Chapter 305 – Maddie and Missy's Jumpoff

As Jack and Doug watched the girls, they both knew that it wasn't a guarantee that they would win.

"What do you think?" Doug asked.

"They have a chance." Jack said. "But they are going to have to trust their horse and the line that they picked. They both hate losing as much as I do, but it might teach them a little more to lose right now."

"I hear you." Doug said. "Although Missy could use a win after the last few weeks."

"I know." Jack said. "But she is doing very well for being on a new horse and the youngest in the field."

"What are you talking about?" Marco asked, coming over.

"The girl's chances." Jack said. "This is not easy and yes, they train with us, but those two horses are still young and green. I am almost sorry for letting the girls compete on them this summer. It doesn't help that the girls are the youngest in their class."

"The girls are fine." Marco said. "The horses are coming along. I think it is good for them right now. So what if they struggle for a bit with the horses, in the long run it will make them better riders. They will learn to work through adversity. When you had trouble with Sundancer, we didn't let you give up. You had to learn to work through it. The only reason that you stopped riding him and switched to Bandit was because you were injured. Heck if Case would have been sound to ride, I would have put you on him and given Bandit another year, but that was not my call. It was your grandfather who made that call."

"I know." Jack said. "But it is different. I made this call and grandpa made the call about me switching."

"It is only different because you think so." Marco said. "These horses will take the girls into the next level of riding. If they keep dominating, we are going to have to get a waiver for them to bump up a level."

"I guess you are right." Jack said.

"Changing the subject." Marco said. "Did you happen to notice the two jumpers that Riverdale has for sale?"

"I noticed Onyx, there." Jack said. "What was the other one?"

"Half brother to Onyx." Marco said. "Same sire, different dams. Anyway Smokey Jo and his rider only missed the jumpoff by two hundredths of a second in a time penalty."

"Any other information on them?" Jack asked.

"Onyx and Smokey Jo are four year old stallions." Marco said. "Both came from California and are new to Riverdale this year. They were sired by a horse called Black Ice."

Jack turned and stared at Marco, his mouth fully agape.

"What?" Marco said.

"Seriously." Jack said. "You don't know?"

Marco shook his head. Before he could ask what Jack was talking about, Doug started peppering him with questions so fast he couldn't even answer.

"Whoa." Marco said. "Slow down. This is what I know. They are supposedly fully trained. They are for sale because the Riverdale coach said that having two stallions is a handful and they are not set up as a breeding facility and they can't geld them, per the contract they have. Riverdale has mostly young riders and the coach is looking for calmer horses for his riders. The only other thing I know is that they are thoroughbred and Arabian."

"Do you have contact information?" Jack asked.

"Here." Marco said, holding out a business card.

Jack took it and pulled out his phone.

"Why did you ask about them?" Doug asked.

"Any time I see a horse for sale at a show." Marco said. "I inquire. I at least get a few details and contact information. Never know when you are going to come across a good horse. I know that Jack wants to expand the jumping side of things and it might do well to have a few trained horses. We can always raise some, but that takes time. Why? Did I do something wrong?"

"No." Doug said. "We will explain later. For now, don't let anyone else know that you or Jack are interested in those horses."

"Okay." Marco said. "I am still confused."

"I can't explain here." Doug said. "Trust me."

Marco nodded again as they watched Jack walk away talking animatedly on his phone. Doug and Marco turned to watch more of the jumpoff. As they stood there, the horse that Jack was interested in was in first with three jumpers done and the fourth on course. Onyx and his rider, Thomas had laid down a fifty-six point twenty-two right out of the gate. The next two had tried to also take an aggressive line, but had not kept the rails up. Both knocked the rail at eight B, which was a problem spot in the first round.

By the time that the girls were sitting at the in gate watching Kayden James from Riverdale go, there were only four clear rounds. Thomas Allen and Onyx were still in first with Marcus Smith and Steel in second with a fifty-six point forty-four and his sister, Melissa, with Link in third with fifty-six point forty-five. The girls watched as Kayden took down part of the wall. He had a good time, fifty-six point thirty-seven, but he had four faults so was in fifth place and not second. The girls took a moment and leaned over to hug one another. When they separated, they kept their heads together for a moment and whispered something. When they moved back to sit right in their own saddles, they high-five before Missy clicked to Squeak to go forward.

