Victory and the All-Stars Academy by Stacy Gregg Page A

Meanwhile, the other riders have a chance to watch and learn from their mistakes. When Shane rode into the ring to begin his round, the othersquad riders stopped warming up and went to the sidelines to watch him.
    Araminta had constructed a jumping course that had lots of corners and turns. “Watch your striding too,” she warned the riders. “The fences are set up intentionally with odd stridings to test your skills. You see that double? You’ll need to decide whether you do two very long canter strides between the two jumps or three very short, bouncy strides.”
    Shane was cantering around the jumps as Araminta spoke, ready and waiting for her signal to begin. His horse, a bright bay, sixteen hands high with four white socks and a white blaze, was pulling anxiously at the reins.
    â€œShe’s a Selle Français,” Stella told Issie. “Her name is Bendigo Queen. Shane’s had her for two years. Isn’t she gorgeous?”
    Issie nodded in agreement, watching as Araminta gave him the nod and Shane cantered Bendigo Queen forward to the first fence. The pair took it with surgical precision, and Issie noted that Shane’s position in the saddle was totally flawless and in balance the whole time.
    Bendigo Queen landed on the other side andfought to get her head before the next fence, but Shane took control with a firm pull of his hands on the reins and the horse obeyed. They took a sharp turn for the next fence, then pushed on to do two huge strides in the double. Then Shane collected the mare up neatly on the other side and did a very sharp turn and two very short strides to make it over the spread. Bendigo Queen tucked her feet tidily over the next three fences and then they were through the flags and home. A completely faultless clear round.
    Sitting next to Issie, Kate let out a long, low whistle. “That was one of the most professional showjumping rounds I’ve ever seen,” she said.
    â€œI know,” Issie agreed. “He’s got this amazing position. He barely moves as he goes over the fences.”
    Stella beamed. “That’s my boyfriend!”
    â€œYeah,” said Morgan darkly. “And he’s also our competition!”
    Six of the eight Australian riders managed to get totally clear rounds on their first try. The other two only chalked up eight faults each, and by the time they were done, Issie and the others realised exactly what they were up against.
    â€œThey’re all brilliant!” Kate said miserably.
    â€œOK, so they’re pretty good…” Issie admitted.
    â€œGood?” Kate groaned. “Were you watching how they rode out there? They’re totally slick, technically flawless. How are we going to beat them at the competition next weekend?”
    â€œIt’s just a friendly contest, right?” Stella offered cheerfully.
    â€œSome of us are making it a bit too friendly,” said Morgan grumpily.
    â€œWhat’s that supposed to mean?” Stella snapped back.
    â€œI mean, stop talking about your boyfriend and focus on your riding. We’ve come all this way and I want to win.”
    â€œI am totally focused,” Stella said.
    â€œWe all need to be focused,” agreed Kate. “The Australians are good—if we want to win the competition then we’re going to have to be even better.”
    The New Zealand riders all delivered solid, if unspectacular, showjumping rounds that day. When Issie rode into the ring to take her turn, she feltnervous about riding Victory over jumps for the very first time. She needn’t have worried though. The Thoroughbred gelding once again proved his experience and schooling by behaving perfectly in the ring and responding precisely to all her cues.
    Issie used the lessons she had learnt from the few mistakes that the Australians made. She didn’t cut the corner too tight on fence number three and she took the same stridings that she had seen Shane