"Jess?"

The redhead looked up to see her employer standing over her. "Woody!" She let the name out in a surprised breath as he sat down beside her on the floor of the grounds. They had just finished giving Buttercup water after the third round, and Buzz had taken the white filly so she could graze for a little while now too.

"I just want you to know, I appreciate everything you've done for us." Woody began, laying a hand on Jessie's shoulder. "I know it was Buzz's idea, and we all kind of went on at you a bit until you said yes. I know we had problems, plus there were a few times we all thought you weren't going to be able to get Buttercup to jump…and well, we were all wrong. That last round was incredible and the judges awarded you more than fairly."

Jessie's smile widened at the thought of the judges scores. They'd given her three nine's and one ten, something that none of the other participants managed in any of the other rounds.

"We just have to be patient now and wait for the results," Woody added. Jessie gave a little nod and a wan smile.

"Do you think I could win?"

"I think you have more chance than anyone else," Woody replied. "I don't think any of us were keeping score, and I know your scores weren't perfect in the first two rounds but-" He was cut off by the ringing of a bell, and Jessie's face went pale in panic.

"Where's Buzz?" She asked, twisting her head to look about, just as a blur of activity started around her. People had started to move in the direction of the main arena, where the hurdles that had once stood there had been removed from to make way for a series of chairs set out in rows and a small wooden podium.

Buzz was suddenly there beside them, patting Jessie's arm. "It's time, Jessie." He said quietly, steadying her as she got up shakily from her position on the grass. She fell against him slightly, a reaction that Woody couldn't help but see. A question stirred in his mind but he pushed it away. This was not the time nor the place for such a pondering.

"I'm going to get back to Bo. Good luck. Whatever happens, you did us all proud. Remember that." He grasped Jessie's other forearm and squeezed it lightly before making his way back to the stands, leaving Jessie and Buzz to get to their seats in the arena.

It felt like she had been sitting there forever waiting. The main judge, by the name of Mr Baron, was at the podium, which was positioned at the front of the rows of chairs. He had been waffling on about how well the competitors had done that year, how proud they should all be of their efforts, and that it was, as usual, a very different thing to judge and score.

The other entrants around her were also shifting nervously, but Jessie took most notice of the young man next to her, she realised he had been the one that had ridden before her in the third round. He had been quite good too, she remembered, and her nerves increased a bit more.

As Mr Baron started on about the prizes, Jessie started to take more notice. There were eight rosettes to be handed out depending on placing – the two disqualifications, Mr Baron explained, would not be receiving one due to faults and errors in their rounds. He went on to say that there would be three cash prizes, one for each of the two runner ups and then the main prize for the winner, to be handed out after the rosette ceremony. Jessie felt her heart rate increase as he gave the amounts; the winning prize was right there in front of her for the taking, and it loomed larger than it had done when she had read it on the flyer Buzz had brought home that fateful morning months ago.

"And now, without further ado, the placements are as follows…." Jessie heard Mr Baron say, and she shifted closer to Buzz, resting her hand on his knee.

Eighth place was announced, and Jessie breathed out the oxygen she had been holding in without knowing it. As she sat and watched, clutching Buzz's knee a little tighter with each name, her heart started to race. One by one, the other participants around her filtered up to get their rosettes, until they were one of only four contestant groups left.

Sitting there, watching and waiting, Jessie wondered if Bo and Woody were as anxious as Buzz and herself. With baited breath she heard the fourth place announcement and Buzz's hand moved to wrap around Jessie's lower back.

"We're guaranteed a prize," he whispered to her, and Jessie nodded slightly, her eyes glued to the judge in front of her, who was busy awarding a participant with a white rosette.

Third place went to a young man who had been sitting the other side of Jessie. He got up and walked to the middle of the arena, and the crowd clapped him at length as he received a yellow rosette.

"Second place…" he began, and then read out a name. Jessie's heart caught in her throat. It wasn't hers.

"Buzz," she whispered, turning to raise her eyes to his face. Buzz didn't answer. His expression said it all as he bent his head to kiss the young flame haired woman to his side. They forgot the crowd could see them – and so it was with delight that Woody and Bo witnessed the union of their stable girl and their farm hand.

"It's so heavy!" Jessie exclaimed, struggling to hold the silver plated trophy. One of the helpers for the contest had brought Buttercup around to the front of the grandstand, and Jessie had pinned the blue winner's ribbon to the filly's bridle, just up by her ear.

Buzz grinned at her. "Do you a swap," he proffered her a small white envelope, and she gladly accepted it, passing him the heavy trophy with relief. Opening the envelope, she peered at the contents with excitement, and then raised her eyes to him with a smile.

"I cant believe this is ours." She whispered, and Buzz relinquished his grip on the trophy for a moment, placing it on the floor.

"Me either," he whispered back, and Jessie blushed as he wrapped an arm around her from behind to pull her in close. Looking across the field again, they both spotted Bo and Woody making their way around the grandstand. Bo was practically running towards them in delirious happiness, and Buzz allowed Jessie to break away from his half embrace to meet the blonde woman halfway.

"We did it!" Buzz heard Jessie shriek in happiness as she threw her arms around Bo. As the girls embraced, Buzz saw Woody draw level with the two females. As Jessie broke the hug, Buzz looked on as she stepped back to meet Woody's gaze. She said nothing, but extended the envelope she held to him, and their employer took it hesitantly.

They all watched him open the envelope, look at the contents, then he folded the envelope shut and nodded. His emotions prevented him from words, but the gratefulness in his eyes spoke volumes.

"C'mon everyone. Lets go back to our home."