circle, and then flew over the jumps. Her worry relieved, she headed back to the warm-up area.

[Ben Ayers]

Ben kept an eye on the competition as he let Rowen walk around the warm-up arena. Once it was his turn, he headed for the arena again. Rowen seemed almost amused by the concept of jumping over the poles again, but he took it all in stride, completing a basic starting circle and then hopping over the line. At the end, he gave a little snort, and Ben smiled as he brought the gelding back to the warmup arena.

[Katherine Carr]

With the numbers going down, Katherine had her team of helpers take the first two fences apart as she moved the four still remaining up by ten centimeters, so the fences now ranged from 1.20 to 1.45.

She stepped back to survey the fences and nodded before she walked back to the in-gate; signalling for the riders to approach again. "Cara, you may begin." She said with a smile as she stepped out of the way so the girl could enter on her pony.

[Cara-Jean Kitchi]

Cara kept Tex moving, making sure that his attention remained on her, and not the rising atmosphere around them, and to do that, she did her best to keep herself calm, as the last thing she needed was for the gelding to feed off the nerves that started running through her as she watched the jumps being raised.

She bowed her head as she was instructed to enter and cued the pony into a trot and then used the bigger space before the grid to make a large circle, making sure that he was moving forward at the canter nicely before they come out of the circle and headed toward the first of the four fences. "Mouche" She whispered as she moved into two-point and gave the pony his head at the first fence. She held her breath as the pony flew over each fence, and she was sure that he'd clipped the top pole of the final fence, but as they circled away from the grid, she could see that it was still standing, though bouncing in the cups. With a nod, she brough the pony back to a trot and they exited the arena.