The Trip: Daralyn Wallace and I drove together from College Station, Texas, to Vinton. It's about a four-hour drive once you factor in potty breaks. For once, I actually got away on schedule, so we arrived in plenty of time to unpack during the designted pre-show set-up time on Friday afternoon. I hereby resolve to try to do this for every show. It was so nice not having to rush like a mad thing trying to finish unpacking even after the first classes were called on Saturday morning!
The Hotel: Apparently Vinton doesn't have any hotels of its own. Jennifer had arranged special show rates at the Holiday Inn Express in Orange, Texas, just across the state line. Now, I haven't always had the best experiences at hotels in smaller cities, but the HIEx put big-city hotels to shame. The room, actually a suite, was huge and very comfortable. The hotel staff, from front desk clerks to the lady keeping the continental breakfast (complimentary, by the way) refilled each morning, were friendly and helpful.
The Show: Everyone did a super job keeping things running smoothly and closely on schedule. Even though there were fewer people showing than, say, at Lone Star Live or some of the other "mega-shows," the level of competition was no less, and the judges dubbed more than one of the halter classes "evil" because it was so difficult to choose the best of the best. I didn't envy them the task, either! There were some fabulous models in every class. Some of them were totally new to those of us from Texas, including some of the judges. There were a lot of unfamiliar faces at the show, since the venue drew folks from Louisiana, Mississippi and even Florida, as well as from Texas and Oklahoma. I think there may have been someone from Arkansas and maybe one other state, too, but can't remember for sure.
There were relatively few performance entrants, but again, there was no lack of quality, at least to my untrained eye. (Sue Stewart, our performance judge, might have a different opinion on that. LOL!) One nice thing was that we all had plenty of table space for our set-ups. I've been to some large shows where it was difficult to tell where one entry stopped and another one started because the tables were so crowded. And sometimes people just gave up on a particular class because the only space left was so tiny or so badly placed it endangered their horse or props. That was definitely not a problem at CCL. Jennifer had allotted plenty of space in the judging ring for performance, and the tables were nice-sized, almost new, sturdy and level enough to give even "tippy" models a secure footing.
Personally, I had a very successful show, bringing home lots of NAN cards in both halter and performance, several rosettes and even a couple of trophies. Yay! But every show is a learning experience, and the fun and the camaraderie of other model horse folks makes it worthwhile no matter what the results.
The Judges: Sue, Kim, Daralyn, Cindy, Lori, and Jennifer had their hands full with all the lovely models. They did a fantastic job, though, keeping things on track and getting done by a bit after 6 p.m. on Saturday (by far the busiest day) and even earlier on Sunday.
The Food: I've left one of the best parts for last. I can't recall a show where I've eaten so much and such good food!
Friday night, I went with Daralyn and Cindy McMahon to Spanky's, which the desk clerk at the Holiday Inn Express recommended. It's an unassuming little bar and grill a couple of miles from the hotel in Orange, Texas, but it had wonderful food. We all ordered something different, and every one of our meals was yummy!
After the show Saturday, several of us traveled into Lake Charles to Steamboat Bill's -- another winner! Looking around the table, I saw quite a variety of options from their menu, and I don't think anyone left much on their plates. I wish I hadn't left my camera in the car. Jennifer's husband gave an impromptu demonstration on the correct way to dismember and eat a boiled crab. It's a very messy job. I think I'll stick with crab meat that's already been removed from the shell!
Jennifer's home-cooked Cajun cuisine for lunch both days was every bit as good as the restaurant meals. She served gumbo, potato salad, and candy-bar cake (to die for!) on Saturday. Sunday's menu was red beans and rice with sausage, corn bread, and a delicious apple cinnamon cake. I ate like the proverbial pig and enjoyed every bite!
The End. :-D
