High Hurdles Collection Two (38 page)

“So what did we do wrong?” she asked Bridget.

“You did not do anything wrong. The others just did things better.” Bridget looked up from her clipboard to the novice English Equitation class entering the ring. “You were up against some tough competition in that class. You watch. It will be different in the Amateur Open over Fences.”

All three of her girls got ribbons, much to their delight, and Angie even placed in Trail-Riding. Krissie's horse took one look at the bridge and backed clear across the arena. However, when it was time to back up on command, he refused.

Amy took second in Western Equitation and first in Trail. “I think I'm going to start working with poles and barrels,” she said as she and DJ sat watching Joe, who was waiting for his turn in the senior Western Pleasure class.

“Good idea. Josh will be good at that. He's quick on his feet and smart as all get-out.”

Up behind them in the bleachers, the entire family had gathered to root for DJ and Joe.

“When's Grandpa's turn?”

“Pretty soon,” Lindy answered.

But in spite of their cheering, Ranger missed a couple of signals and didn't place.

“No ribbon?” Bobby and Billy both looked ready to go out in the ring and take on the judge.

“Maybe next time. This was Grandpa's first time competing. He did pretty good.”

“No ribbon.” The plaintive sound of the boys' voices made DJ grin and Amy giggle.

They knew just how Joe was feeling right then. Crummy.

“I think they should give him a ribbon just for trying, an old man like that.”

“Robert John Crowder, what a thing to say about your father.” Lindy smacked him on the arm. “I'm going to tell him you said that, too.”

Robert used his program to tap DJ on the head. “One more class and it's your turn.”

“Thanks for reminding me. Come on, Ames, you can help us get ready.”

“Thanks a
whole
lot.” The two levered themselves off the bleachers and headed back to the trailer.

DJ's butterflies took the opportunity to go wild.

Chapter • 12

“Good luck,” Tony Andrada said, touching his whip to his helmet.

“You too.” DJ sent him a smile that was supposed to be encouraging. Instead, it felt like it cracked her face.
You know better than to let this get to you. Come on, relax and go with the flow
.

“Easy for you to say.” While she mumbled mostly to herself, Joe turned to look at her.

“What's up?” He grinned and shook his head. “Not what's up, but what's down, huh?”

DJ nodded. “I want to do good so b-a-d.”

“All anyone can ask is that you do your best.”

“Yeah, and you can't do your best when you're tighter than a drum. I better walk him around.”

“He's not the one that's uptight.” Joe tapped her knee as she turned Major away. Once more around the warm-up ring might help.

Father in heaven, all I ask is that you help me do my best
. She wanted to say “and win,” but she decided not to. Tony trotted beside her.

“You okay?”

“I will be.”

“Yeah, me too. The waiting is a killer.” He paused to listen to the number of the contestant entering the ring. “I'm next.”

DJ rode beside him back to the gate. She wanted to watch him and cheer him on. That's what the Academy kids did for one another.

She heard a sharp crack and knew a rail had gone down. A brief spatter of applause and the gatekeeper swung the gate open to let the other rider out.

DJ could see Tony take a deep breath and let his shoulders relax. She caught herself doing the same thing. He nudged his horse forward and trotted into the ring.

“He is one cool-looking dude,” a young girl off to the side said to another.

DJ glanced at her grandfather and, by the grin on his face, knew he had heard, too.

Tony took the first fence with what looked like three feet to spare, but by the second he had settled down to business.

DJ could feel herself counting with him. She leaned forward at the same time he did.

Major shifted and pricked his ears. Tension hummed through his body. He was as ready as she.

Tony and his horse jumped a clean round. The third one of the class.

“Go get 'em, tiger,” Tony called as he rode by. “And have fun.”

DJ smiled up at her family and squeezed her legs. “This is it, big boy. Let's go.”

Major took the first jump with room to spare, as if he were saying, “Let's get me something to jump.” He kept his ears forward and snorted when they landed after the oxer. The stone wall made him twitch his tail as he looked forward to the triple.

Each time he lifted off, DJ felt as though they were flying, sailing free like the birds in the air. Major landed so perfectly, always looking to the next jump, always responding to her signals. Together they jumped clean and received a round of hearty applause. Of course, it helped that half the grandstand was either related to her or rode for Briones.

She wanted to hug the entire world and half the universe. “We did it! Joe, we did it. A clean round. I can't tell you how much fun that was.”

“I think you just did. And the light in this old boy's eyes says the same thing. You are two of a kind. Adrenaline junkies, for sure.”

Major rubbed his forehead against Joe's shoulder, nearly knocking him over.

“All right, so you're not junkies.”

The next rider ticked and the bar wobbled enough that it finally fell. The audience groaned.

By the end of the twelve jumpers, four had jumped a perfect round. DJ was the youngest.

She, Tony, and others waited while the ring officials raised the jumps. Major snorted as she walked him in a circle to keep him loosened up.

