Round One: License to Drive

I took a lot of pictures at Candyland Live, but I know everyone wants to see the performance pictures the most, so we'll start there.

The first class - Heather refers to them as "rounds" in the show packet - was License to Drive. I chose to build an entry around my golf cart. This was partly because I love showing it, but also because there's some significant real Olive history with golf carts. Here's my documentation.

I don't usually show my performance horses in halter, but the first class in the Stone ring was OOAK - Realistic Color. Since Olive only needed to wear a halter in License to Drive, I was pretty sure I could make it work. I walked across the very long hall and plunked her down on the Stone table.

Then I made the return journey, sat down at my table and started dressing the golf cart.

I loaded it with tack and props I planned to use later in the day, plus some fun extras.

Why is there an extra pair of jeans? I don't know. It seemed like a good thing to have just in case.

I also set up my little ATV, again with a couple fun extras.

At this point everything was ready. I just needed my horse.

There were three other entries on the table, all belonging to Karin Hullatti.

Two were "normal".

One was very, very "fun".

Here's the reference.

After what seemed like an eternity but was probably only ten minutes, Olive's halter class was judged.

I raced her back across the hall, tacked her up and finished my entry.

I held my breath a little as the judge made her selections. Would "normal" rule the day or was "fun" going to have a chance? She put the blue coin next to Olive.

And just like that, I knew it was going to be a good day.