Chapter 287 – Sunday of the Show
Sunday morning came fast for most of the house. Jack, Doug and Nathan were up with the alarm to go deal with the horses. The twins weren't that far behind them. Once the horses were dealt with, everyone came up to have breakfast then got ready for church. Even through they weren't going anywhere, Gran asked that they get cleaned up and she didn't care if they put their riding gear on or if they wore other nice clothes and changed for riding later.
Trish and Chief worked with Father Mark to make sure that everything was ready for Mass. It was a nice time and the Averys plus Caitlin arrived about ten to nine. Cody wanted to sit with Jack, but Jack was able to convince him to sit with Nathan since he was playing the piano. The gospel was from Mark 6 where Christ called the disciples to go out in pairs and take nothing with them. Father Mark talked about how this is calling us to trust God to provide for us on the journey. Again because it was all family, he didn't preach long. Jack did a special piece of music during communion which made the service a bit longer then it normally would, but everyone loved the piece that Jack played. Once they were finished, all the young people worked to put the main level of the house back in order.
People were able to relax and visit before they had a nice lunch that Trish, Gran and Abigail were able to put together. It might have only been sandwiches, salads, fruit and veggies, but it was plenty for everyone. There was plenty of food and they took their time around the table. The plan was for Gran, Trish and Abigail to stay up at the house and start getting things ready to do more canning for the next day while others went down to the show. They would come down later when it was closer to the time that the guys jumped. James headed down to be down there, but was going to work in the office for awhile. John went to work in the office in the house. Most everyone else took time to relax before it was time to take the horses down.
Frank and the twins headed down to watch the other class just before one. Once Jack, Doug and Nathan were dressed and ready, they along with Lee took their stuff down. Once the horses were unloaded, Lee took the truck and trailer back to the house and was going to walk back down. The guys got registered and their horses stalled. The tack cases were put in the jockey changing room. Then they went to watch some of the other riders. Jack texted Gran that they were jumping Doug – fifteenth, Nathan – twenty-fifth and himself twenty-third. They promised to be down to see Doug jump and then would stay for both of the others. Jack started studying the course even before he walked it. He was watching the class before, since it was the same, just different heights. They had added water at jumps five and nine to make things a little harder. Jack saw that not many were struggling with the jumps, but were taking conservative lines and there were a few with time faults as a result.
Jack took his time when he was finally able to walk the course. He studied everything as usual, but he was still having a hard time focusing. Normally when he was walking the course, Jack could tune out the crowd noise, but that day he was struggling. Both Doug and Nathan realized that Jack was struggling, so they stuck close. Normally Doug left Jack on his own, but right then for some reason he knew that today was different. When Jack finally walked off the course and headed for the jockey room to go work on the course in his head, Nathan followed him.
"What is going on?" Nathan asked, when they were alone in the jockey room.
"I don't know." Jack said. "I couldn't tune out the crowd noise."
"Are you going to be able to jump?" Nathan asked.
"I am going to try." Jack said. "What about you?"
"I am fine to jump." Nathan said. "Then I will leave you to go through your routine."
"Thank you." Jack said. "Sorry, I will talk to you later."
"No need to be sorry." Nathan said. "I am going to go sit until I need to warm up."
"I will be out to watch Doug and a few others." Jack said.
Nathan left Jack alone. Jack pulled out his sketchbook and started drawing the course. Once he was done drawing, he closed his eyes and went through the course, several times. Jack watched several competitors from the window that looked out on the arena. He realized that most people were taking a conservative line and coming close to the time. He also noticed that those with trouble were having it in mainly two spots – the plank on two or the water on nine. He wondered if both were the angle. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that it was the most likely probability. He went back to his course sheets and tried to figure out what he could do about the plank because he had planned on cutting a close corner on it. Jack realized that he could still cut the corner, but maybe not as close.
Jack went to near the railing to watch Connor Walker who was jumping twelfth. He saw the kid take a more aggressive line and have a few hard rubs, but managed to run clean and come out in first place. Jack realized that he was going to have to really push it. He also watched the next rider who was one of the younger riders in the class. She had a couple problems where everyone else did, so when she came off, Jack walked over to her.
"Hey." Jack said. "Good job."
"Yeah, sure." She said.
"Cara!" Her coach hissed.
Jack held up his hand.
"Cara, is it." Jack said
She nodded.
