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Monday, October 28, 2013

Fitzrada: National Horse Show 1948 and Season of 1949

 In November of 1948, Jane returned to the National Horse Show, this time riding several of Marie Greenhalgh hunters in addition to Fitzrada. Fitzrada did not do well this time. He refused the same fence twice before Cappy Smith, a famous rider, entered the arena to give Jane some advice. While pretending to adjust one of the stirrups, he told Jane to keep contact with Fitzrada the whole time. He then left the arena. Afterward, Jane rode him easily over the fence.

 Later that day, an artist by the name Paul Brown approached Jane about sketching Fitzrada. He drew some quick sketches o use as reference for later ones.

 Jane didn't earn any ribbons that National Horse Show. Nevertheless, she still entered Fitzrada in twelve shows the next year, winning four tricolor jumper ribbons and four tricolor hunter ribbons. She also won the Master's Challenge Bowl at the Loundoun Hunt Horse Show. for the second year in a row. The year before, Jane's sister had ridden Fitzrada in that class since Jane had been pregnant.

 After that show, Fitzrada touched a pole in one of his classes, costing him the Jumper Championship. He did, however, win the Working Hunter Championship. He lost at several other shows after that before winning all but one class he had entered in a show at Ohio. Then, he came second in a knock-down-and-out class settled by four jump-offs.

 In the National Horse Show of 1949, Fitzrada won one first place ribbon and two second place ribbons in the hunter classes. The last class would decide who the champion and reserve champion would be, but one horse failed to show up, letting Fitzrada enter instead. Fitzrada came second in the class, making him reserve champion.

 After that show, Jane decided that Fitzrada's show career should begin to slow down. She entered several shows. Among them was the Loundoun Hunt Horse, where she won the Master's Challenge Bowl a third time, retiring it. Jane even brought her horse to the 1950 National Horse Show.

 She entered several class. One class consisted of many jumps and tight turns. To win it, a horse must finish both quickly and without many faults. Fitzrada did so, getting only one fault. By the end of the show, he had come second in the Working Hunter Championship. Jane retired him afterward.

 In early September of 1952, Fitzrada broke his hock. though the vet did all he could, Fitzrada later passed away.

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