Chapter 337 – Hudson River Classic part 4
For the ten riders between Nathan and Jack, there had been four more clear rounds, including Hudson Paton and his horse Miller from Bacon Hills Riding Club of Bacon Hills. They had watched Hudson almost take over third place from David Bruno. Hudson posted a time of eighty-one point fifty-six, so was right behind David's eighty-one point fifty-five. Nathan was still in first with Doug in second. Jack knew that he had his work cut out for him, but it wasn't going to be impossible. He knew that he just needed a clean round with a decent time. Even if he wasn't in first or second as long as he came through clean with a good time he was going to have to be happy.
Jack took an extra second before moving out on to the course to take a deep breath and push everything else from his mind. He closed his eyes as he slowly blew out the breath and brought the course up in his mind. He then opened his eyes, with renewed focus and clicked to Bandit to move onto the course. He quickly showed Bandit what he wanted and checked out the shadows, adjusting his line in his head as he rode.
Jack stopped in almost the same spot that Nathan had stopped. While Jack was focused, he took and extra second to say a quick prayer before he leaned down and patted Bandit's neck. He then tapped his heels to Bandit's sides and they were quickly picking up speed as they moved around to start the course. By the time they crossed the start timer, Jack had Bandit just short of a full gallop. They easily cleared the first two jumps and Jack turned a bit tighter around the pond then most of the jumpers had. He knew that Bandit loved water and would easily clear it. He also cleared the water jump with several inches to spare. As Jack moved to go around for the fourth jump, he took a much tighter line, coming within inches of the plants at the base of the last jump before he turned Bandit just past the finish timer taking the double oxer with a water tray at a bit of a strong angle. While he gave the back rail a rub, they cleared it. Jack quickly corrected Bandit who flew through the triple combination.
Again, Jack made a tighter turn around the pond, taking the double again taking the a double oxer at a bit of angle, causing another hard rub. However luck was on Jack's side as it stayed up. He moved Bandit in line for the seventh jump and the moment the horse picked up the jump, he picked up his speed. It was almost as if Bandit wanted to win as much as Jack did. They easily cleared seven and while Jack had a hard time swinging Bandit out to get a better angle for eight, he was able to barely do. They cleared the double combination at eight and turned for nine. This time, Jack didn't try to hold Bandit back had nine was simple and then it was a clear gallop across the field to ten. Bandit was loving it and like Athena had, when they landed the tenth jump, it was like Bandit knew to turn for home. Jack let him have his head and they literally flew to the last jump and finish timer. Bandit kicked up a few clods of dirt and grass behind him as he dug in. When they finally crossed the timer, Jack looked back and for the first time that day since he had arrived at the field his full dimpled grin came out. He was in second place and at that moment he was fine with it. He had posted a time of eighty-one point forty-two. He knew that he had work to do to beat Nathan in the jumpoff, at least he would have the chance.
Jack came off the course and Doug and Nathan were waiting there for him. As Jack jumped down, it was his grandfather who was first to him.
"Go cool off." James said.
His tone not giving Jack an opportunity to argue. James then turned to Doug and Nathan.
"As much as I like taking the top spots." James said. "This little competition between the three of you is going to get someone hurt. So figure it out and not more reckless riding."
"Yes, Sir." Doug and Nathan both said.
James turned to walk away. Doug and Nathan waited a moment before following. They both realized that they might have pushed the need to win a bit far and it had been a bit reckless of them. When they got back to the trailer, they found James talking to Jack. Neither Doug or Nathan dared approach, so just took a seat over under the canopy where their chairs were. Father Mark and Frank quickly joined them. The four men all exchanged glances as they saw that James was upset and Jack was standing there with his head down, listening to his grandfather.
After James had walked away and went to the back trailer, Frank turned to Nathan and Doug.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Grandpa is mad that we pushed Jack to be reckless." Doug said. "He is afraid that someone is going to get hurt."
"He is not wrong." Father Mark said. "Both Jack and Nathan took unnecessary risks in their run. I get the drive to win, but both of you could have ended in disaster. That is what Grandpa is worried about. He has seen Jack like this before and the last time it ended in Jack almost getting himself killed. It was part of the reason that Grandpa was so worried about Jack getting on a thoroughbred and running him at near full speed."
"I am sorry." Nathan said. "I just couldn't hold Athena back and I didn't mean to push Jack too far."
"Holding Athena back is next to impossible." Father Mark said. "But it is possible if you don't mention a certain three lettered word that starts with an r. Also a bribe of an extra treat if she lets you be in control sometimes works."
"I will have to try that." Nathan said. "Because honestly, I was a little scared out there today. I barely remember her hooves touching the ground."
"Sounds about right." Father Mark said. "Now try that on a flat track with no jumps. That is a thrill."
"I am fine." Nathan said, smiling.
