A Good Grant County Fair

I was only in 4h for two years and I only ever went to fair with an animal twice. 

This was the first enjoyable year and best fair ever for me!  No I wasn't there with an animal showing but I was their watching my sister show my horse, her horse, and her lamb.  She did great!  It was a long, hot week, but the absolute best to me! 

It's the best to me because of how well Erin and Daisy did.  Erin and Daisy only started really working well together in June.  Erin has never spent much time on Daisy because she is mine and she had HotRod.  But then things happened.  Since Erin's new horse, Chuck, is so young, Erin decided using Daisy for fair would her best and most successful option.  

At first, Daisy wasn't too sure about Erin working with her so much, and she certainly wasn't too sure about being ridden twice a day!  She was having to work so hard.  All the hard work each Erin and I put into training Daisy this summer and belief in her paid off!  Miss Daisy performed so well and worked so hard at fair.  She and Erin did well enough to make it to State in Performance and Games.  On top of 4h events at fair, Erin ran sponsor flags with Daisy at the rodeo all three nights.  Both were tired girls at the end of the week!  Erin also showed Chuck in one 4h event and at the Open Show Saturday.  Erin also did well with her lamb making it to a couple Championship Rounds!

I'd say the best thing about last week, though, was watching a horse who had lived an easy life in the pasture step up to the plate and clean up in ribbons.  Daisy did well because she had an experienced rider, Erin guiding through everything new to her!

Here are pictures from last week.  They show that the week was good but they don't show that the week was actually really GREAT!

 Erin at the camper trailer on the night before fair started.  My mom, sister, and I enjoyed having Bell to stay it but it was always toasty and cozy.

 Daisy managed to flip her hay bag up, over, and out of her stall on the first night.  She was a little nervous in her stall.

 

Daisy looking so pretty!

Erin riding Daisy with the Ameristay sponsor flag!

What I wish I looked like and was doing Saturday afternoon of fair.  This little boy fell asleep in line before he even got to order his ice cream!  It was so cute.  I had to take a pic of him.

 Erin, Daisy, and I after the rodeo Saturday night!

 Daisy in her stall Saturday night waiting for Sunday morning to come so she could go home.  Look at all those Reserve ribbons and State Qualifier ribbons!

 Saturday morning I wondered over to the rodeo grounds to take a look at the bucking stock.  The bulls were rude and just stared at me and walked away when I tried to take a picture.

I was really surprised to see the bulls and mares with babies hanging out in the same pin. 

Erin and Daisy made it in the Columbia Basin Herald!

The horses back home Sunday morning.  They are happy to be back in their open space and out of the confinement of stalls.  My mom, sister, and I are also happy to be out of the confinement of Bell. :)

The week of fair was a good, fun, and busy one!

3 days ago...Wait, 3 years ago!

Holy cow!  Where has the time gone??

Tomorrow morning at ten I start my senior year and, most likely, my last full year of undergrad studies at WSU.  It feels like three days ago my parents moved me to Pullman for the first time and left me at my dorm.  I just can't believe that I have actually been living in Pullman and going to school for three years now.  I remember how hard I cried as my parents left me at the dorm that Friday evening.  I didn't have any idea how soon I'd see them again.  It turned out being only two weeks, but that was twice as along as I'd ever gone without seeing them.  It was hard. 

However, nothing has changed expect that I leave them instead of them leaving me.  I cried hard as I loaded my car this morning and drove away waving to my dad in the drive way.  This going back to school thing never gets easier for me...or my family.  Summers riding horses, enjoying hot days, boating, being with family, and hanging out are just too much fun.  Thank goodness for vivid memories, though. 

My freshman year was tough, but I think this year might be the toughest.  As each year goes by, my family and I go a little longer without seeing each other.  Classes also get more demanding in terms of studying and time.  However, the toughest part of this coming year is knowing in May I have to start  a very grown up life.  I'll have a degree and minor that I'll need to put to use.  I just wish I could know what that use will be.  I hate uncertainty!

In the next year I've got decisions to make...do I want to apply to grad school or a masters program?  Do I apply for a job?  Where do I want to live?  These questions are on my mind along with so much more!

Before I know it, though, I'll have my answers because I know senior year will have gone by in the blink of an eye!  After all, it seems like yesterday that I attended my first day of college classes. 

Bell's Debut

Bell took off for her first appearance yesterday afternoon.  We dropped her off at the fair grounds at about 4pm.  It was strangely weird not having her home to work on last night or today because working on her has been my life the last couple weeks. 

She looks a little small among the other camp trailers and mega motor homes but she is small and sweet and her little stature kind of makes her stand out.  Eventually, when we get her painted on the outside she'll stand out even more! 

Here is a look inside...Bell's "After" pictures!

Dinette...Erin has it ready to sleep on. 

Comfy couch! Where I'll be next week!

Kitchen area.

If you're at the fair next week and want to check Bell out, come on by!  Just look for the smallest camp trailer you've ever seen behind the horse barns.  Also, look back at Bell's "Before" pictures to see how far she's come!