“I know, you're just a-rarin' to go back out there.” She patted his neck and swapped proud looks with Joe.

One of the other girls jumped first and knocked a rail down. The second jumped a clean round. Tony did the same.

And so did DJ.

The crowd went wild. DJ could hear the twins screaming her name. Was that her mother's voice she heard, too? She didn't dare look.

Bridget leaned on the wooden fencing off to the side of the practice ring. “You have done well, ma petite. Just continue as you are, relaxed and having a good time. Major is just eating this up.”

The girl ticked one and sent another rail rocking to the ground. The crowd sighed with her and gave her a rousing hand as she cantered out of the arena.

Tony jumped clean.

Father, help me
. The center rail on the triple was higher than she had ever jumped.

“Okay, kid, here's where they separate the men from the boys, er, the …” Joe shrugged and grinned up at her. “You just do your best, Darla Jean Randall.”

DJ trotted into the ring.

The jumps looked six feet high. How could a few inches make such a difference?

She signaled Major into a canter and headed for the first jump, a post and rail. When they cleared it, she swallowed and aimed Major for the next. Ears forward, he lifted into the air at just the right time and cleared the jump as though he was out to play.

The wall, the oxer. DJ leaned into them, lifting him over with her hands and legs. The final jump loomed before them. “Easy now.” They left the ground—and at that instant she knew.

His hind foot ticked the bar.

They had won second place.

“I'm sorry, fella. That was my fault.” She patted his neck and bit back the crud in her throat. Crying was for losers and sissies, and they were neither. She smiled for the judge and the camera, congratulated Tony, and rode out of the ring.

“I got left behind,” she whispered to Joe. “It was my fault, not that he couldn't clear that thing.”

“Sorry, DJ, but second place and going three rounds is nothing to sneeze at.” Joe smoothed Major's neck and whispered in his ear, “I am so proud of you, old man, that I could pop.”

“We could have gotten the blue.”

“Yes, you could have. Or another round and you might have gotten the same thing.” Bridget gave DJ her no-nonsense look.

“I got left behind.”

“I know. So next time, you will not do it again. The two of you cleared jumps higher than you have ever jumped before. Now, be pleased with that accomplishment and do not”—her stern face lent credence to her words—“cut yourself down.”

Tony walked his horse up to her. “DJ Randall, you did awesome. I happen to know for a fact that is only the second time you two have entered a jumping competition. You and Major have really come a long way.”

“Thank you. You two were supremo. Were you having as much fun as it looked?”

He nodded, eyes sparkling. “We sure were.” He patted his horse's sweaty neck. “We sure were.”

“Good going,” Hilary called from the practice arena.

“Good luck,” Tony and DJ called at the same time. Hilary would be competing in the open Jumping class since she was older than eighteen.

“You want me to put him away so you can watch Hilary?” Joe asked.

“Thanks, GJ.” DJ swung her leg over and slid to the ground. She gave Major one last pat and joined her family and Amy up in the stands. The boys oohed and ahhed over her ribbon, and Robert gave her a pat on the back. Lindy made an okay sign with her thumb and index finger.

Hilary was the second to jump and the first to make a clean round. Three tries later and she took the top ribbon out of the ring with her, Bunny placing second. For the second time that day, first and second in a jumping class were taken by riders from Briones.

“That is a young woman to watch,” DJ heard someone say from up in the stands. “She's going for the big time, mark my words.”

“You said the same about the young blonde in the class before.”

“I know, and have you ever known me to be wrong?”

When DJ glanced over at Amy, she knew they'd both heard the same thing.

“Sure hope he's right this time,” Amy whispered. “I get to go along as your groom.”

“Yeah, right.” DJ rolled her eyes as she poked Amy with her elbow.

“DJ, can I ride Major?”

“Me too?”

DJ rose and took a boy's hand in each of hers. “Sure, come on. Major would love some company right about now.”

“Are you staying for the rest of the show?” Robert asked.

“No, we'll leave as soon as we get packed up. I'll take these guys over to Joe first.”

“Good, tell him I'll be over to get them in a few minutes.”

“You want to pack note cards tomorrow after church?” Amy asked after they put their horses back in their own stalls and closed up the barn. “You know Bottomly sold all we brought them.”

“I guess. Mom has some stuff she says she wants to talk over with us.”

“Darla Jean Randall, let it go!” Amy socked her friend in the arm.

“What?”

“Oh, come off it. You think I can't read you like a book? So you made a mistake. It wasn't the first time, and you can bet it won't be the last. If Bridget saw your sad face, she'd be livid.”

DJ sucked in a big breath and let it all out. “Sorry. I'm trying not to think about it.”

“Well, don't just try. Do it!”

“Easy for you to say. You're not the one who—” DJ stopped at the look on her friend's face. Amy was right. She for sure didn't want Bridget on her case.

“Controlling one's thoughts is just as important as controlling one's body.”
DJ could hear Bridget. If she'd heard those words once, she'd heard them a gazillion times.

Now to put them into practice.