Born In The Saddle - Quicksilver Stud - Book 1 (#wattys2016)

Chapter 25

The wait for the Open class to begin was agonising. There was still half the start list to go in the Intermediate, and then at one they were taking a break for lunch. My insides couldn't take it.

I tried to keep myself busy, to make the time go quicker, but it still seemed to move slower than usual. Amber had returned to her normal bubbly self as soon as she'd crossed the finish line. She was now wolfing down her second cheeseburger. We'd both starved all morning, since we were too nervous to eat. But Amber's appetite had now returned with a vengeance. Mine hadn't. I was even more of a nervous wreck than when we'd arrived.

After brushing Blaze down and letting him rest, I'd gone back out on my own to have a closer look at the Open course. It really was massive. But Blaze could do it, that I was confident of. I was the problem here. I had to focus this time or I really would be putting the two of us in serious danger.

Near the end of the course there was one particular combination that had me worried. Fence 22 was a set of three large roll tops, but they were all set at different angles. If we were together and positioned well it would be possible to ride like a dart straight through, taking a single stride between each fence. But there was no margin for error. If we were slightly off course from the first we'd never make the distances between the other two parts. There was an alternative route, but it was so long and windy it would absolutely kill any chance we had of winning.

'Jenna! Jenna! Quick they're announcing the results.' Amber called at me as I wandered slowly back towards the rings.

'In first place....' Started the announcer.

There'd been so many entries in the Intermediate that rosettes were being given out all the way down to tenth place.

'I got a double clear, hardly anyone got round the cross country without faults. I might get a rosette.' Amber jabbered nervously.

'In second ....'

'Calm down Amb's.' Said Clay. 'I can barely hear the announcer.' Amber was fidgeting terribly like she had itching powder down her jodhpurs.

'And in third place....Amber Warner riding The Lady Phoebe.'

Amber stilled at the sound of her name. 'Third?' She said simply like she couldn't take it in.

'Yes, third.' I beamed and pulled her into a hug.

Amber bounced around the showground for ten straight minutes after that. 'This was our first Intermediate you know.' She gushed at anyone who caught her eye. I couldn't help but laugh as I watched her flit from one person to the next, showing them her rosette, whether she knew them or not. The only way Clay and I managed to calm her down was by waving another Cheeseburger under her nose.

I kept checking my watch every couple of minutes willing for the time to pass. Clay was talking to me but his words weren't going in. His voice was like background noise, my nerves going into serious overdrive.

'I can't do this. It's too big. I can't.' I whispered.

'Rubbish!' Clay said sternly, taking on the forceful tone he always used in the arena.

'But...' I started to mutter only to be cut off by the sound of a familiar voice.

'Jenna Louise Michaelson. Your father would give you a clip around the ear if he heard you talking like that.' I turned to see Joe striding towards us, Maggie trying to keep up by his side, and the little yappy twins, Scrap and Rusty, bouncing around on the end of their leads.

'You came!' I gasped shocked, but relieved to see them.

'Course we came. You don't think we'd miss this do you? Only I'm afraid we're a little late, car trouble.'