"I really mean it." Jack said. "You had a great run. A lot of people have been having trouble with the plank at two and the water at nine. You tried and if you keep practicing you will get there. How old are you?"
"I just turned fifteen a couple weeks ago." Cara said.
"Well, happy belated birthday." Jack said. "Do you realize that most of the other people that are in this class are at least seventeen if not more."
"Oh." Cara said.
"I hope you don't get discouraged." Jack said. "We will be at the Albany show in August and I hope to see you there."
Cara looked at her coach.
"We were thinking about it." The coach said. "It is the weekend before school starts, so we weren't sure."
"I really hope that you consider it." Jack said.
"I was hoping to win a ribbon this year." Cara said.
"How long have you been jumping?" Jack asked.
"I got serious about it about a year ago." Cara said.
"Then give yourself a break." Jack said. "Can you wait here a moment?"
Again Cara looked at her coach.
"We will be cooling Peachy Keen down." The coach said.
"Don't leave the ring until I get back." Jack said.
Cara and the coach nodded and then moved off to the cool down pen. James, Marco and several others saw Jack head off quickly to the jockey room. He came back with something in his hand, but James couldn't make out what it was. Jack knew that he should watch Doug jump, but his friend would understand and was hoping to back. Jack had really wanted to watch Oliver Kennedy from Sugar Creek jump, but he felt it was more important to do what he was doing.
Jack went to stand next to the railing where Cara's coach was.
"I am sorry I didn't catch your name." Jack said.
"Marvin Brown."
"Jack Thornton."
"I know who you are." Marvin said. "You can't jump in this region and not know who you are. The only reason I agreed to this show was because my niece wanted to jump in your show. We don't do a lot of shows because it is hard to travel."
Jack nodded.
"Where do you train?" Jack asked.
"Honey Dew Riding Center near Albany." Marvin said. "My wife's brother-in-law runs the place and lets us train for free. We just don't have a lot of money for shows."
"I really hope that you consider coming back here next year." Jack said. "If the fee is a problem, please let us know. I would consider waving it. We like to encourage younger riders who really love the sport."
"That is awfully nice of you." Marvin said. "My brother and his wife wanted to come, but with three little ones, including a newborn, it just wasn't in the cards this time."
"Let me know if there is anything that I can do to help." Jack said. "What do you do besides train your niece?"
"I work as a teacher for one of the Christian schools in Albany." Marvin said.
Jack nodded. Cara came over and walked her horse out of the pen and stood before her uncle and Jack.
"So Peachy Keen." Jack said.
"Because of her coloring." Cara said. "And it was something that my grandmother use to say."
"Very nice." Jack said.
"Now." Jack said. "If I let your uncle take a picture of us with your horse, you promise to not put it on social media at least right away, maybe later in the year."
"Okay." Cara said. "I don't really have much social media anyway."
Marvin pulled out a phone and took a picture of Jack and Cara standing with Peachy Keen. Jack then held out his hand with the pin his had went to grab.
"My cousin gave this to me when I was about thirteen." Jack said. "He said it was for good luck. I have kept it in my tack case all these years. I want you to have it."
"I can't." Cara said.
"I insist." Jack said. "Maybe it will bring you some luck."
Cara looked at her uncle and he nodded. Cara gingerly picked up the small pin from Jack's hand.
"It is made from pewter and came from England." Jack said. "It is now yours."
"Thank you." Cara said. "Can I give you a hug?"
"Sure." Jack said.
Cara gave Jack a quick hug and he returned it.
"Thank you so much." Cara said.
"You are welcome." Jack said. "Now, I need to go watch my best friend jump. I hope you stay until the end of the show, but I understand if you can't. I also hope to see you in Albany in August."
"We will see." Marvin said.
"Remember what I said." Jack said. "Good luck in school this year."
"Thank you and good luck." Cara said.
Jack walked away and went back to stand next to grandfather. James wanted to say something, but Doug was just about to start. They watched as Doug took a more aggressive line then most had. He watched the two trouble spots and cut a few corners. When he crossed the line, he had run clean and was in first place by one one-hundredth of a second. At least he was in first and both Oliver Kennedy and Conner Walker were right behind him. Jack knew that both him and Nathan were going to have to work at being the top for the first round.
When Doug was done jumping, James turned to Jack.
"So what was that before?" James asked.
"Good will." Jack said, before walking over to greet Doug.
James shook his head and knew he would have to ask about it later.
"Good job." Jack said, patting Ghost on the neck.
