There were ten divisions at Indy Blooms with 50+ entrants. The competition was at the hobby's top level, even in the smaller classes. More than once a judge lamented as she pinned a class, "There are several horses that deserve to win this class, but I could only pick just one."
(Leslie looked at several classes that were out on the table and ready to be judged and asked me, "How on earth will the judge pin that??" She was right.)
I went in with a small show string and hoped for the best but I wasn't expecting much. I figured this was the kind of show where winning any ribbon would be an achievement and hoped I'd get one or two and maybe even a NAN card.
Regular Classes
I was surprised to do as well as I did. (Thank goodness for Leslie who helped me listen to calls for classes in the four divisions I was showing in!)
Chinas was the smallest division, but it was still very tough. (The Grand Champion of Show was a china.)
I was pleasantly surprised at my placings.
Most of the chinas I'd brought were not the best in my cabinets. I've shown for years and just did not want to risk breakage on my best pieces anymore. So, I brought ones I did not usually bring.
I was surprised when these did so well - I guess I have been letting the others overshadow them in the past!
My Performing Misty was named the Draft/Pony Division Champion.
I'd brought several foals and was happy with their placings.
Gold Nugget is a fairly recent find and this was only his second show.
All the foals that I'd brought together, although you can just barely see my Hagen Renaker Donkey foal, Harry, on the right.
Gold Nugget was the Reserve Champion of the Foal Division.
And Oreana won the decorator class. That little pony on her ribbon meant she was a judge's favorite. (Hmmm. I need to check that card. It should be a yellow collectibility one.)
I showed some Stablemates including the lovely Abby that Equiden gifted me with just before Abby unexpectedly died. She did not place but I did not mind - with the anniversary of Abby's Gotcha Day looming, I was happy to be showing her regardless of her placing. It was like a little bit of Abby was still with me.
Fun Classes
I love fun classes, and you just never know what is going to show up on the table.
For the Fabio class (models with lots of mane), I entered my two RubberNedz.
That class was huge and Mr. Nedz won 6th place.
I entered Pepper in the Dogs class. Candy was also used by judges to indicate their favorite entry.
Grand Champion & Reserve
Indy Blooms has a Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion of Show. There are callbacks for all the Division Champions and Reserves, and the slate is wiped clean. Any of those twenty models were now in contention for the biggest prize of all.
Including my little Misty who not only had been a sectional Champion, she was the Reserve Champion of the China show!
I quickly pulled her out of her haversack and set her on the table next to Liz's gorgeous dapple grey china Arabian. (I couldn't find her NAN card, her class ribbon, or the medallion she'd won so she went without.)
The way the Grand and Reserve Champs are chosen is that every judge lays a paperclip by the model they think should be Grand Champion. The model with the most votes wins, and the one with the second most is named Reserve.
I was more than a little surprised to have received a vote! And the winner was Liz's Arabian! (Very well deserved, too.)
By that time, I was worn out. I'd been invited to go out for dinner, but I just was not up to it. Fortunately the drive home took less than an hour and I got home before night settled in.
Robin and Chelsea put on a really good show and there was cheering, laughter, and chattering heard throughout the day. I am so glad I got to go.
Hopefully I'll be back next year and up to participating in the swap meet, too.
