Aiken Spring 2026: An extremely late post

 Work took me down a month-long abyss and I completely neglected to finish up the Aiken posts!

The quick and dirty -

I completed my very first - and Hampton's first - recognized USEA event. No I have NEVER entered a recognized event. What better time than while in Aiken!

We entered Starter so don't get too excited, but I was NERVOUS AF.

Can't tell that my heart was pounding out of my chest here.

The shirt was PERFECT.

Completed a very boring dressage test and went double clear to place 2nd! I was also shamed for wearing my white gloves at Starter. I did not realize that ... it's overkill.

The girl wearing white gloves at Starter. 

Stadium round was just about foot perfect!

Hampton took really good care of me and popped over everything without question. He seemed to really enjoy it and the footing is really soft sand so I wasn't too worried about his feet. He loped around completely happy, probably wondering why my heartrate was so high. 

Hampton was DIALED IN.

And cross country was ... FUN! I maybe hyperventilated but made it!

Ok, ok Eventers I GET IT. 

I came away from that thinking maybe we can dabble in some events this year. Maybe.

And by Maybe I mean we are entered in another one Derby weekend. Ooops.

Aiken Spring 2026 Part 3: Shine Bright Like a Diamond

To end another fabulous week in Aiken, we entered Stable View dressage. I entered my First Level Freestyle which is so cute and features The Chicks and other country artists. 

Our freestyle was pretty darn smooth, other than letting myself anticipate and get ahead of my music at times. But still good enough for a 70%.

And that makes the last score for my Bronze Freestyle medal.

AND the last score for my USDF Diamond Achievement.

On the USDF website, the list of Diamond riders is not particularly long. And I am curious how many earned their scores on the same horse.

Pretty darn special achievement for myself and for Hampton. How did I do it? I think I am either too stupid or too stubborn to have given up. I have no other explanation.

Newly minted Diamond rider!

Hampton looking cooked for almost 19!

The dressage show was Day 1 of our Weekend Double Header Before We go Back Home.

Day 2 coming up next.

Spoiler alert:

Aiken Spring 2026 Part 2: We don't need roads

Hacking down the road, not too bad!

After our little XC jump sesh at the Vista, we spent the remainder of the week doing Aiken things like:

> Dressage lessons with KE

With a focus on body work for the horse, straightness, balance and swing. I love her lessons as they are so detailed and focused and Hampton always comes out better than when he went in. I really appreciate an instructor who seems to really enjoy teaching and seeing the results.

> A jump lesson with LH

I have taken two stadium jumping lessons with Lillian back in KY and have LOVED her. More importantly, her thoughtful approach builds up both horse and rider and Hampton comes out of those lessons feeling like a superstar. That is on top of his already large ego. So we swung by her winter base while we were in Aiken and skipped over some BN fences. I am starting to get my jumping sea legs back bit by bit!

>Over eating at delicious restaurants

TakoSushi, Pizza Joint, Feed Sack, French Bakery, Whiskey Ally and others. I am not a "foodie" but there is something about food in Aiken.

> Shopping (I won 2 raffles at Aiken saddlery - thank you!)

Silva commenting on warm ups

>  The Eventing Showcase at Bruce's Field

We stopped by on Friday to watch some dressage and listened to Silva Martin comment on some rider warm ups. It was interesting to hear her thoughts about how one might warm up a very fit upper level enter horse for the dressage. Many ride their horses in the morning and then do a shorter warm up before the test.

Bummed to miss the jumping portions but we had other plans ....

Aiken Spring 2026 Part 1: Test flight

Not pictured: The profanity leaving my mouth

The annual pilgrimage to Aiken in late February was yet another amazing time. I am so lucky to have a horse like Hampton who puts up with my shit rolls along with anything I ask of him, and the friends who enable the insanity.

We spent the first few days hacking and lightly schooling. Sunday included a trip to The Vista where I was peer pressured and tricked encouraged to try some cross country jumps and see where we were at. The Vista is absolutely gorgeous and features a very friendly starter/BN field as a warm up, complete with a little water and tiny banks. 

Yep that's a jump saddle!

To my surprise, Hampton was GAME and jumped everything I pointed him at. Keep in mind, we maybe schooled 5 xc jumps in Aiken 4 years ago? It's not something we do.

We moved to another field which has BN/Novice and maybe some Training Questions. (I mind my own business in the big Training/Modified/Prelim field.)

We ended up jumping a number of Novice questions (including mine and Hampton's first corner!), unbeknownst to me as I was TOLD they were BN. I had one messy jump where I missed the distance, but Hampton took care of me and got us over the jump safely. That was actually a huge confidence boost that it can be messy and nothing bad happened.

What a good little test for my secret little plans I had for the end of the week. 

Yeah, hey, I want to travel south this year

Update and photo dump!

***

Since USDF Finals we have:

GONE SOUTH

Probably my favorite part of Jumping Branch Farm are the woods.

