Rodeo wins Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special in Conyers

Rodeo won both Grand Prix classes this past weekend in Conyers, Georgia despite the high heat and long travel conditions. The 17.2 hand gelding has adapted to the southeast heat in his first season in Florida in the summertime.
Last year Rodeo travelled to New York to escape the brutal Florida summer conditions. He had been a native of California all his life. This summer, I knew it would be a stretch to show him in these conditions, but I couldn't resist the chance to take him to the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers. I adapted the warm up to 15-20 minutes, working just transitions and a few elements of the test with many long rein walk breaks in between the excercises. By the time he went into the show arena, he was barely breaking a sweat. I had to rely on the movements that are reliable at home, without schooling them ahead of the test. Some of them worked, and some of them didn't. By the second day in the Special, every movement was reliably there.
The scores were low for the whole show, but I was happy with Rodeo and I feel the quality of his work, and the movements are improving. Of course, there is no perfect horse, but this big guy is doing the stuff and he is happy doing it and that is what classical training is all about!