We just arrived home from competing at U.S. Arabian Horse Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the Arabian Hunter Pleasure Junior Horse and AHPA Royal Arabians $100,000 Arabian Hunter Pleasure 4 Year Olds Futurity classes. What a fantastic experience. I’ve attended Nationals before and also had horses compete years ago, but this time it was different.
Having dreams and expectations of making our cuts, winning a Top 10, Reserve or Champion of course was at the top of the list, but soon I realized that is not why we were there. Cortney Schafer (CRS Training Center) and Raine (KM Talladega) had beautiful classes and gave it their all in the deep competition of USA’s best of the best. Although we didn’t achieve the expectations, in the end we still won! But, not the ribbons or the roses or the trophies, we won the dream of being there and a new story to tell along with an experience to share that will hopefully touch someone and encourage them to go after their dream.
Meeting new friends, seeing old friends and family, cheering people on, enjoying beautiful horses, consoling hearts, listening and hearing life stories ~ that was the greater purpose.
A smile, a hug, a conversation or simply just listening… sometimes that is the reason of why we are where we are at that precise moment in our life.
Thank you Cortney and Raine for giving me a beautiful story to share. I am so proud of you both and look forward to continuing our journey and writing our next chapter wherever that may be. Heartfelt appreciation and congratulations!
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