HOW I WON THE JUNIOR NATIONALS

It was a warm, hot, late summer morning. 8/31/2024, the last day of the junior nationals in eventing on horseback of 2024. After the two previous disciplines, I was second. I had to win. I had to. My heart was already racing from the moment my eyes opened in the morning. Hadn't my friend's Laura's mother, who gave me some calming, sleeping, herbal medication, been there, I would've kept waking up constantly throughout the night.

Laura is a dear friend of mine. My bestie! Or so I thought until this very competition. We used to be inseparable, until one day I became better than her. She cut me off, refused to talk to me. Even when it got better over time and we got close once again, nothing was ever the same with her. But that's a story for another day.

As soon as my eyes fluttered open, they immediately darted towards the clock on my phone, as my body got a nice wake-up heart attack since I thought I woke up too late. What a gorgeous way to start the morning. "Get up! Get up!" I yelled, shaking my friend who was sleeping peacefully by my side in the tent. "What is your problem??!" She yelled back at me, not pleased by the fact I had just woken her up. "I'm gonna die today," I state, sitting up, already accepting my fate of making a fool of myself in front of everyone by falling off or something of that sense. Oh and I mean everyone. The world famous international course designers, the olympic riders, my rivals, the little girls who came to watch ponies jump over colored sticks. All I got in response however was an annoyed groan from Eliška. "So I'll just be listening to this for the rest of the day?" she asked, again, not sounding very pleased as me dying was the only thing I rambled on about the entire day before, late into the night, until the herbal medication finally kicked in.

A couple hours flew by like nothing, it could've been around 10:00, I was nervous, brushing my horse's bronze coat after the vetcheck to make her look her best. The saddle seemed unusually heavy, the bridle unusually light and my hands unusually cold and shaky. I tacked her up, redoing it a billion times at least, because of how paranoid I was. Sooner or later, my horse Modena was all tacked up and ready to go, while I was freaking out about a tiny, practically invisible stain on my white breeches. I was all ready, equiline breeches, pikeur show jacket, everything looked perfect. I clipped the samshield helmet on my head and headed to the warmup. I was happy as I thought I had a bit more time before I actually had to go compete. Well. That didn't last long. 30 minutes and I could hear my name being called from the speakers placed around the entire area. I was sick to the stomach, sweating, nearly passing out. I had to go clear. The game is on. I enter the arena, Modena eager to go forward. I salute the judges and within 15 seconds begin approaching the first jump. "Stay calm, leg on, hand low, focus, relax" my brain kept repeating. First jump, clear. Good.

7th jump I hear the mare's hooves hit the pole. It was over, I failed, I was second, the worst place of them all. I gave up, deciding to finish the course calmly, not caring about knocking any more poles down or falling and getting disqualified. But come on, it wouldn't be me if I didn't have the tiniest speck of hope deep down at heart. I didn't hear the pole hit the ground, there still was a chance. I didn't have time to look back. So I sat up, put my leg on and finished the course. The last jump, the 110 cm oxer, clear. I turned around, the red 7th jump was still standing. I went clear. The bittersweet feeling filled my body. The feeling I hated. I still am second unless Novotná knocks a pole. I just came to terms with second place. I was second at the junior nationals. I got off the horse with a smile and began walking her around, above the arena, where I couldn't see the current leaders round. I was listening as never before. Listening for the sound of hooves hitting the pole and the pole hitting the ground. Nothing. It was over a minute, and she was finishing her round. She won.

When suddenly I heard a knock and a thump of the pole hitting the sand. I stopped in my tracks. I listened a little bit longer. Another pole down. I won. I was better than Novotná. I won nationals. I hug my horse tightly, sobbing. "The title of the champion of the Czech Republic goes to Sofie Judith Green!" I hear from the speakers. This couldn't be real. I was sobbing, everyone, even my rivals, hugging me, congratulating me. The olympic riders too.

A couple of minutes later I got the medal, the trophy, 6000 Kč and the rosette while my horse got the blanket the winner gets. I walk into the arena with Modena. Time for the lap of honor. The moment I've been dreaming of since I was a little girl. We galloped around the arena, deafening cheering, loud music, Modena bucking happily, my name on the screen, tears still streaming down my cheeks. It was unreal. I won. 

Sofie Judith Green

Edited by SM