Whew.
So I just got home from Alberta last night.
Miss me? ^^
But I'll update you all in order of the three exciting things that happened last week:
1)Lipizanner Stallions:
They were amazing! It was the second time I've seen them. I took TONS of pics, so be prepared xD But, yeah, they were awesome

2)Gymkhana
I was in a gymkhana... I did pretty good, the events were different than last time (because this one was technically a Western Games Show) and so I didnt know like three or four of the events. So I'll go over them here...
1)The Keyhole - You pretty much run the horse into this little circle, turn them, and run back. I got no time on this one, because I went outside the circle 'cause I didnt collect Belle enough. But I had never done this one before, so yeah.
2)Flags - You run the horse up to a barrel that has a flag sticking out of it, you grab the flag, run around another barrel, and put it back into the first barrel. I got second place in this! I was pretty exciting, seeing as Belle usually hates flags (I didnt know that until after xD)
3)Barrels - Just a classic barrel racing pattern - I got fourth.
4)Poles - Just a normal pole bending pattern - I got third
5)Scurry - This one was were there are these low jumps set up, and you have to jump over these four jumps (I've never jumped on a horse before, just over puddles xD) go around a barrel, and jump over the jumps again. I had never done this one before, and I got third!
6)Scud-a-ho - Another one I'd never done before! You have to weave through three barrels that are set up on the side, jump over four jumps, weave through three poles, then jump over the jumps again - GOD did I have a hard time on this one! I lost one of my stirrups on the first jump (and knocked the pole) then I was worried about making the turn tight enough, and weaved on the wrong side of the poles Dx and by the time I went back to the starting box, I had lost both stirrups Dx I got no time since I went out of the pattern
7)Quadrangle - You go around four poles, starting at the middle, you go to one corner, then to one adjacent to it, then to one diagonal from it, and then one adjacent to that one, and back to the centre. I screwed up on this one and forgot to go diagonally Dx I didnt get a time.
8)Trotting - You have to keep the horse at a trot while you circle a barrel - I got fourth.
Okay, so that's pretty much the gymkhana...

3)Calgary Stampede
It was amazing!! Once again, I took TONS of pics. We watched the main rodeo, and also the Night show, which was incredible... We also watched a lot of the free shows going on. But yeah, the stampede it's self was awesome, but Calgary was NOT set up for tourists going to the stampede!! We went to the Visitor info, and my mom asked how to get to the stampede, and they didnt know!!! It's like the biggest event that Calgary has, yet they can't direct us how to get there?!!? It was SO retarded! So we eventually found the Stampede grounds, but could we find camping?? Nooooooooo... We ended up camping for three nights in an off-leash dog park xD. THEN for parking the next morning, we go to the stampede lot which was full, and wouldnt take campers, so we went to like three privately owned lots, but none would take a camper! We eventually got someone to take us... for thirty bucks. It sucked, but it was super close to the grounds, so we could walk back and forth to check on the dog and stuff.
Anyways, then the day we were leaving to come home, we went to the Calgary Zoo, which was sweet as well...




SO





Here's the plan....

FIRST Im going to finish uploading the pictures of the HMCS Oriole then I'll upload pics of the Lippizanner Stallions then my gymkhana then the Calgary Stampede and then the Calgary Zoo And in between this major picture upload, I'll also upload some of my drawings and such. HAVE FUN GUYS!!!!!

--SPH