The beginning of November means… it’s horse show time!  You may remember from previous posts that our niece rides in horse shows. The shows remind me of dance recitals – an afternoon of spirited music, sparkly costumes and kids wearing huge smiles. There was the occasional toddler meltdown or sudden bout of stage fright, but most dance recital participants were on their best behavior. At horse shows, the riders, trainers, and parents all know the drill and conduct themselves accordingly. The horses, although stunningly gorgeous, occasionally walk, trot and canter to a different beat… pooping and kicking as they go. I love it!

Murfreesboro Tennessee is a seven-hour drive from home, so we broke up the drive with an overnight stay in Pigeon Forge. During our brief time there, we enjoyed a meal at Local Goat, visited the Alcatraz East Crime Museum and rode an alpine coaster… sadly, I don’t remember the name because there are a few coasters in Pigeon Forge.

For the 2022 National Academy Horse Show Championships, we camped at a nearby state park. This year we opted to camp at the Tennessee Miller Arena and really enjoyed having our accommodations steps away from all the action. We took it easy each morning and casually walked to arena when it was time to watch our niece ride. In between equitation and showmanship groups, we walked back to our camper to grab a snack, take a bathroom break and/or enjoy a few moments in the sunshine.

Diane, my sister-in-law, and Michael, my brother-in-law, planned, organized, and carried out a fun weekend for their barn’s participants and families. They made sure snacks and supplies for the riders were always readily available at the arena, lunches were delivered daily and they even hosted a barn family campsite cookout. Diane (the hair bun wizard) also helped the girls get their hair show ready. 

Uncle Matt and I, along with Grandma Jean and Bill, provided additional support as needed… picking up takeout food orders, fetching bags of ice and random supplies (such as blinky tutu skirts for the parade of barns) and assisted in emptying the gray water tank on a barn family’s rental camper. It was fun supporting the riders and watching them encourage each other – inside and outside the arena.

To break up the trip home, we stopped at the Douglas Dam Tailwater Campground for one night. The campground was quiet and the views were beautiful. If you’re ever in the area, give it a try.