Oh boy.

My first "big" show, 4-H State Fair (Yeah, I know it's not a "big" show, but it was a big deal at the time). I used mild sedatives to calm my nerves. Well, they weren't working, so I took another. They still weren't working, so I took another. By the time I entered the arena, I was too "happy" to know what was going on. So, I tried to do what I was there to do. I started my course, went clean, and then noticed I ended up on the wrong end of the arena...I'd performed the course backwards.

 The first schooling show I attended was nothing short of a distaster. I'd never been to a schooling show before. So I first checked to make sure there were no liverpool jumps. After the lady taking entries stopped laughing at me, I went to braiding my horse and putting on my show clothes. Needless to say, I was the only one doing this. Then, I went to do my jumpers course, and didn't know you were supposed to memorize both the patterns at the same time. I ws kind of glad the horse refused three times. 

cherubwithspots:

The ring stewart helped me to my feet, we walked over to my horse who was still standing in the same spot, and she gently whispered into my ear, "Honey, you've split your breeches".  So not only have I had the best bail out for the show, completely covered in dirt from head to toe, I've also just mooned the judge in my white panties. 

 

Thanks! You gave me the first laugh of the day!

Sandy 

A good friend of mine was competing in a flat class at an intercollegiate show. After about a lap or two around the arena at the trot, a teammate and I noticed that his fly was down. We were laughing hysterically and making motions for him to keep his hands together to try to hide the fact that his zipper was WIDE open and VERY noticeable. He ended up placing second in the class--a red ribbon to match his red undies!

cherubwithspots:

The ring stewart helped me to my feet, we walked over to my horse who was still standing in the same spot, and she gently whispered into my ear, "Honey, you've split your breeches".  So not only have I had the best bail out for the show, completely covered in dirt from head to toe, I've also just mooned the judge in my white panties.

This is why we endure those unsightly panty lines!

I had been seriously competing in three day eventing when my trainer offered me rides on two of her younger sale horses. I jumped at the opportunity of competing three horses regularly. Both horses turned out wonderfully and went on to lead successful careers as show horses, but the first competition had me worried. Used to riding my very experienced prelim horse, I forgot to use my outside aids clearly in the dressage phase, and the colt I was on "snuck" out at A and immediately returned back (kind of did a half circle out of the arena and back inside!). We were eliminated, but since it was an unrecognized local event, they let me continue to the jumping phases. Stadium went well until we jumped into the in-and-out. After the first obstacle the horse landed and immediately planted his feet and my biggest fault of jumping ahead caught me out--I fell. I got back on and finished stadium and they let me continue to XC. On XC, I discovered I had no idea what "in front of my leg" meant--my prelim horse was always point and shoot! We had a stop at EVERY single jump except the last (and that is probably only because he realized he was headed home!), and even had a second fall over a little log going down hill when he planted his feet again! Since that day I have evented and sold several other youngsters and at every event with a greeny I remember this day!!! 

Hahah fun.  My favorite story is when I was showing Lux, the 21 year old Quarter Horse gelding that I used to lease, in a Green Working Hunter class at an AQHA show.  In the warmup, Lux was way too wound up, so I decided I would take the class as a schooling session and trot all the jumps, and if I stayed on, I would consider it a success!

Well I get around the whole course and as I make my stop and rein-back, the judges call me over to their booth.  They say, "We really appreciate you starting your young horse here, but unfortunately we will have to disqualify you for your use of the flash noseband.  We didn't realize you had one on!" 

LOL!  What can I say... Lux looks good for his age.

Is that the equine equivalent of getting carded when you're WAY over 21?! Congrats for making it around. I guess it was still a success even with the noseband incident.

I was at a AA horseshow and I just finished my first class of the day. I was got off my horse to go look at the next course and I got off backwards (butt against the saddle). My stirrups caught on my pants and they ripped! I had to walk my course and ride in the next class with the two safety pins from my number holding closed the 5in hole on my butt.

At my first rated show, they were calling the jog order. I had never jogged my horse at a show before and guess what? I was first in the jog order! They announcer instructed the class to jog past the judge. Going on those directions alone, I jogged right past the judge, and took a nice long tour of the ring. I ended up in the center of the ring after some help from my barnmate jogging behind me. Once in the center, the announcer came on the intercome to reiterate the reason they ask us to jog and how to do it, all because I ran around the ring like a fool.

Mine was at a local schooling show.  It was so long ago I don't even remember now if the class was english or western.  Anyway, It was not a good class fo me or my horse.  He usually was pretty good, but that day not so much.  Fast forward to the lineup and pinning of the class.  We got called First!  Woo-Hoo (I figure the judge must have just missed all my mistakes and LOVED my horse.)  I stand up in the stirrips and pump my little fist...until.  Halfway to getting the trophy the announcer says "sorry, but we've announced the placings in reverse."  OOOHHH Not Good.  Needless to say I've shown much restraint in my excitament whenever winning a class,  just in case.  I also learned a bit about sportsmanship.

My most embarrassing moment wasn't THAT bad, but i'll tell it anyway. I was at my first horse show, and I was looking a the Equitation pattern that was posted on the wall. I memorized it. Than I performed it. After me and my friend went, we watched the others, and realized that they were doing a different pattern! During the class I asked one of the riders what was going on, and she said that we did the wrong pattern! So after the class I looked on the wall again. It turns out that I had memorized the Senior instead of the Junior pattern! Oh well, guess i'll learn to read labels more carefully now!

I think there have been quite a few... but the worst one was definately 2 years ago at a little fun show.  I was riding a little red paint named Raine, and we were barrel racing.  We went to go around the first barrel, and completely missed it.  We went around in about ten circles, and then FINALLY, we got around the first barrel.  The worst part was that the show before, we had just won our division.  We COMPLETELY bombed, and it was horrible.  Our time was something around a 66.70 (seconds) and I couldn't have been madder. Barrels was one of our best classes.  I was SOOO, embarrassed!