Trip to Aiken (of course!). Some of the other barn girls joined this time and it made for a really fun group of eventers and the Token DQ - yours truly. haha. It rained on us pretty much the whole time but honestly it did not stop us from having fun. Also, these GORGEOUS photos were taken by a friend's husband. These are absolute treasures.

Too many to post here but they are ALL stunning.

The whole group. I did not get permission to post
them on my blog but that's the risk you take.

THEN SOUTH AGAIN

On somewhat of a whim, the BFF and I took a short trip to Wellington to watch the Dressage Masterclass. I had never been to Welly World before and was super curious. Plus, the weather was enticing.

We spotted some cute little birds. BUT NO GATORS. Grr.

Went to Wellington International (Home of WEF) and watched some hunters and jumpers. What an absolutely mind-blowing show grounds.

Saw some legends teach at Global (right across the street from WEF Grounds). Very nice experience and learned a lot.

Shopping. It's literally everywhere. 

Little beach pit stop!

The money in Wellington is on a new level. I think this is a Rolls Royce.

STAYED NORTH AND FROZE

And that brings us to our current situation in which about 7-8 inches of snow hit us along with rude temperatures so barn chores have turned into fighting for my life. I have gotten some good snow rides in on Hampton, and I also now use him to go check waterers so I don't get my car stuck.

Daily outfit.

Hampton loves the snow and has been VERY FRESH

Literally the happiest in cold weather.

So while it's survival mode here currently, there are warmer days ahead. Right? RIGHT?!?!

USDF Finals - Damn It feels Good to be a Gansta

 

Pro photos by Susan Stickle

This is most definitely the most action my blog has seen in a while. haha.

**

It was kind of a quick turn around from Regionals, 25 days later to Finals. I decided to go merely for the core memory aspect of it, and it's Hampton's last Finals. He doesn't have to compete balls to the wall anymore (although he is NOT retiring from shows yet. Just letting off the gas).

Cleans up nice for a field horse!

I really enjoyed WEC Ohio and feel like it's a sold place for Finals. You don't have to ever go outside if you don't want to, and the barns stay almost too warm. I could have easily left Hampton, freshly nekked, without any blanketing. A BOT sheet was plenty cozy. 

4th level freestyle

Music: Don Henley, Verve Pipe and Collective Soul

**

Saturday was our 4th Level Freestyle and we had a super warm up and mostly a solid test. He stepped back in the halt (that's on me, for schooling too many rein backs in the warm up), and we had a mild screw up in the 3s (again, on me, because I spaced out). 

But he still managed a 65%+, which honestly is pretty good for Hampton at a competition of this level. This landed us in 6th place, a neck ribbon and a gallop around for awards.

Some of the comments on Clip my Horse from the commenter included:

"A true pleasure to watch and manifested a lot of confidence and commitment."

"Pirouettes beautifully performed"

"A very committed relationship between the two of them"

Hampton loves awards gallops lol

**

Sunday we had an early ride for our 3rd Level Freestyle. Hampton was again very good, although a little tired. I messed up my choreography pretty bad, but sometimes people don't notice. We didn't have any mistakes within movements. Even still, the quality of the horses and riding in this class was cut throat and we were completely and utterly outclassed and out ridden. A score of 65% did not even make the ribbons in this class, but we did end up 11th. Just simply not good enough and that I can accept because thems the breaks!

Third Level was in Roberts Arena

Must-do WEC photo

**

It is quite the experience to compete at Finals and I am very lucky to have gone twice with Hampton over his career. 

Also a BIG SHOUT OUT to a fellow blogger (err, blog reader) who tracked me down at our stall and said hi! If only Hampton knew how many awesome people I get to meet because of him. Horses really are the best.

Regionals - Victory is Ours

Sunday's Third - Level AA freestyle championship was at least not at 8 p.m. 

I got a massage on site from a vendor in the morning and felt 100x better and half drugged. A massage vendor at a horse show is brilliant.

"hears angel voices"

Hampton enjoyed his own version of massage.

Hampton warmed up great for the test, although was a little more tired. Who can blame him, so was I. But our freestyle went pretty well, he unfortunately stumbled in the extended trot and it took me a minute to rebalance enough to then push again. And he was most definitely more on the forehand than the night before. 

What made this class so awesome was competing side by side with our adventure besties, barn buddy and fellow eventer. She blasted an absolutely badass Taylor Swift freestyle and it was perfect.

Somehow, Hampton barely squeaked by them (like by less than a point) and ....

I know that winning at Regionals is old hat for many people. But I do not ever win things like this and it was so exciting and special, and to have such a good friend in that victory gallop with me was just the best. 

There are a million things I can say to really invalidate this victory, but I am not going to. I am going to celebrate it and own it. Because Hampton deserves that.

Oh you owe extra toll today lady for all the gallop sets
I have done at this show with your ribbons

... and yes, we are going to Finals!