Nathan knew that as much as Father Mark said he really didn't miss riding competitively, he could see otherwise. Father Mark and Jack were a bit a alike in that regard. Both had a need for speed. Nathan was a bit afraid of what Jack and Father Mark would be like with a motorcycle on open road. He knew that their need for speed and a thrill was going to be a problem later. Who was he kidding, it was a problem right now.
The guys started talking about different things, avoiding the competition. Finally, Jack came over and joined them.
"You alright?" Doug asked.
"More or less." Jack said. "I get why Grandpa was mad. I also knew that I pushed it. I guess I pushed just a little too hard."
"Sorry." Nathan said.
"No need to be sorry." Jack said. "I am a big boy. I am the one who chose to push it and try to beat you. I knew I was pushing it, but I wanted to win."
"I am still sorry." Nathan said. "I know that you like to win, but I had no way of holding Athena back."
"I know." Jack said. "Which is why I pushed it. It is done, let's just drop it."
"Okay." Nathan said. "But what are we going to do about the jumpoff."
"We will see what the others are doing." Jack said. "We will do our job, safely, but as quickly as we can and let the chips fall where they may."
"Okay." Nathan said.
The five guys bantered back and forth as they listened to each of the competitors being announced and then their time, many with faults. The three guys were firmly at the top, and while it seemed like several were trying to knock them off, no one was able to match their speed and stay clean.
… … … …
In the end twenty-four jumpers made the jumpoff. The only one that came close to the guys from Coal Creek was Karry Polansky and her horse Cloud Dancer from Cedar Crest Farms with a time of eighty-one point fifty-one and that only put her in fourth place. That pushed David Bruno down to fifth and Hudson Paton to sixth. Corey White and Jet from Larkin Hills Stable ended up in seventh with a time of eighty-one point fifty-nine, which pushed Carrie Martin down to eighth with her time of eighty-one point sixty-two. Rounding out the top ten was Max Curtis with Goldie from Vine Stables with a time of eighty-one point sixty-three and Josh Freebern with Stargazer from Rose Tree Farms of Battenville in tenth.
Each of the jumpers in the jumpoff was announced and Jack was glad to hear that none of the Sugar Creek jumpers had made it, but he was especially pleased knowing that Oliver Kennedy hadn't posted a time at all as his horse refused at the water jump twice. Jack would have to check, but he was thinking that neither, Oliver or Connor, had enough points to qualify for the fall finale. He knew that could change as there were four shows this fall that Jack wouldn't be jumping at. Depending on how they did, they might still qualify. Jack was fine. It would just give him a bit more incentive to come kick their but one more time.
After a fifteen minutes break for the grounds crew to remove jumps for the jumpoff, it started with Cory Cook on Storm from Vine Stables. He had posted a time of eighty-one point ninety-six in the first round. He knew that it was a long shot for him to win the jumpoff, but he was hoping for a top fifteen place in the end. He knew he had his work cut out as the jumpoff, looked easy, but it had a lot of turns and jumps out of order. They had sixty-five seconds, which sounded like a lot of time, but it really wasn't when you had a lot of ground to cover.
With just the top five riders to go, it was close at the top of the standings. Hudson Paton from Bacon Hills Riding Club was currently sitting in first with a time of sixty-four point sixty-one. He was followed by Corey White of Larkin Hills Stable with a time of sixty-four point seventy-one. Then it was John Freebern from Rose Tree Farms, Daniel Williams from Bristol Hills Farms and Kelly Knox of Knox Farms with times of sixty-four point seventy-three, sixty-four point seventy-four and sixty-four point seventy-five respectively.
As Jack, Doug and Nathan waited at the in gate while David Bruno and Karry Polansky jumped, they knew that they needed to be a bit safer, but they also all wanted one more sweep no matter the order. They knew that James would be more upset if someone got injured, but they felt that they could ride safely while still winning. All three knew that they had qualified for the fall finale and no matter what happened, whether they jumped in it or not, it had been a great accomplishment that summer. When Nathan took the job back in June he had no idea what was in store for him, but the furthest thing from his mind was sitting near the end of August with two of what he would call his best friends jumping for a fourth straight sweep of ribbons in a show jumping competition. While he had known that Jack was into horses when he took the job, Devin had told him that Jack had walked away from competitive jumping with no intention of going back, yet there they were. And for Nathan he was having the time of his life. He had always loved riding and had missed it when he wasn't able to do it. He never imagined that he would find not only best friends, but a new job where he was going to be able to ride a lot of the time.
As Nathan sat atop Athena between Jack and Doug, he was the one that was lost in his thoughts. While Nathan wasn't exactly in his own head, he was thinking about how different his life was from three short months ago. They had been through a lot that summer and the adventure was far from over. Jack and Doug exchanged a look before Doug took his leg and nudged Nathan's leg. Nathan look over and for the first time that summer, he stuck his tongue out at Doug.
"I was thinking about what I needed to do to win." Nathan teased.
"Yeah, beat me." Jack teased back.
"I have done it before." Nathan said, sticking his tongue out at Jack.
