Status: Working on redoing part of this.
Oxers and Liverpools
Chapter Eleven
Lillian could almost feel the tension in the air as she took Aquino over one last warm up jump. It wasn't long now; in a few minutes she would be riding back into the International Ring for the jump off. She went over the course with Zachary just minutes earlier, and since she had the slower time, she was riding first. She tried to push the nervous, anxious thoughts out of her mind. It would be difficult riding first in the jump off. She was unable to watch Theodore's round first to see the areas in the short course she needs to watch out for, or any spots he has troubles with. Not only would she have to keep the rails up, she would have to have a very fast time.
"One minute," Sam called to Lillian from the side of the arena where he was watching her. Lillian felt the butterflies in her stomach and was inwardly glad she didn't eat before she rode. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this nervous for a jump off. She tried to force everything out of her mind as she circled Aquino one last time before heading up to the clock tower. She smiled numbly to those who wished her good luck as she passed them at a trot. She didn't give Aquino any time to consider balking at the gate as she rode in at a working trot.
She hardly listened to the announcer as she waited for the bell to ring. Aquino held his head high as she took him past a brightly coloured jump that wasn't included in their course. She urged him into a canter upon hearing the bell, letting him lengthen his strides and quicken his pace as they approached the first jump, the staircase. Aquino cleared it easily and she turned sharply around the jump, heading back to a vertical that wasn't included in the first jump. She prepared him for the jump in the split seconds before and he jumped over it clearly with a swish of his tail. After landing she let him stretch out over the ground at a good, fast pace as they approached the liverpools.
In the last few strides before the combination, Lillian half halted him to get his balance back. She knew Aquino would probably swing to the right, but she didn't attempt to stop him; it worked well in the first round, and she was counting on it to work again. She had guessed correctly; Aquino cleared the first liverpool and drifted to the right side of the next and cleared it, although sloppily. She was able to turn sharply from there to the next jump, a tall white and black vertical. She tugged on the reins desperately as Aquino tossed his head, fighting for the bit again.
She heard the crowd gasp as they landed from the vertical and glanced over her shoulder as she turned sharply before a tall collection of flowers nearby. The rails, although rattled, stayed in the cups. She didn't have time to think about it as she turned the stallion to the next jump. She realized her mistake as Aquino took off. She'd missed a stride, cutting the corner to the jump too sharply causing there to be no room to shape him for the jump. However, Aquino leaped over the jump with surprising scope, as if determined to make up for rattling the previous rail. She barely managed to hold him back for the final jump, which were bright blue planks, but Aquino cleared the jump easily, kicking his hind hooves up to make sure he didn't hit them. After landing she leaned forward, giving him rein and urging him into a gallop across the finish until the timers were stopped.
Although she went clear, Lillian wasn't sure if it would be enough. She slowed Aquino to a trot as she neared the clock tower and rode him out underneath, searching for Zachary. It was not, by far, her best round and she knew she had been lucky. Once clear of the gate, she swung out of the saddle as Theodore passed on his stallion, Castillo. Sam took the reins and led Aquino back to the warm up ring to cool him down, as Lillian joined Zachary at the gates to watch Theodore ride.
"Not bad, but I'd say you were lucky at the last two jumps," Zachary said without looking at Lillian as she came to his side, twisting her hands nervously as she watched Theodore begin his round. Neither of them spoke as they watched the black stallion approach the first jump at a good speed. She had to admire the scope the stallion had; he cleared each jump easily as if the rails were several holes higher.
Lillian held her breath as she watched him clear the liverpools, then the vertical. The riders around her that were watching were completely silent, along with most of the crowds as Theodore jumped the next jump clear. In the few strides before the last jump, Lillian was sure he was going to win. She almost looked away at the last jump, but as she expected, he cleared it.
Immediately her attention turned to the clock across the arena. To her complete surprise, 'Rank 2' flashed across the screen, before the finished standings. She had come first! She beat Theodore's score by only one second.
"You won!" Zachary clapped her on the back, as some of the riders around her congratulated her. She stared, frozen at the screen for a moment as if she didn't believe what she saw before she numbly smiled back to the other riders. She searched the crowds swiftly once she realized Zachary wasn't with her and spotted him motioning at her to follow. A grin stretched across her face as she jogged towards him, finding him standing next to Sam with Aquino. There was a woman Lillian didn't recognize putting the winners cooler on Aquino and motioning for her to get up into the saddle for the presentation.
"You did great, Lily," Sam patted her on the back as she climbed up into Aquino's saddle, which was now covered by the white cooler.
"Thanks," Lillian grinned. She gathered up the reins, reaching down to stroke Aquino's neck, at loss at what to say. Her gaze suddenly landed on Theodore on Castillo and she nodded to him; he was too far away to hear anything she had to say. Her grin faded slightly as she saw his stony expression before her attention was drawn to the woman who was waving at her frantically to get into the ring.
"We're behind schedule - you need to get in the ring for the awards presentation," the woman was saying to her hastily, attempting to herd her into the ring.
Lillian nodded as she rode Aquino back into the ring. Some of the arena crew were dismantling the jumps, but to one end of the ring was where the trophy sat and some official looking people she didn't recognize. She rode into the ring first, with Theodore and the other riders who had placed after her. She halted Aquino near where the announcer stood where the trophy stood. She stroked Aquino's neck as the stallion watched the people around him curiously. A younger girl came up to fasten the ribbon on his bridle before hanging onto his reins as Lillian dismounted and nervously approached the trophy stand. Luckily, most of the crowds were dispersing; few people wanted to stick around and watch the awards presentation.