Missy took her time showing Squeak the wall as well as the double oxer over at eight B. Finally she brought him up to a canter and before going through the start timer, she looked at her sister and nodded. Doug and Nathan both saw it as well as Maddie nodding back. They didn't know what the girls were up to, so decided not to say anything. They each focused on Missy who was on course.

… … … …

After nodding to her sister, Missy took a very aggressive line. She was showing everyone she didn't plan on losing and Squeak was totally up for it. Missy went over the first gate and then immediately took an aggressive turn for two, riding right where the eleven jump had been in the first round. She lined up for two and cut back close to eight B before making a sharp turn and taking number five in two strides. She then sailed through six before making another aggressive turn back to eight A and B. Once she had landed, she made a slightly wider turn to line up for nine and the moment she landed, she let Squeak have his head and cleared the wall with air to spare. She cleared the timer and immediately looked at what she posted. She pumped her fist when she saw the fifty-six point twenty-one.

As Missy rode to the in gate, she once again high-fived her sister and said something in their language. Doug saw Maddie do something with her watch before showing Bubbles the wall again. Before Maddie started, Jack, Doug and Nathan all moved closer to Missy. It was Nathan who was the first to say something.

"What are you two up to?" Nathan asked, petting Squeak.

"Who said we are up to anything?" Missy said, innocently.

To make her point, she batted her eyes and gave the guys a puppy dog look.

"Oh you are definitely up to something." Nathan said. "I just don't know what it is."

"Melissa Margaret Jane." Doug said.

Missy just stuck out her tongue at her brother and moved over to watch near James. Doug and Jack just shook their heads and turned back to finish watching Maddie.

Maddie had taken the exact same aggressive line that Missy had, only she was speeding up or slowing down as needed, like she was timing something in her head. Jack shook his head and just muttered as he watched Maddie.

"What was that?" Doug asked, not taking his eyes off his sister.

"Four ribbons, five riders." Jack said.

"They wouldn't." Doug said.

"They are." Jack said.

When Maddie crossed the line with exactly fifty-six point twenty-one, Jack laughed. Doug just shook his head. Missy moved to greet her sister and Nathan stepped closer to Jack and Doug.

"What just happened?" Nathan asked.

"Four rosette ribbons. Five riders." Jack said. "Two sets of twins with a rider between them. They are betting that Grandpa won't let them run again."

"Well, I will be." Nathan said. "Very sneaky of them."

"Totally." Jack said. "And damn hard to pull off as well. Which gives more credit to Maddie."

The three guys looked over and saw an event official already talking to James. Both girls were called over and Doug watched as they agreed to share. The official really had no choice, so agreed they could share. As soon as the official agreed, the girls hugged each other and jumped up and down. The guys all just shook their heads. It took a few moments to get the five riders lined up, but once they did, the announcer came on and introduced the riders, horses, who they represented and their times.

As the riders were getting their ribbons and pictures taken, the coach from Cool Parke Farms came over and shook hands with the guys as well as Marco, Andy and James.

"Amazing girls you have there." He said. "And I don't know how they did it, but thank you. Having twin riders is hard enough, but when one doesn't get a ribbon, it is somehow worse."

"Glad it worked out." James said.

James, Marco and Andy nodded to the man and then moved to go help the girls care of their horses as they came off. The coach turned to Jack and Doug.

"Don't remember seeing them jump before." The coach said.

"First year jumping modified." Jack said. "I am sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Glen Parke." He said. "I am surprised I would have thought by the time they were thirteen, they would have jumped this level before."

"I am sorry." Doug said. "How did you get thirteen?"

"Most of the kids in this group are twelve or thirteen." Glen said. "I just assumed thirteen because they are so good and the riding discipline is great. I also heard them talking about a book that I know is a seventh grade book around here. Mine are twelve, almost thirteen and nowhere near as disciplined as those two."

Doug and Jack exchanged a quick look.

"My sisters will be eleven at the end of the month." Doug said. "They are disciplined because we demand that of them in order to ride. We know that if they are not, someone can get hurt. They are also disciplined because they are not only serious equestrians, but serious music students as well."

"Piece of advice." Jack said. "Want more from them, demand more from them."

"Easy to say when you have money and can buy whatever you want." Glen said. "Some of us actually have to work for a living and can't do whatever we want."

Jack let out a harsh breath and flexed his hands before stepping away in disgust. Nathan stepped forward, just in case Jack turned back.