"Enough boys." James said, without turning around.
"Yes, Sir." All three boys said.
They all ducked their heads and kept their eyes focus in front of them, not looking at each other for fear of starting a giggling fit. As the boys continued to fight the giggles, David Bruno posted a clear round with a time of sixty-four point sixty-two which put him firmly in second place. Leaving him on the bubble to get a top ribbon, knowing that they would award the top five with rosette ribbons. The guys sat there and watched Karry on course. They could all tell that she wasn't going to make it easy for them to win and she was gunning for her own ribbon. They knew that no matter what happened, they would be happy for each other.
… … … …
Karry had watched the guys run earlier and knew they were a force to be reckoned with. Even if she couldn't jump most of the summer, she had been following the shows. She had even been at the Coal Creek show as a spectator and knew the Jack had bowed out so not to take a ribbon at his own show. She knew that he could have rode with out his horse's shoe as she had seen him do it two years ago. She, herself, had done at a show. She was glad that she was back to riding and while she had an invite to the fall finale as the reigning champion, she wanted to at least show that she belonged there again. She was scheduled to jump in shows every weekend until two weeks before the finale. While it would mean a lot traveling out of state, her parents didn't care because she had a goal and were willing to help her achieve it. They had even agreed to let her do online schooling so she could focus more on her jumping. Her parents also knew that they were going to have to find another place for her to ride as she had grown beyond what their current place could offer as far as help. Karry knew that it would be a bit of a drive, but she didn't mind if she would be able to jump for Jack's family. She has saw they were looking for riders back at the Coal Creek show and she had talked to her parents. They had agreed that they would wait until the end of the season.
Karry was only sixteen and wouldn't be seventeen until just before the finale. She had been following Jack since she had seen him jump three years ago. She was a little bummed that it appeared that he had a girlfriend, but she still wanted to learn from him and his friends. She would admit that she had bit of a crush on Jack and Doug, but she also knew that she wouldn't interfere with an existing relationship.
Karry had to clear her head as she went out on course. She needed to focus. As much as she had a bit of a crush on Jack, she also wanted to really win. She took her time showing her horse around before she brought her up to a canter and took off. Karry flew through the course and had a few hard rubs, but she was riding all out to try and win. When she crossed the finish timer, she looked back at the board and smiled as she had just moved into first with only the three guys to ride. So she had at least guaranteed herself a top ribbon. She had posted a time of sixty-four point fifty-five. She knew it was possible for the guys to beat her, but they were going to have to give it everything they had. Karry came off course and stayed near the in gate to watch the boys run. She left them alone, knowing she didn't like to be bothered before a run.
… … … …
Doug knew that he was going to have a hard time beating Karry as he watched her run. He had never really been worried about another competitor like he was Karry. He knew that he needed to be safe, but at the same time he wanted to sweep the top three again. He didn't mind losing to Jack and Nathan, but others were another matter. Doug took a deep breath as Karry finished and moved Ghost forward as she came off. He gave her a curt nod before going out onto course himself.
Doug took his time showing Ghost around, especially the new jump. He quickly ran through his plan in his head and then checked the shadows one last time before he brought Ghost up to a fast canter. He wasn't going to go at a full gallop, at least not right away. Just before he crossed the start timer, Doug started counting in his head so he knew where he was time wise.
The first two jumps were the same, so Doug took the same line as he had in the first round, but when he landed at the second jump, he immediately cut toward the water jump. He went just on the edge of the area of concern earlier. He was able to keep his footing and when he got past the actual water jump he turned toward the new jump with was numbered as twelve, but was actually the third jump in the round. He he took it at a bit of an angle, but it was fine. He actually went between the last jump and the finish timer before making a sharp turn back to the fourth jump. He picked up a bit of speed through fourth and the now double combination of five. He went around the group of trees, but cut closer then he had originally planed taking the double oxer at eight b at an angle. When he landed at eight, he did let Ghost run as he crossed the field to the number ten jump. He easily cleared it and then turned for home. He went faster then he had planned as Ghost wanted to run. He wasn't at a full gallop, but close. He just hoped that Grandpa James wasn't mad. Doug wanted a top spot and was being safe as he could about it.
Doug crossed the finish timer and immediately looked back to get his time because when he had counted in his head, he was sure he was in first place. When his time flashed on the board, a huge smile broke out on his face. He had posted a time of sixty-four point fifty-four. He had barely beaten Karry, but he had done it. Doug rode off the field toward Jack. He made a face at Jack before going to wait by Nathan. He didn't dare look at James, as he didn't want anyone to spoil his good mood at the moment.
"Good job." Nathan said.
"Thank you." Doug said. "Watch that spot by the water jump the girls pointed out first. It is still a bit soft."
"I figured." Nathan said. "I am surprised you chanced it."
"I wanted a top ribbon." Doug said.
"Fair enough." Nathan said.
They didn't say anymore as they saw Jack was almost ready to start.
… … … …
