|
The Crazy Emotions of a Competition
Mariano Prado from Brazil describes the emotions she felt before competing in a horseback riding event. Only someone who has competed in a sports event knows what it's like feeling all those crazy emotions of a competition. It's in those kinds of events that you discover that courage and fear can be felt together at the same time. I used to participate in horseback riding competitions in Brazil, and the one I remember most was my last Brazilian Championship three years ago. This tournament is considered the most difficult one for riders in my category because of all the difficulties involved. To begin with, the person responsible for setting the hurdles sequence is considered the best in my country, and he's also very well-known internationally, which meant that in my three days of competition I would have to face every possible difficulty permitted in my category. Another factor that made this specific tournament special was that it happened in the wintertime in the coldest state of Brazil, Rio Grande Do Sul. In cold weather, a horse becomes more energetic and friskier than in hot weather. Adding one more obstacle to those already mentioned, the type of arena I had to face was totally different from the one I'm used to. In this one I'd have to be much more careful because instead of a sandy terrain which I'm used to, I would confront a grassy terrain which is a slippery one. So, I would have to be much more careful on my ride so that I would not risk my horse in a dangerous turn. Usually I wouldn't worry about this last problem since I almost never ride on a grassy terrain in my home city. I woke up that morning feeling butterflies in my stomach, and at the same time I was feeling proud of myself. As the day passed, and the time of my ride was arriving, I had different feelings: fear, courage, fear, pride, fear, confidence, fear, honor. I prepared myself and my horse for our ride and went to the paddock, the area where riders wait their turn. Suddenly, an accident happened almost in front of me. A girl from another state fell and hurt herself and the horse in the fall. I was shocked, and at that moment, I was convinced that I wouldn't be able to complete my turn. My coach was inside the arena helping the girl and I was alone, waiting for my turn. Thank God that a friend of mine, who is also a professional, realized that I was the next rider and that I had seen the accident. He came to talk to me about what had happened inside the arena, how the girl made the mistake, and how I could avoid it. I don't really remember what exactly happened inside the arena; I just remember how I felt in control of the situation and how I loved it. The minute my ride was completed, all my friends were congratulating me on my performance. I did a perfect ride.
Return to: Winning Competitions | Issue 9 | Home Page
|
