Battle of the Barns 2018   (scroll down to view slideshow of pictures!)

What a fun time we all had! So many smiling faces! This is the reward for all of us that showed up and put in the time and effort it takes to put on an event. The only game that gave us grief was the Egg & Spoon! So many balanced riders with focus even at a trot - hardly a dropped an egg. We practically had to turn it into a horse race to get them to drop the egg! New strategy and smaller spoons next year!

 As for the Dolly Parton Race - Ladies I have all year to find bigger water balloons.

 I received so many compliments and thanks for a fun event that I have to give credit where it’s due. First I want to thank the judges - Bonnie Stohen, Steve Shupe and our board president Karen Bish for spending all day in the arena with smiles on their faces, good humor and a great attitude. Not one of them has scolded me for not having enough judges or enough prior preparation - yet. Also I want to thank Steve Shupe for spending the additional time to tally the scores. I know we were all hungry, tired and thirsty but they persevered. I have to give extra thanks to Steve Shupe and Karen Bish for stepping in at the last minute after we lost two of our volunteer judges. 

HUGE thanks to Heather Shupe for for putting the scoring together and the schedule for the day. She always knew the right questions to ask and when I didn’t have the answer she stepped in and just took care of it. I will be eternally grateful for that and the hard cider :) 

Thank you to my husband Ron Benson who works so hard anyway and then to take the time to build the Clothes Line Game structure that turned out so well.

 My good friend Jane Brown that showed up on Friday to help with setup. I know I’m leaving people out of this - so I apologize for that. 

The really nice volunteers from Lichen Oaks that ran the waffle stand - thank you for being there and helping out. Watch this: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sttne6m955cuomw/loarc-final.mov?dl=0 

Thank you Mary Sullivan, as always for your lunch/snack bar and the pickle pizza that everyone loved, and for always returning my calls and texts so quickly to answer my questions. 

HUGE thanks to my lovely friend Renee that made and served us dinner - thank you so much - YOU Rocked it! 

Thank you Jan Jensen for your help, your creativity, for getting us the blue grass band Whiskey West and just being there to help with everything. I’m sorry so many people missed out on this great music but I know their ponies were tired too and needed to get home.

Thank you to my very good friend Kathy Rodoni for donating the pumpkins from her and Danny’s pumpkin/corn field with the creepy scarecrow and helping me load them in my truck for the event. That was fun, even though we heard something/someone(?) in the corn!! 

Thank you Robin Musitelli for your calm encouragement and your sound advice. For being the one to run the soccer games and for helping me put everything in the arena away before dinner. 

The hugest thanks goes to the 35 riders and their horses that showed up to play. Thank you for your patience and good sportsmanship. You are the reason we put this event on! 

Carol Kelley, Board Member, Event Coordinator