The Eventers Club

Chapter 25:

Evelyn's POV:

Despite my fears, the Dressage round had gone surprisingly well. Navarre had spooked continuously at the bottom left corner of the arena, where a tall willow tree was swaying side to side.

However, we still had ended up with third place, with Jake and Titan in second and Ash and Beauty in first. I had missed Jakes dressage round but had made it just in time to see Ash and Beauty. Beauty had been amazing as Ash looked like a professional rider in every aspect.

After dressage, I had met Ash's grandma Nirvana, who was...interesting, to say the least, but I liked her.

We chatted for a few minutes before Ash and I had to go to the warmup area for the cross-country course.

" So, what made you decide to ride Navarre instead of Hugo? "

I bit my lip. " Um...well...I just thought to try something different...Hugo seemed pretty out of it and I didn't want to push him... "

I couldn't stop myself from lying and I didn't know why.

Before Ash could reply, the thundering of hooves moved our attention to the center of the warm-up area. Jake cantered Titan towards the practice log jump. The stallion powered over the jump, almost shaking the ground with every stride. It would look intimidating if Jake and I weren't on friendly terms.

After the jump, he slowed Titan to a trot and made his way over to us.

" Hey top three " He teased, high-fiving with Ashley and I.

I giggled. " You and Titan look really good together "

He smiled as he rubbed the stallions neck. " Thanks, he's a lot of horse that's for sure, but I like him "

" He seems really chill for a stallion " Ash commented as Titan and Beauty calmly bumped noses.

Jake nodded. " He is, thankfully, since a mjority of the horses here seem to be mares " he chuckled. " Wouldn't want to hace any 'incidences' "

The loudspeaker crackled overhead and Navarre shot his head up. I laid a hand on his neck. " Steady Boy... "

'Rider Jake ---- and Titan please report to the starting box'

" That's my cue, see you at the other side " Jake smirked as he trotted Jake to the starting box on the other end of the warm up area.

Even if Jake and I were friends now, I still envied his confidence at any show. I was struggling enough to compete on Hugo, a more season and older horse, but now I was on Navarre, a horse that was less expirenced in shows and still young.

To say the least, I was nervous of something going wrong.

" We should probably start warming up " Ash spoke up. " We're up a few riders after Jake "

I nodded, staying quiet during our warmup. I didn't really know what to say, and the guilt I felt from lying to her was making it harder to focus.

Navarre responded with a few refusals during the practise jumping.

'Focus!' I yelled in my mind. 'Do you want another embarassment like the last show?'

Imagining my parents saying those words instead of myself made my focus come back just as Ash and Beauty were called to the starting box.

" Good luck! " I called just before the bell rang and Beauty jumped into a gallop right away.

Ash was going for it. Her preformance at the last show must've boosted her confidence because she wasn't as cautious or slow as she had been before.

Still, Beauty was at the top of his game and soared over the first jump easily, keeping his pace as they disappeared around the corner.

I was one of the last riders in the warmup area, allowing myself to calm down and take Navarre more level-headedly over the practise jumps. On the jumbo screens overhead I could see the camera set up over the course switching back and forth between Ash and the rider that had gone before her.

" So... " I turned and looked up at Kelly, who was sitting up high on Don's back. The black gelding towered over Narvarres' tiny frame. At 5 he still had a lot of growing to do.

I narrowed my eyes at her. " What do you want Kelly? "

She smiled, not a mean or taunting smile, but a nice...genuine smile.

" I just wanted to say that you and Navarre did really good during dressage earlier, you looked like an Olympian "

I was sucpicous of her sudden attitude change, but didn't want to start anything right before our cross country round.

" ...Thanks... "

" You and Navarre are a super great team... "

I smiled caustoiously. " ...Ya...we work really well together... " I laughed lightly. " It's funny, we seem to get along better than Hugo and I...at times... " 

" So...you don't ride Hugo anymore? "

I raised a brow. " What? Of course I do...I'm just giving him the break he deserves...having Navarre on our team now will take the load off...Hugo can have some well deserved pasture time... "

Kelly nodded. " Oh, okay...well, good luck on the course, I rode it during the first group, it was tough... "

" I'll take that advice to heart, thanks... "

I turned Navarre away just as the announcer called our names.

While I waited in the start box, even though I didn't know why Kelly had been so nice to me, it gave me a bit of comfort knowing that people must've been impressed with our dressage round.

I suddenly felt a surge of confidence and lowered myself over Navarres neck as the clock counted down.

" We've got this boy! " I whispered. " We can do it! "

The bell sounded and I pressed my legs to his sides as we surged out of the gate.

We wouldn't have any refusals this time....