"Money has nothing to do with it." Nathan said, his tone cold. "Those two girls have spent every spare moment they can with those horses over the last month or so. They are responsible for those horses – feeding, watering, turning out, mucking their stall. Those girls are good because they formed a bond with those horses by not only working with them, but caring for them."

"Let me ask you something?" Doug said. "You own Cool Parke?"

Glen nodded.

"How many horses and riders do you have?" Doug continued.

"Seven jumpers, seven horses." Glen said. "We also board another dozen or so pleasure horses. We have beef and dairy cattle as well as an assortment of other animals. We are truly a working farm. The twins are my oldest riders and the other five are in lower levels."

Jack stepped back to the group, but Nathan could tell that his temper was still running high.

"Then why weren't you at the show that we hosted three weeks ago?" Jack asked, the icy in his tone clear. "It was only one of three across the region for the lower levels."

Glen shrugged.

"Time, parents, money." He said. "There are lots of reasons."

"Explain." Doug said. "We made the lower levels affordable. We expanded the classes to allow everyone who wanted to come to come. We had plenty of other things there as well."

"I don't know what to tell you." Glen said. "Most of my parents felt that it was a lot of money and time to go to a show that was thrown together so last minute."

Jack threw up his hands and walked away completely disgusted.

"What is his problem?" Glen said.

"That show wasn't just thrown together." Nathan said. "We worked very hard to get it put together. The three of us, plus three of our other friends all worked to make it happen. We did the work. Did we have help and guidance from Jack's grandparents? Yes, but we did the work."

Glen just looked between Nathan and Doug.

"Seven classes." Nathan said. "Across three days, over one hundred jumpers. More than forty vendors."

"About a dozen food vendors." Doug said. "Games and bounce houses for the children. Ribbons and certificates for the top ten in each class. Plus special certificates for first timers."

"All that while also dealing with a couple dozen thoroughbreds who came in for the racing season." Nathan said. "Then add in all the extra media attention and it was no small feat. It was a very successful show and people came from several hours away to be there."

"You want to do better." Doug said. "Demand better. Starting with your parents. You don't have a lack of talent, you have a parent commitment problem."

Doug then threw up his hands and also walked away in disgust.

"Wow." Glen said. "How rude of him. He should show me respect."

"He wasn't rude." Nathan said. "He was honest. Besides, respect is earned. It isn't automatically given. Manners, yes. Respect, no. More than that, he is right. Barring a family or medical emergency, you as the coach tell the parents what shows and when. If they can't or won't commit, then tell them to find someplace else to ride.

Beyond that, I would bet that your riders show up and are handed saddled horses. They may spend a few minutes with the horse before riding and then when they are done, they hand it off to someone else to care for. They don't put in the work to care for the horse they ride."

"Yeah, mostly." Glen said. "But that is why I have grooms. My own two do a bit more, but they also have a few other chores and school."

"In the month or so that Doug's sisters have been up here from the city." Nathan said. "They have helped to care not only for their horses, but upwards of a dozen others. They have spent a minimum of twenty minutes a day playing piano. They have helped with meals and clean up. They are responsible for their room and laundry. All the while training and going to school this summer. Oh and we have pretty much had a show every weekend, except for two weeks ago."

"You can't be serious." Glen said.

"Very serious." Nathan said. "Those girls understand that if you want something and to be good at something, it takes time and work. They go to school year round to accommodate for travel and shows."

"Wow." Glen said. "No wonder they are so grown up. But what kind of childhood is that? My wife believes that children should have fun and be free. She hates the few chores that I insist on them doing and has spoken to teachers about sending too much homework."

"If you ask those girls." Nathan said. "They will tell you they aren't missing out on anything. I didn't grow up in this world of horses and money. My sister and I were essentially raised by a married, but single mother because my father was gone so much. I got to know Jack and Doug by chance. They work hard because they understand life is hard work. They don't take things for granted because they know it can all be taken away in a blink of an eye.

And just so you understand, I was taught – lazy, unproductive children make lazy unproductive adults. Yes, there is a balance between work and free time. It all depends on what is important to you. Jack works hard because he likes to win when he rides. He also knows that when he is riding, he is representing his grandfathers and their companies. Now if you will excuse me, I need to go check on my friend as well as cool off before it is my turn to ride."

Nathan walked away leaving Glen standing there dumbfounded. Nathan knew the man would never understand, but there was a small part of Nathan that hoped that something they had said would stick with the man.