Steepleview Horse Trials: The-Begin-Again-ers

Jennifer Klitzke and Spanish Mustang Indian's Legend at the 2014 Steepleview Horse Trials

By Jennifer Klitzke

The 2014 Steepleview Horse Trials came a week earlier than years past so that combined training events could be spaced apart better. However, the timing moved it to the same weekend of my husband’s annual golf tournament which meant he couldn’t be there to offer his support. So my Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend and I were preparing to show solo—until I had a last minute idea.

A week before the event, I put the word out via the TCCTlist and formed a Starter Beginner Novice Team. Three people I hadn’t met before were game for the idea. We called ourselves “The-Begin-Again-ers.” It seemed appropriate since all of us were giving eventing a try after having pursued other horse-related interests. We had exchanged photos of each other and our horses to help us find each other among the 111 horses competing at Steepleview.

I arrived at the event and had coincidentally parked next to one of my team mates who also happened to be the horse/rider team competing just ahead of us in all three phases of dressage, cross country and stadium jumping. In fact, her friends and family kept me company, too. So I didn’t feel like I was showing solo at all.

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Shortly after meeting Sarah, I met Harvey and Sasha. What a neat team ranging in ages from 27 to 60 and their horses: Two off-the-track thoroughbreds, a bay and a dapple gray, a roan appaloosa, and my pale-yellow, buckskin-dun Spanish Mustang. We were the most colorful team of the predominately bay horses competing that weekend.

Indy did very well in dressage which was the first of three phases. We were tied for first place in our division and had the second best score of 24 horses in the Starter Beginner Novice category.

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Next was the cross-country phase. Indy was off to a great start. We jumped the first four obstacles perfectly and happily trotted through the water obstacle.

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After clearing the water, Indy seemed confused. We had ridden the course three times from the other direction. It was like Indy was trying to tell me that we were going the wrong direction. So jumps five, six, seven and eight were a struggle. After the eighth jump Indy decided to take a right when I was preparing to take a left. That’s when I came off. Thankfully I didn’t get hurt, but we were eliminated from the competition. I was bummed.

While walking Indy back to the barn, one of the obstacle judges told me that I could ask to be added to the list of stadium jumping courtesy rides. Was I ever thankful that this man came out of the woodwork and offered this tip. A few hours later I was granted a courtesy ride. So even though we were out of the ribbons, I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to ride the stadium course.

While I was walking to the stadium course I heard a voice call out, “Hey, Mustang Lady!” I turned and recognized a woman I had met last year. I was so happy to have been re-acquainted with her again.

The kindness continued. The time arrived for stadium jumping. I was walking with Indy at my right side and carrying my video camera, tripod and mounting block in the other hand to set it up for our ride. Out of no where this kind woman asked, “Can I give you a hand?” and then she volunteered to record our ride!

Into the arena we went and over the ten-fence course with oxers. Indy jumped very well with no refusals. It was a great ending to the three-phase event, and our team took second place.

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Each of us on The-Begin-Again-er’s team returned home with a beautiful second place ribbon. Every time I look at it, I remember the faces of the new friends I made and how they and the other kind people saved me from a lonely show experience. I was so blessed by the kindness of others that getting eliminated in cross country seemed to lose its sting.

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Thank you to Steepleview Farm for hosting the event, to the dozens of friendly volunteers who make this possible, to my team mates “The-Begin-Again-ers”, the kindness of strangers, and to D & G Photography who captured terrific lasting memories I will enjoy for years to come.