On Horseback

Chapter 2: Local Horse Race

I woke up at 6:00 a.m. every morning to go and help Jack out with his fields. We talked about our social lives, farming and pretty much anything that had to do with the Mayor (we both thought he was weird) and his wife. I went through this routine for ten more days after Spring 3rd.

Spring 8th is the yearly Planting Festival when a guy and someone he picks rides around in a balloon for an hour, throwing seeds around the village while the rest of us release balloons. A truly corny festival and one that I almost never go to. This year was no exception.

On Spring 14th, my dad told me that it would be time to train Cliffguard for the Local Horse Race which was held on Spring 18th.

"Okay, Ann, since you're going to be riding Cliff this year, I've got to give you a warning or two!" Dad told me. I sighed. The one thing I hated about doing and/or entering something that you've never done before, is the fact that you're parents or guardians have to blah, blah, blah for a couple of hours just to remember that they've got some more blah, blah, blah to explain to you.

"...I think that's basically it. Did you get all of that, Ann?" Dad asked me when he was finished. I was currently lying on the ground sleeping.

"ANN!!" Dad bellowed.

What I thought were crashing cymbals, came to the tips of my right ear, emitting the loudest sound I'd ever heard. "Hmm? What?! Are the gates flooding?" were my first words. My father smacked his forehead and said, "Did you hear anything that I told you?" I nodded. I didn't want to look like a goof in front of my dad, especially after I fell asleep on him.

We walked over to where Cliff was in the field, and I got on him. I began looking around the field at the other animals. "Aren't you going to put the other animals away while we race him?" I asked my dad. "Do we ever put them away when you're riding him?" he shot back at me. I shrugged. "Okay, okay, yeesh," I said, a little confused.

After my dad went to get his whistle, (which we used to sound the horses into racing mode) he stood outside the front door of our house and shouted, "Tell me when you're ready, Ann!"

Was I ready? Umm...no. I'd never rode Cliffguard when he was in racing mode. What happens if I screwed up? Wouldn't I look stupid? I mean - I didn't listen to my father's "warnings" so I'd probably be doing everything the wrong way. But then again...what if it just came out the right way? There wasn't THAT much to learn about racing a horse and I'd probably be just fine.

"I'm ready," I told my father, who couldn't hear me. "What?" he called back. I chuckled under my breath. "I said...I'M READY!" I screamed back. He nodded and blew the whistle.

As if possessed by magic or something, Cliffguard took off in an instant. "EEKK!!" I shouted and my father was laughing as he watched me. I pulled the strap out of the bags hanging on Cliff's sides. This would do the trick. I just hoped that I could lead him in a comfortable manner. "YEEHAW!" I shouted, and whipped him with the strap.

Cliffguard winnied for a moment, but ran even faster around the field.

My father was no longer laughing, he was just watching from our doorstep. He was either very impressed with my skills, or they were simply hideous. I didn't want to guess which was the correct one at the time, I was beginning to feel natious. "Keep it up, Ann!" my father bellowed, for me to hear. I continued whipping poor Cliff with the strap, but he just kept on racing around, no stopping at all. Was I a good jockey?

Finally, I began to get exhausted. I stopped Cliff and jumped off of him. Dad came prancing over and cried, "Ann! Ann, Ann, Ann, Ann, Ann! That was the most wonderful performance I've seen in a while! I'm pretty sure that you'd be able to ride Cliff at the horse races. I think we might even win, you know." I had tears in my eyes, but they were tears of joy.

"Hey, I liked that." Dad and I whirled around to see Karen, my best friend standing in the field.

"I watched the whole ride, Ann. You were going at it for about one hour. It was pretty good!" I hugged Karen and told her, "Great. I guess you'll get to cheer me on this year! Oh, and don't think that Gray who'll most likely be sitting next to you is me. I'm sure he won't appreciate you dumping your wine or whatever on him." Karen burst out laughing and stuttered the words, "I-I won't, Ann." I gave my friend a warm smile and asked if she wanted anything to drink while she was present.

