A Medallion

Chapter 3

Vanessa's POV:  

As I walked Win around the arena while waiting for the other riders, I spotted the winner of the Training division, Tessa Wellen, and Challenger.  Challenger looked fresh and ready to go.  Tessa had a nice short rein on him.  

She began to turn him in circles.  When it was clear that Challenger was not satisfied to remain at a walk, she let him trot, but made it difficult by adding in a figure 8.  It took a little while, but Challenger focused, and they began to make nice smooth figure 8's, which were even and equal.

I looked down at Win, who was plodding along steadily.  I didn't know if he and I could do figure 8's so steadily.  But he'd never had to.  

I turned my attention back to Tessa, who glanced around before cuing Challenger into a canter and taking him off the circle.  She rose into half-seat and flowed with his huge strides.  Challenger looked like he wanted to gallop but was respecting his rider.

She was totally showing off.    

She was coming up behind us, so I shortened my rein on Win.  "Passing!" She called out in warning.  I gave a curt nod.  

Challenger's breath was in rhythm with his strides as he cantered on by.  Tessa let him canter another lap, then just before they reached us, she turned him to go across the arena.  "Diagonal!" She called.  

She brought him down to a trot and then asked for the right lead.  Challenger bounded into it with a swish of his tail and they were off again.  I knew Challenger could do lead changes, I'd seen him do it during the show jumping, so I wondered why she asked for a change through trot instead.  

No one else was cantering, in fact, no one else was even trotting.  They all walked around on calm horses with a loose rein as we waited for the officials to gather.  Some, like me, watched Challenger with interest.  

I eyed them, wondering if they were as interested in the gray horse as I was.  I determined to talk to Tessa as soon as possible. 

After one more lap she pulled Challenger down to a walk.  Challenger was huffing slightly and less eager to go than he was before.  She patted his neck.  

"Riders, please line up to receive your awards in left to right formation, with your respectful division," crackled the announcer.  

I gathered my reins and steered Win over to the left where the Training division, the highest division at this show, was gathering.  I lined Win up next to a rather sour looking bay gelding.  

This sour look soon turned into an attempt to bite Win, which surprised both me and him.  "Sorry," mumbled the rider as she harshly pulled on the bay's reins.  "Stop that, Tommy."

I noticed Tessa lined Challenger up a little farther from the rest of the horses, and still kept a fairly short rein on him.  He stood still, but looked like a coiled spring.  Tessa was smiling down at him.  

Two judges and a lady with a board of ribbons and sashes came walking out into the arena.  One of the judges had a microphone.  

"We are here to present the awards of the top six riders in each division.  Congratulations to all of you, you have well earned it," he said.  

"We'll be going from the introductory division up."  Inwardly, I groaned.  That meant a lot more waiting.  I just wanted this to be over with so I could go see about buying Challenger.  

The judge looked at the sheet in his hand.  "Sixth place in the introductory division goes to..."  

And so it began.  The judge would list off the winners from sixth to first place in each division.  The lady and the other judge would take the ribbons to them and pin them on their bridles.  Each time the crowd politely clapped, with an excited cheer from some overeager family member.  Then the division would gallop a victory lap before leaving the arena. 

The sour gelding still looked like it wanted to have a bite of lunch out of Win's neck, so I cautiously eyed him half the time.

Finally the Training division was the only one left in the arena.   

"In third place of the Training division, we have Lacy Beston and The Day It Began."  I clapped politely as best I could while still keeping a decent grip on the reins in case Mr. Sour over there tried something.  

"In second place we have Vanessa Ireden riding Winner of All!" 

I raised my hand and nudged Win forward, not missing the irony of his show name while in second place.  I watched the smiling lady slip the ribbon on Win's bridle and told myself second wasn't too bad.  

Especially if I got a new event horse out of the deal.  

"And finally, the winner of the Training division is..."  The judge paused for suspense, although everyone already knew it was the gray gelding.  

"Tessa Wellen, riding Challenger!"  

As she walked Challenger forward for the prize, she patted his neck and smiled so big I wondered if her chin straps on her helmet could contain it.  She looked so happy.  

Challenger reluctantly let the other judge pin the ribbon on his bridle, but when the lady tried to put the sash over his head, well, that was it.  He backpedaled and spun a little to the side.  Tessa simply chuckled and asked him to walk forward again.  

They tried twice more, but Challenger was not having it.  I rolled my eyes.  If I was riding him, he wouldn't have gotten away with that.  

Finally Tessa dismounted and took the sash from them.  She let him sniff it, then slowly coaxed it over his head.  The lady held him while she mounted.  

Challenger spooked half a dozen times on the way to the outside of the arena for the victory lap.  I stayed well behind them.  

Tessa's POV:  

Challenger had freaked out about the sash, just as I knew he would.  We'd never won a sash before, usually it was just a super big rosette, and maybe a small trophy.  So, of course, I had to dismount and show him the sash wouldn't kill him. 

When I mounted, I rose into my half seat and rode out his spooks.  He settled down just as we began our victory lap.

The crowd was clapping and cheering as we made our way around.  But that didn't matter to me.  I didn't even bother to wave.  

If I took one hand off the reins, I'd might just end up on the ground.  

I brought him back down to trot at the end and patted his neck for the millionth time.  As I straightened, I caught the eye of the second place winner, Vanessa Ireden.  

It hadn't been lost on me that she'd been eying Challenger ever since we entered the arena.  I'd seen that look before, and wondered how long it would be before she approached me with an offer to buy Challenger.  

AN:  Ah Challenger, pulling out that characteristic nervousness.  You just gotta love him XD  If you liked this chapter, please make sure to vote ;)