She wasn't quite sure what was said during the presentation as the announcer introduced her as the first place winner and she was presented a check for the $7,500 winnings she won. She was then told to hoist up the trophy as a few photographers took pictures before returning to Aquino. The photographers took a few pictures with her and Aquino standing next to the Enbridge jump before she could finally ride out of the arena.
"One minute," Sam called to Lillian from the side of the arena where he was watching her. Lillian felt the butterflies in her stomach and was inwardly glad she didn't eat before she rode. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this nervous for a jump off. She tried to force everything out of her mind as she circled Aquino one last time before heading up to the clock tower. She smiled numbly to those who wished her good luck as she passed them at a trot. She didn't give Aquino any time to consider balking at the gate as she rode in at a working trot.
She hardly listened to the announcer as she waited for the bell to ring. Aquino held his head high as she took him past a brightly coloured jump that wasn't included in their course. She urged him into a canter upon hearing the bell, letting him lengthen his strides and quicken his pace as they approached the first jump, the staircase. Aquino cleared it easily and she turned sharply around the jump, heading back to a vertical that wasn't included in the first jump. She prepared him for the jump in the split seconds before and he jumped over it clearly with a swish of his tail. After landing she let him stretch out over the ground at a good, fast pace as they approached the liverpools.
In the last few strides before the combination, Lillian half halted him to get his balance back. She knew Aquino would probably swing to the right, but she didn't attempt to stop him; it worked well in the first round, and she was counting on it to work again. She had guessed correctly; Aquino cleared the first liverpool and drifted to the right side of the next and cleared it, although sloppily. She was able to turn sharply from there to the next jump, a tall white and black vertical. She tugged on the reins desperately as Aquino tossed his head, fighting for the bit again.
She heard the crowd gasp as they landed from the vertical and glanced over her shoulder as she turned sharply before a tall collection of flowers nearby. The rails, although rattled, stayed in the cups. She didn't have time to think about it as she turned the stallion to the next jump. She realized her mistake as Aquino took off. She'd missed a stride, cutting the corner to the jump too sharply causing there to be no room to shape him for the jump. However, Aquino leaped over the jump with surprising scope, as if determined to make up for rattling the previous rail. She barely managed to hold him back for the final jump, which were bright blue planks, but Aquino cleared the jump easily, kicking his hind hooves up to make sure he didn't hit them. After landing she leaned forward, giving him rein and urging him into a gallop across the finish until the timers were stopped.
Although she went clear, Lillian wasn't sure if it would be enough. She slowed Aquino to a trot as she neared the clock tower and rode him out underneath, searching for Zachary. It was not, by far, her best round and she knew she had been lucky. Once clear of the gate, she swung out of the saddle as Theodore passed on his stallion, Castillo. Sam took the reins and led Aquino back to the warm up ring to cool him down, as Lillian joined Zachary at the gates to watch Theodore ride.
"Not bad, but I'd say you were lucky at the last two jumps," Zachary said without looking at Lillian as she came to his side, twisting her hands nervously as she watched Theodore begin his round. Neither of them spoke as they watched the black stallion approach the first jump at a good speed. She had to admire the scope the stallion had; he cleared each jump easily as if the rails were several holes higher.
Lillian held her breath as she watched him clear the liverpools, then the vertical. The riders around her that were watching were completely silent, along with most of the crowds as Theodore jumped the next jump clear. In the few strides before the last jump, Lillian was sure he was going to win. She almost looked away at the last jump, but as she expected, he cleared it.
Immediately her attention turned to the clock across the arena. To her complete surprise, 'Rank 2' flashed across the screen, before the finished standings. She had come first! She beat Theodore's score by only one second.
"You won!" Zachary clapped her on the back, as some of the riders around her congratulated her. She stared, frozen at the screen for a moment as if she didn't believe what she saw before she numbly smiled back to the other riders. She searched the crowds swiftly once she realized Zachary wasn't with her and spotted him motioning at her to follow. A grin stretched across her face as she jogged towards him, finding him standing next to Sam with Aquino. There was a woman Lillian didn't recognize putting the winners cooler on Aquino and motioning for her to get up into the saddle for the presentation.
"You did great, Lily," Sam patted her on the back as she climbed up into Aquino's saddle, which was now covered by the white cooler.
"Thanks," Lillian grinned. She gathered up the reins, reaching down to stroke Aquino's neck, at loss at what to say. Her gaze suddenly landed on Theodore on Castillo and she nodded to him; he was too far away to hear anything she had to say. Her grin faded slightly as she saw his stony expression before her attention was drawn to the woman who was waving at her frantically to get into the ring.
"We're behind schedule - you need to get in the ring for the awards presentation," the woman was saying to her hastily, attempting to herd her into the ring.
Lillian nodded as she rode Aquino back into the ring. Some of the arena crew were dismantling the jumps, but to one end of the ring was where the trophy sat and some official looking people she didn't recognize. She rode into the ring first, with Theodore and the other riders who had placed after her. She halted Aquino near where the announcer stood where the trophy stood. She stroked Aquino's neck as the stallion watched the people around him curiously. A younger girl came up to fasten the ribbon on his bridle before hanging onto his reins as Lillian dismounted and nervously approached the trophy stand. Luckily, most of the crowds were dispersing; few people wanted to stick around and watch the awards presentation.
She wasn't quite sure what was said during the presentation as the announcer introduced her as the first place winner and she was presented a check for the $7,500 winnings she won. She was then told to hoist up the trophy as a few photographers took pictures before returning to Aquino. The photographers took a few pictures with her and Aquino standing next to the Enbridge jump before she could finally ride out of the arena.
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:)