Props to anyone that has stuck with these Sophie memories. I wish I could remember and share all of the truly hilarious things Sophie used to say and come up with. But you'll have to settle for what my "feeble ancient" mind remembers instead (with the help of Libby from time to time). In fact, this entire year will forever be known as "the forgotten year" because I literally forgot she showed Giggles for an entire year. And what a year it was.
It was 2011 and Giggles was ready to step up and be Sophie's pony as Libby had moved on to a junior pony, Dutch Rhythm N Blues (Rye). Giggles and Rye would take our girls from dabbling in a few breed shows here and there into showing in the MN POA show circuit regularly. This would be Sophie's first year doing patterns full time, first year loping in classes regularly. Her first year doing trail classes. Her first year being reserve showman for POA. Her first time finishing the year in the national point standings for POA. Pretty good for borrowing her sister's pony.
2011 had us hooked as POA members. We loved the atmosphere, the families and the kids. We laughed with other families, helped each other get our kids into the ring and our girls played from sunrise until past sunset. They competed but they also made lifelong friends who shared a love of riding and a love of spotted ponies. This was the year one of those friends pulled up to the show in their older motorhome, shut it down and promptly hopped out and announced, "we might be on fire, I don't even know." Ha! It was people like them and so many others that kept us coming back weekend after weekend to show with others who shared the love of the POA.
Libby says I have to share about how we went out to Sioux Falls, SD for the regional. Both girls did amazing, but that's not what she wants me to share. She wants me to tell people that while her parents slept in the air conditioned camper, the girls were trying to sleep in their little tent in 106 degree heat. She probably also doesn't want me to tell you that I went and got said children and they didn't actually sleep outside in those temps. It was hot. That is one of my biggest memories of that show. It was really, really hot.
The other Sophie/POA related memory I have from 2011 relates to our foal crop that year. We had already had Fancy, Bling and Cash born. We were looking for a name that connected to something expensive. The 3 of us were driving along brainstorming. Sophie's little voice piped up from the back seat, "How about pants?"
I know that Libby and I sat there in disbelief and I asked, "What? Pants isn't a name."
Sophie's response, "well, you're always telling me that pants are expensive."
Ah, yes child that constantly put holes in things and ruined brand new clothes on the farm... pants are expensive. I know Libby and I both died laughing but we did not name our foal, Pants. But... wait for just a few months later.
Sophie had such a great first year breed showing with Giggles (and Libby with Rye) that we couldn't wait for the 2012 show season. But once again, Sophie was going to face pony challenges. Our beloved Giggles had an issue on the ice that winter and came up lame. We were able to get her feeling better with chiro care and rest, but it became evident that she would need some serious time off if she was ever going to come back to the show ring. Luckily the fall before we had gotten a pony in on trade. His name was Levi. His barn name was directly connected to his registered name. What could Levi possibly have to do with a registered name you ask? Well, his registered name was Super Dream....... Pants. (Levis - get it?) Yeah, there is a family of ponies in POA with "Pants" in their name. Those ponies go back to the "Britches" ponies. Yeah... I didn't pick it. But Sophie got her wish, in a way. We now had a pony named Pants and she was going to get to show him.
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