"Nah, I'm on my way to work." I nodded. "Okay, Karen, I guess I'll catch you later." Karen stuck her tongue out at me and said, "Guess you will."

Karen isn't the most optimistic girl around. She owns a vineyard with her parents not far down the road from the ranch. That mainly explains why she works at a bar. She tends to have fights with her father a lot, and is almost always down in the pits. They have one helper at the vineyard named Kai. He seems to be interested in Karen, but I'm not so sure. Only time will tell. I'm just surprised that she was as happy as she was today.

After three more days of horse race practicing, it was time to sign Cliff up. Since my father was in charge of the sign-up sheet in town, he put Cliff's name down first. "Okay, boy," I said to the horse. "I hope we win!"

Since there was no way that I'd be able to take Cliff through town, I took him through a narrow strip just north of our ranch that was the entrance for all of the horses. After that, I went out to the village square where I met Karen.

"Do you think I'll win?" I asked my best friend. Karen had a "no" look on her face, but answered, "Of course you will." I doubted she was being truthful. It seemed as her attitude had reverted back to normal: An attitude and down in the pits. Same o'l Karen.

We decided to buy a huge bottle of lemonade, which she and I shared, while the first race began. "Would all contestants racing in Race #1 please come to the gate now." This wasn't my race yet; it would be soon.

The two of us went and sat down at our seats. Karen brushed her bangs back as she took a sip of lemonade. "I'm so nervous," I told her. Karen didn't reply, but just kept on sipping, until the gun went off.

The six horses down on the racetrack took off as if they had just been shot from cannons. They flew across the racetrack, the crowd beginning to cheer as they hit mid-way. "It looks like Melody has the victory in the bag," Karen mumbled. I sprung my body against the railing and darted my eyes at Melody. She did look like she was about to win. Just a few more steps, and...

"Victory to Melody!"

The audience cheered and applauded and I sat back down in my seat. Hurray for Melody, but would Cliff be able to pull it off?

All of a sudden, I felt a glove on my shoulder. My head spun around and I saw the face of Jack. "Hey, what's up?" he asked me. I smiled and gave him a good natured hug. "Not much, really," I told him. "My race will be coming up in a few minutes." Jack loooked surprised. "You're going to be racing?" I nodded with a grin on my face. "You bet I will!" But deep down, I was doubtful.

As always, Karen had abandoned me to go check if she had any winnings on her ticket that she had bid on. Jack took her seat and asked me, "What race number are you in?" I answered, "The last, thankfully."

"Thankfully?" he questioned me with a bizzare look.

"I don't think I'll win, that's all," was my reply.

And at that second, Karen returned and said, "Ann! Just who is this?" The two of us turned around and I said, "You haven't met Jack, yet? He's the Old Man's grandson. He came to take over the farm." Karen rolled her eyes and murmured, "I guess I'll go sit over here." Karen didn't look to happy, and I said, "Umm, you can come back if you want. I'll just ask Jack to-" "OH, NO!" Karen interrupted me with a scream. "He came to see you, I shouldn't interfere!" I bit my lip. "Suit yourself."

After the second race, (which was won by Star.C) I was called down to the gate. "Would all contestants racing in Race #3 please come to the gate now." I hugged Jack and stormed down to the gate.

I was quickly saddled up onto Cliff, and I said to him, "If you don't fail me, boy, I won't fail you."

The gun went off; the race was on.

I whipped Cliff as often as I could as we charged down the racetrack. It looked like we were doing pretty well...so far. I noticed Pikls coming in from behind me and I waved to the jockey on horseback. He (or was it she?) didn't have time to express any happy gestures as the individual really wanted to win the race. I quickly took my mind off the jockey and looked straight ahead! There was the finishline!

I whipped Cliff one more time and... "Victory to Cliffguard!"

On the sidelines, Jack, Gray and Karen were jumping up and down, followed by a few other of the townsfolk. I can't believe that I had actually won the race. "Three cheers for Ann and Cliffguard!" "Hip, hip, HOORAY!" everyone cheered, and then repeated twice more.

Yay for me. I won the Local Spring Horse Race. Who would have known?