Milly’s liveliness, although in the gallop Milly’s exuberance took hold and she set off very quickly. Ellie managed to control her, but only just. She gave a big smile to the judges as she bowed at the end and then rode back to the line, feeling shaky with relief that it was over and she’d done OK.
Len came into the ring to help her remove the saddle. “Good riding,” he said guardedly.
Ellie took a breath and held Milly as he pulled the saddle off and gave the pony a brush over. There was just the conformation section next and then the judges would make their decision …
When all the ponies had been walked and trotted in hand, the two judges got together. Ellie was back on Milly now and her uncle had left the ring. She could see Luke watching from the ringside.
How had she done? The first two ponies had both done really good shows, the third-placed one had become over excited and hadn’t slowed down well after his gallop. The places were called in reverse order, starting with eighth place. A commentator came into the ring and called the numbers into a microphone. Every time a number was called, the pony was ridden out to take a place in the winning line-up and there were cheers from the supporters in the stand.
Eighth place was called, seventh, sixth, fifth … Ellie could feel her hands starting to sweat in her gloves. Another pony was called in for fourth place. Would she be out of the ribbons completely?
“Number 132,” said the steward, pointing at Ellie. Third place! It wasn’t a win, but it was still brilliant to be placed so high at such an important show.
Patting Milly hard, Ellie rode out to loud applause and then listened as the final two ponies were also called out. Sam won the class on the dun pony. There was a massive cheer in the stands from Caroline’s team. Then one of the judges walked along the line, presenting the rosettes from a basket. Ellie tied hers to the string on her number, tucked the tails into her jacket pocket and then followed the winners round for a lap of honor. It was amazing to be cantering around such a big ring with so many people clapping. Ellie followed the second-placed pony out of the ring as Sam went on for the final lap on her own.
Luke and Len met Ellie.
“Not bad, lass,” said Len, before striding away to do a final check for Oliver Armstrong who was riding Bill in the next class.
Ellie jumped off Milly and hugged her. “Congratulations!” she called to Sam as she rode past.
“Thanks!” Sam beamed.
“You did really well,” Luke said to Ellie.
“Mmm. It wasn’t a win, though,” said Ellie. Their eyes met and she knew he understood how she felt. She was pleased with the yellow rosette, but she also knew that on another day Milly might have won that class. Still, that was showing. Sometimes you could do the best performance you’d ever done and the judge simply might not like your pony. At least that hadn’t happened. Ellie knew in her heart that the two ponies placed ahead of her had performed better and deserved to be higher placed that day.
“You still have Picasso to go,” Luke said. “There’s the chance of a win yet.”
“Yeah, and you have Barney to ride,” she reminded him.
“I’d better fetch him,” said Luke, but just then a man’s voice called his name.
Ellie saw Luke jump and glance around. A tall, good-looking man in his fifties, with graying hair, was coming towards them. His eyes were the same bright blue as Luke’s, but instead of being teasing, they were hard.
“Oh, great,” Luke muttered. He squared his shoulders as the man reached them. “Hi. Richard, this is Ellie. Ellie, this is my father—Richard.”
Not “Dad” , Ellie noticed.
“Nice to meet you,” she said politely to the older man. She could feel the tension coming from Luke. She remembered everything he’d told her about his father, how he had never been there for him when he was younger, how he had rarely done anything with him, always being
Len came into the ring to help her remove the saddle. “Good riding,” he said guardedly.
Ellie took a breath and held Milly as he pulled the saddle off and gave the pony a brush over. There was just the conformation section next and then the judges would make their decision …
When all the ponies had been walked and trotted in hand, the two judges got together. Ellie was back on Milly now and her uncle had left the ring. She could see Luke watching from the ringside.
How had she done? The first two ponies had both done really good shows, the third-placed one had become over excited and hadn’t slowed down well after his gallop. The places were called in reverse order, starting with eighth place. A commentator came into the ring and called the numbers into a microphone. Every time a number was called, the pony was ridden out to take a place in the winning line-up and there were cheers from the supporters in the stand.
Eighth place was called, seventh, sixth, fifth … Ellie could feel her hands starting to sweat in her gloves. Another pony was called in for fourth place. Would she be out of the ribbons completely?
“Number 132,” said the steward, pointing at Ellie. Third place! It wasn’t a win, but it was still brilliant to be placed so high at such an important show.
Patting Milly hard, Ellie rode out to loud applause and then listened as the final two ponies were also called out. Sam won the class on the dun pony. There was a massive cheer in the stands from Caroline’s team. Then one of the judges walked along the line, presenting the rosettes from a basket. Ellie tied hers to the string on her number, tucked the tails into her jacket pocket and then followed the winners round for a lap of honor. It was amazing to be cantering around such a big ring with so many people clapping. Ellie followed the second-placed pony out of the ring as Sam went on for the final lap on her own.
Luke and Len met Ellie.
“Not bad, lass,” said Len, before striding away to do a final check for Oliver Armstrong who was riding Bill in the next class.
Ellie jumped off Milly and hugged her. “Congratulations!” she called to Sam as she rode past.
“Thanks!” Sam beamed.
“You did really well,” Luke said to Ellie.
“Mmm. It wasn’t a win, though,” said Ellie. Their eyes met and she knew he understood how she felt. She was pleased with the yellow rosette, but she also knew that on another day Milly might have won that class. Still, that was showing. Sometimes you could do the best performance you’d ever done and the judge simply might not like your pony. At least that hadn’t happened. Ellie knew in her heart that the two ponies placed ahead of her had performed better and deserved to be higher placed that day.
“You still have Picasso to go,” Luke said. “There’s the chance of a win yet.”
“Yeah, and you have Barney to ride,” she reminded him.
“I’d better fetch him,” said Luke, but just then a man’s voice called his name.
Ellie saw Luke jump and glance around. A tall, good-looking man in his fifties, with graying hair, was coming towards them. His eyes were the same bright blue as Luke’s, but instead of being teasing, they were hard.
“Oh, great,” Luke muttered. He squared his shoulders as the man reached them. “Hi. Richard, this is Ellie. Ellie, this is my father—Richard.”
Not “Dad” , Ellie noticed.
“Nice to meet you,” she said politely to the older man. She could feel the tension coming from Luke. She remembered everything he’d told her about his father, how he had never been there for him when he was younger, how he had rarely done anything with him, always being
Similar Books
