Brynn sat in her bedroom, sweaty palms and everything. She had her helmet in her hand, and her phone in the other. On the phone was her best friend Colton.
"Don't worry Brynn!" He said joyfully.
"You'll be fine, it's just a like, 50 second competition." But it was more than that. That '50 second competition' was the Longines, 18 and under 1.6 m Showjumping show that determines if Brynn and her horse, Stolen Wishes, can get into the Hampton Classic horse show, one of the biggest shows she can enter at her age.
To any other person, that competition name would be rather confusing, but Colton knew it was very important, and acting like it was nothing was apparently his best advice for Brynn. It was not helping though; not only was it an important show, but the prize money would be enough for her to cover Stolen's boarding/housing fees and vet bills for almost 4 years. $60,000. Of course, her parents would want her to put it towards her college funds, but she was already 17, and felt that she didn't need more money for college, she was already in her first year, only taking it at her high school. How that was possible, she did not know.
"You there?" Colton asked, snapping her out of her worry filled trance. She looked back at the phone. They'd been on the call for over 20 minutes.
"Hmm…ummmm, wait yes!" She replied, stumbling over her words. Colton just laughed.
"I'll let you get to your lesson, but you're coming to watch the game tomorrow night, right?" He asked, a hopefull tone in his voice. Brynn had never missed one of his games. Ever.
"Yeah, don't worry!" Brynn reassured him. "I'd never miss it." She'd much rather miss it. She didn't see the joy in football, but Colton liked it so she tried to enjoy it too. He put up with all her horsey things, so she did with him.
"Okay, bye!" He finished, and hung up the phone. Brynn let out a shaky breath. She put her hair up in a pink hair net, and put on her helmet. She walked over to her mirror and put her gloves on. Next to her mirror were all the ribbons Stolen and she had won. There were 43 blue for first place, 13 red for second, 18 yellow for third, 6 white for fourth, 7 green for fifth, and one brown for eighth. The brown one antagonized her. Brynn tried not to be one of "those girls'' that only cared about winning, but the brown bow meant she didn't do her best. Stolen did, but she didn't.
"Are you gonna sit there all day? WE are going to be LATE!" Brynn's mother shouted from the hallway. Her mum was wearing jeans, a pink shirt, and was waiting very impatiently. Brynn grabbed her helmet, and put on her boots. Her father had gotten Stolen Wishes from the farm he was being boarded at and he was waiting in his trailer. She hopped into the car and her mom carefully drove down their steep hill of a driveway.
By the time they had gotten there, Brynn's gloves were damp with sweat.
I go to his games but he can't come to this? Brynn thought. Don't focus on boys, focus on Stolen. She reminded herself. She got out her grooming bag, and her mum got her tack trunk. She led Stolen to his wash rack and put him in the cross ties. She gave him a very thorough brush down and detangled his mane.
"You were supposed to be ready days ago, rustbucket." comes an annoying high pitch voice.
"Michelle," Brynn mumbled.
Brynn turns around to see Michelle Spangler in her flashy pink uniform, white breeches, and a hot pink brush in hand. Next to her was her poor horse, Show of Flowers. He was dressed in hot pink tack, pink ear bonnet, pink saddle pad, white half pad, pink boots and bell bottoms, pink bridle, and white saddle. Where did she even get a white saddle?
"Yet your horse looks like Barbie's dream house threw up on him." She replied smugly. Michelle made it her life mission to beat Brynn. And out of the 50 competitions they had entered together, she had won 17.
"Good one, Myers." Greyson said from behind her. Greyson, Brynn's closest equestrian friend, had been riding for 7 years, and was 18. They had been friends since 7 years ago, right when Greyson started. He managed to get up to her level fast, and right now, he was sitting in his engraved tack trunk, helmet in hand, white gloves on. He had normal, somewhat dress code, tan riding leggings and a Grey show top. It fit him well.
"God did we all get the same stall aisle?" Michelle asked. Greyson grinned his charming little grin. Smug Bastard She thought. Greyson walked closer to her. Brynn's heart started beating very fast. She could never shake this feeling she got when she was around him. By his face and expression, that smug grin and chuckle, Brynn knew he knew about it as well. He walked back, about a few feet and turned around to mount his horse.