"It was tough." Doug said. "The sand it hard to make sharp turns so watch out."
"I will." Jack said. "Thank you."
"What are you going to do?" Doug asked.
"I am going to go back to the sitting room so I can watch." Jack said.
Doug nodded and Jack headed back to sit in the air conditioning until it was time for him to warm up. When he came in, Nathan and Father Mark were sitting there.
"I can go if you are talking." Jack said.
"No, we are fine." Nathan said.
Jack took a seat.
"So what was that with the young rider before Doug went?" Father Mark asked.
"Just encouraging a young rider." Jack said. "She is from Albany as was feeling down on herself when she knocked down the plank. She is barely fifteen and jumping against us. She doesn't have a lot of family support, especially with her parents staying home to care for younger siblings. He uncle trains her, but it is hard. I just gave her the pin you have me when I was thirteen and said maybe it would bring her some luck. I also asked if she was going to be jumping in Albany and she wasn't sure, so I tried to encourage her by telling her we would love to see her jump there. It sounded like the only reason that her uncle agreed to this show was because he wanted to see us jump."
"Oh." Nathan said.
"That was very nice of you." Father Mark said. "Are you talking about the little jumper pin?"
"Yes." Jack said.
"That was very nice." Father Mark said. "I know that you have kept that in your tack case for years."
"She seemed like she needed the pick me up." Jack said.
"Still it was nice of you." Nathan said. "You really do have a way with the younger riders."
"Thank you." Jack said.
Jack picked up his sketchbook and sat in the corner going over things. Nathan and Father Mark looked at him and then each other. They just shrugged their shoulders. At least it was confirmed that he used his sketchbook. They had seen it before and knew it was his, but didn't invade his privacy by going through it. They continued to talk about small things quietly, occasionally casting a glance at Jack. They watched him close his eyes and move his hand like he was conducting an orchestra. They wanted to ask what he as doing, but chose to let him be.
Finally it was time for Jack and Nathan to go warm us as there was only one rider between them. Jack and Nathan didn't speak as they warmed up. Nathan followed Jack to the in gate so they could wait together. Father Mark came over and stood between them.
"Good luck to you both." Father Mark said.
Jack rolled his neck and was staring at the arena. Father Mark turned to him.
"Jack." Father Mark said.
Jack didn't looked at him, but continued to stare forward.
"John Parker." Father Mark said, putting his hand on Jack's leg.
Jack looked down at him, closed his eyes and let out a harsh breath then looked at his cousin.
"Clear your head or get off Bandit right now." Father Mark said.
Jack just looked at him. Father Mark stared back, with a raised eyebrow. Jack sat back up and took a deep breath and slowly let it out. He did it again and then looked at his cousin again.
"I am fine." Jack said. "I promise."
"Good." Father Mark said. "Then go do your job."
They watched the last rider to come off with a clean round. Jack knew that gave them ten clear rounds and Doug was still barely in first place. Jack entered the arena and showed Bandit the plank at two and the double at four. Once he brought him up to a canter, Jack went over the first oxer, then cut between nine and ten, but closer to nine then he had originally planned to line up for the plank at two. He then went through three and made a tight turn to line up for four. Bandit wanted to run, so Jack let him between four and five and then toward the triple at six. Bandit wanted to run, so Jack let him and they sailed from six to seven and through eight and on to nine. Once he had cleared the water at nine, Jack let Bandit go, so he galloped through ten and the timer. Jack turned to look at the clock and saw that he was in first place by nine one-hundredths of a second. He breathed a sigh of relief that he had done the first part. He moved off the course to watch the rider between him and Nathan.
"Good job." Father Mark said, when Jack rejoined him and Nathan.
They sat there and watched Marcy White from Double Horseshoe Stable of Albany barely finish with a clear round. She had one one-hundredth of a second to spare. Nathan took a deep breath and entered the course. He showed Athena a few things, but she wanted to run. Nathan let her run and they flew through the course going on the same line that Jack had taken. When Nathan crossed the timer, he looked and a huge smile broke out as he had once again bested Jack. It was only one one-hundredth of a second, but Nathan was in first place with only one rider to go. Nathan came over to be near Jack and Father Mark.
"Very good job." Father Mark said.
"Thank you." Nathan said.
Nathan then looked at Jack.
"I told you I wasn't going easy on you." He teased.
"I didn't expect you to." Jack said with a smile.
"Okay boys." Father Mark said.