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Yesterday I attended The New Albany Classic Grand Prix. This was my first equestrian show I have ever been to, and I love horses, so I was very excited to watch it. I went with my friend Lindsay who grew up riding horses and competing, it was nice to have someone there to explain the sport to me. I have watched jumpers (which is what they call this style of equestrian) on TV, so I had some idea as to what the sport was about but not every detail. There were 25 riders, a few were from past Olympics and two of them were pretty famous riders– Kent Farrington and Beezie Madden (shown above). It was pretty neat to see them ride.
The show was more nerve-racking than I thought it would be. You hold your breath a little when they jump over the obstacles. Some horses freaked out and would stop right before a jump–one guy even fell off his horse. Anything can truly happen. What also surprised me is how little of time there was between one rider and the next. The next competitor comes out while the previous horse is still jumping. I also did not realize that they compete in two round. The first one is for a perfect ride (not knocking off any beams), then the top riders of that round compete again for a timed performance along with not knocking off any beams. It was all very exciting! My only critique of the entire day is that I did not get to pet nor ride any horses….. maybe next time?
I am now completely obsessed with the sport and can’t wait to see another show! It also has me thinking about equestrian attire, looking preppy and sharp. When I first think of the look I think of blazers, riding boots and a classic white button up. But maybe it would be fun to add a little flare to the look with ruffles , or a silk horse printed scarf, or maybe this Tory Burch horse-framed clutch? I found so many great options that are perfect for the fall and to achieve the sharp equestrian look.
