1st Novice at Flora Lea in NJ!

What a challenge... drizzle, mud, and tough stadium course.

Dressage test went pretty well. One slip on final canter, but a 9 on the "enter trot"!! Picked up a 30.0 for 1.5 point lead.

Stadium was seeing lots of time penalties, lots of rails and knock downs. jump 5 brought a run-out but Mac recovered nicely. A swift smack on the hind quarters, rolled around and rocked over (without left stirrup!). Mackenzie and Harry were now chasing the clock but needed to stay clean. 6-OK... 7 - OK, u8-turn to #8 oxer and skyrocketed over the fence... (mom muttered "she's crazy!)... clean on 8 and made the bend to 9 and cross finish. 4 points and no time penalties!!!

We had walked cross country, paced off every distance, ran the math thru the laptop and had quarter-points figured out. I couldn't see the first 5, but photo'd rolltop at 6, 3' drop at 7 (great shot), couldn't see 8,9,10,11... approach to 12 water hazard was slick so she took that slow and did fine. Great form over 13, 14, 15 (with corn stalks 6' high on sides and a center post). couldn't see 16 but 17 was an easy clean and then across the finish.

Ended the day 1st. #2 guy out of dressage picked up 8 in show jumping + 30 time, #3,4,5,6,7,8,9 all picked up points and #10 from dressage finished clean to close the day in 2nd.

This will hold or possible advance Mac's USEA position from 1 point out of first. Two riders (someone is struggling to get the point system up to date at USEA) are tied in 1st.