The Summer Event at Woodside was this weekend. Since I’m not allowed to compete (mule rules), I figured I’d try volunteering. I originally signed up to dressage scribe on Friday, but they ended up having too many volunteers and fewer entries than expected so I got an email saying my services were not needed. Which is a shame, because I’d really like to scribe sometime. I feel like I could learn a lot from it.
My volunteer services were still needed for XC on Saturday though. I signed up to jump judge in the morning and then drive a golf cart in the afternoon. I don’t know why, but I’m really obsessed with golf carts. Any time we go to a show or other event and people have golf carts, I want to get one.
actual conversation with my husband
The only down side was that I had to wake up super early on a Saturday in order to volunteer. I did make up for it by sleeping until noon on Friday, but I was still not a happy camper come Saturday morning. The volunteer meeting started at 8am and it was cold and foggy at the horse park. I was assigned Prelim Jump #3 and Intermediate Jump #4 which were both stepped tables next to each other.
I wish it had stayed nice and foggy, but I was soon removing my hoodie and then baking in the sun. Thankfully, I had a little clip on umbrella to add to my camp chair. It really helped with the heat.
At first I was a little disappointed to have such a “boring” fence, but I actually had a great spot. I could see the combination at 4/5, the water at 7/8, the coffin at 12 and a few other jumps from where I was sitting.
Plus, after a horse crashed into/refused my jump and I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest, I was really happy to have an “easy” jump. This adorable little palomino made it look easy though. I believe the announcer said they were in first after dressage.
I think I might have been a lot little over-prepared for volunteering. I wasn’t sure how hot it would be and what I’d be willing to eat so I packed a variety of things.
The volunteer organizers were great though. They had drinks coming around in the golf carts and then they even provided lunch.
After lunch, I was doing score running in the golf-cart. While I was originally just super excited to drive a golf cart around, it turned out to be a really great volunteer job as I got to see a bunch of different jumps instead of just one.
I also got to deliver drinks and chat with each of the jump judges as I was collecting their score sheets. It was a ton of fun. As a reward for volunteering, I even got a $50 gift certificate that I can use for future events. Of course, I’m not allowed to compete at any of those events, but maybe my husband can use it someday. I really enjoyed the volunteering experience and I hope to do it again.
That sounds like a lot of fun. the one time I volunteered to jump judge I was in the woods being eaten alive by mosquitoes and deer flies! Your post looked perfect.
That sounds terrible. I actually brought bug spray, but didn’t end up needing it at all.
What a fun day. I’d love to volunteer as a scribe. I can only imagine how much you can learn. Plus giving back is always great.
Yeah, I think scribing would be great.
That sounds like an eventful and fun day!
It was great.
im glad you volunteered! i wrote an entry about volunteering because i think more people should do it – the always need help.
and i dont think theres any such thing as a ‘boring’ jump. No matter how ‘easy’ the jump I’ve always had something go down. and those are BIG tables!
oh also are mules really not allowed at recognized usea competitions? because that is horseshit. er, muleshit.
The no mules rule is total crap. The tables were terrifyingly huge, but most of the horses just sailed right over without a problem.
Fun! I think it’s dumb mules aren’t allowed to compete. If dressage horses can handle a mule there should be no reason event horses can’t!
I believe the rule was enacted because people didn’t like losing to mules. The spooking thing is just a cover story.
Super dumb that mules aren’t allowed to compete, but it’s great that they provided a good incentive for volunteers!
The incentive is nice, but most people who were volunteering didn’t seem to care about the gift certif, they just wanted to volunteer.
Bwahahaha, your text! You should get a golfcart to drive to work. 😉
Work is too far away for a golf cart, but I’m totally getting one when I get my own horse farm.
Golf Cart – woo hoo! They are so much fun. You can’t help feeling like a badass with that steering wheel in your grip. LOL
They are just so much fun. Especially when you don’t own them and you don’t need to worry about ruining them by off-roading all over the XC field.
That is great you volunteered! I like to volunteer for our local CDEs. Even though I don’t drive my horse I learn a lot and it’s a really fun day!
I’ve never even been to a CDE. Those look like a lot of fun.
Lame that they won’t let mules compete. Some people… oi.
Good of you to volunteer though, especially if there was a fun incentive like driving a golf cart. I drove a golf cart once when I was younger and crashed into bougainvillea. Baaaaad idea. But I bet I’d be better at it by now.
(BTW, totally subscribing and following this blog. It’s awesome, and you’re a fellow Californian to boot)
Thanks for the follow. I have your blog on my feedly as well.
Being a jump judge looks so fun!