The judge called his name to the arena and he went out. Brynn finished getting Stolen ready, and unlike some people, he had a nice blue and gray set that looked well with his bay coloring.
Then her phone started going off. ping! ping! ping! All were messages from Colton.
Good luck! ~ 9:46
Wish I could come ~ 9:46
I MIGHT be able to come! ~ 9:47
Wait, I have practice :( ~ 9:50
U BETTER WIN- ~ 9:51
Is Stolen alright? ~ 9:52
Is Greyson being annoying? ~ 9:53
Don't talk to him!!!! ~ 9:54 (That one was weird)
Is Michelle being a bitch? - 9:54
r u alive? ~ 9:55
ANSWERRR MEEEE ~ 9:58
It was 10:10 now. She felt bad for not answering
TTYL ~ 10:11 Brynn
"Looks like your boyfriend misses you." Michelle said with a sneer look on her face.
"Shut up!" Brynn grumbled.She had much more important things to do. She was last of course, and Greyson was just finishing. He knocked down 2 jumps. He had 8 penalty points and a time of 50:39 seconds, easy to beat on a 18 jump course.
"Your turn barbie." Brynn said to Michelle.
"Barbie you're up!" Greyson said a few seconds later, on his horse, Confident Lair. Michelle hopped up on Show of Flowers and clipped her hot pink helmet on her little head. Her blonde curly hair was loose in a pink net.
Too much pink. Wayyyyy too much pink.
The pink abomination trotted over to the arena and did a quick lap. The part that caught everyone's attention, including Greyson's, was the Devils Corner 5-10 (five jumps in a row while going in a corner turn). Michelle noticeably scoffed and cantered to the first jump. From there, she got a time of 49:35 seconds and 8 penalty points.
"Barbie failed." Greyson said. Michelle was in first, but things were about to go south for her. Michelle grumbled something about "loose polls", and handed Flowers over to her groom, where the poor 15 year old had to untack the pink menace while getting a lecture from Michelle.
"Poor girl," Greyson whispered. "You're up! Break a leg- or don't because that wouldn't be good, your boyfriend would kill me."
"He's not my boyfriend, I don't even like him!!" Brynn argued. She mounted Stolen Wishes as the announcer said her name.
"Brynn Myers and Stolen Wishes from America for Under 18's" his thick british accent said.
Brynn trotted around the arena, focusing on the Devils Corner. Don't stress, listen to your gut. She reminded herself. The highest jump was in the middle of the Corner and was 1.6m.
She picked up canter for the first jump. Clear. Left turn to the second. Clear. Water jump, a jump with a 4 ft long pool of water after it, touch the water, you get penalty. Clear. Her heart was pounding. She quickly patted Stolen. The 1.5m 2.5ft wide Fourth jump. Clear. The Devils Corner. First jump. Clear. Second, clear. Highest 1.6m jump. Bright red in color. Clear. The crowd cheered loudly. Fourth Devil's jumps. Cleared. Stolen was flying like an eagle. The fifth and final Devils Corner, Clear, and boy did Stolen jump that.
Hooves and heart pounding, the eleventh jump had bright flowers. They cleared it. The 12-15 jumps were all in the same line so it went by fast. A pole on the last one shook, her heart stopped but they continued. It didn't fall. The crowd cheered. The second to last jump was a bit hard because it was 2 different jumps, one higher and one lower. Stolen almost hit the top but he put his dainty little hooves up closer to his body. Smart boy.
"Last jump!" She almost yelled.
"GO Brynn!" Brynn heard Greyson shout. They cleared the last. Clear round. She looked at the time. 45:29
"YESSS!" Brynn threw her hands up! Everyone cheered. Greyson came running out as she dismounted. He hugged her and spun her around. Her groom, Felix, was holding Stolen.
"Good boy! Best horse ever!" Brynn hugged her horse. People around her clapped. That was the happiest she had ever been, ever. She could hardly believe she was going to Hampton! All her dreams were with this one little blue rosette.