SNEWRU part 6. CM English Performance

      Custom English performance was the next division at SNEWRU. I had decided during my prep week that I really wanted to show Halestorm in a class with Enchanted Eve because the size difference is just really fun for me. I asked a few people for suggestions on how I should go about that and the group consensus was a game, like a candy race maybe. I happen to have some really cool documentation for a candy race that I made with photos I took at the same show where I took the versatility photos. I had the handlers leading or holding the horses and Enchanted Eve's rider was already running around her horse, getting ready to take off her helmet and fill it with candy. The entry didn't pin at all but it was fun to set up and really fun to add the details to. 

     Mocha Latte was also in the English games class. I decided to do a mug race. I have not set-up this entry in a very long time and I wanted to try it out again and add some extra details to it. I have a whole set of miniature mugs and I never use them. So I added the upturned barrel with the mugs on it to match with the documentation. It was still only good for 6th place but I liked that I added the details. 

    The next class was hunter/jumper and it did end up getting split out. Halestorm got 4th in hunter with her handy hunter entry. She is wearing tack made by Jennifer Buxton with a saddle pad made by StudioMaire. The jump was made by Marci Smith-Driscoll. The doll needs some more tweaking and I have it on my new to-do list. 

    Mocha Latte was in the jumper section of the split class and managed 6th place. Her tack is also by Jennifer Buxton, the pad is from StudioMaire and her SMBs are made by Rachel Fail. I made the doll and the jump. 

   At this point I was having some super struggles with sticky wax. The dolls kept dropping reins, the bits kept popping off and things were just in general misbehaving more than normal. Even though it has been a long time since I have done this badly in the English division I kept on going. Halestorm got 4th place and Mocha Latte didn't place at all. I believe Mocha's doll dropped the reins for that class. Again. I actually meant to take a picture of her. But it was something I forgot. Plus I was fighting with the sticky wax so I could get the horses moved to the next class 

    Arena trail was next and I made sure to double check my documentation to make sure it showed the horse should canter and that she it was for the correct lead. I have different cantering horses and some are on the right lead and some are on the left lead. When the pattern is specific I like to match it because, often, the judge will take that into consideration. And in the super tough classes we have in Region X, it makes sense. 

     Mocha Latte managed 5th in Arena trail but I did notice all the fiddling made the doll a bit crooked and I was still have trouble with the sticky wax. I am getting near the end of the tub of wax and some of it (maybe a lot of it) has been previously used since I will take it off and put it back in the tub at times. Halestorm didn't place in Arena trail at all and I forgot to take her photo as well. I am bummed about that because while I was showing I was thinking of this post and I felt it was important to have photos of all the entries, not just the winning ones. 

    Next was other English and I had Mocha Latte in versatility. Because my documentation says Western first and then English I added a note that said they have asked to start in English. It is not the best way to show this entry. Still, Mocha Latte managed 6th place. 

    I forgot to bring a saddle stand for the show, both days. Though in my documentation it shows they just put the saddle down on the ground. They are also on grass and not in dirt, like my footing makes it look.

    Halestorm did a riding lesson entry. Now I do understand that people are not in show clothes for lessons. When I made the card for this entry years ago it does say that Mary (I think that was the name I used) is already warming up her horse and likes to dress like she is at a show. It also says that the instructor is holding the horse for so and so to mount. This was basically another excuse to get Halestorm and Enchanted Eve on the table together. And since Eve is so tall it was a great excuse to use my mounting block from Enterprise props for the first time ever. Performance junkies know that we often buy things with the intention of finding a way to use them "some day".  This entry also didn't place but again, it was fun to set up. 

    I was still having some struggles with the sticky wax and all of Halestorm's tack and dolls are new so I was finding what needs to be tweaked. For dressage Halestorm managed 5th. 

    But Mocha Latte managed 1st! That was the best class of the entire CM English division for me. That last second 1st got Mocha into the English callbacks but was not enough to get her champ or reserve. I was not expecting that and would have been shocked and confused if she had gotten either.

    In the end this was definitely the poorest I have done in English, or performance in general, in a very long time. But I was very happy with myself for keeping at it and working on trying to make each entry as perfect as I could be. I was frustrated with the sticky wax but not upset with my placings. Some of the classes were huge, Region X is super competitive, but I just kept on trying. I made a mental list (which is now getting written down) of the things that needed fixing. We can't win them all and there was still the western division to try to do better.