Saturday - 09.08 The Tournament
Saturday morning began far too early. The fog still hung over the fields, and the meadows were drenched in morning dew.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItQe21MeG1
I still had the taste of coffee on my tongue as I walked to the stable. Although it was still summer, I still held my fleece jacket tightly against my body.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH09DoAsKLo
The tiredness still lingered in my pores. It was too early for me and made me doubt, once again, whether riding in competitions was really what I wanted to do with my whole life. As always, when it started so early.
David was already in the stable, as were Hassan and Nila. If I was lucky, my horses were already ready. I could even kiss them every time! After all, you didn't always get that kind of service everywhere.
Soft music reached my ears, mingling with the rustling of straw and footsteps in the stable aisle as I entered. David was, as always when it was time for a tournament, in a great mood, whistling along softly to the songs and whirling around the stable with the ease I always wished for in the morning.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6iSgH64fma
Hassan shuffled across the aisle at least as tiredly as I was and yawned as he raised his hand in greeting.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzflhJibCGo
I nodded to him. This man was my spirit animal!13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOH8rmfbtic
In the small tie-up stall, Nila was already tying up one of my horses. The little brown horse certainly didn't make it easy for her, constantly jerking his head up and shifting from one hoof to the other.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJDzrlisV5
"Good morning," mumbled Oleg, who had stopped next to me. "It's going to be a tiring day. David said you have to go to a farmers' meeting in the evening?"13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXCpQwYMRJ
I nodded. "I don't know if I'll go. Maybe I'll be so tired that I'll fall asleep in front of the TV."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvBWMbepIW
He laughed throatily. "Well, don't let the boy go alone. That only brings bad luck."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoLbvCkR2d
"Superstition I don't understand, or is there more to it?"13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNqA0ni7Yx
Oleg shrugged. "Gut feeling!"13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSCffNxoOa
"Okay. I'll think about it, and otherwise the three of us will just watch the Saturday thriller." Lying comfortably on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, sounded a thousand times better than sitting in a stuffy pub, listening to whining about subsidies and grain harvests. "Is everything packed yet?"13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84CmAGXzk1
"The young lady arrived late. Everything's packed!" Oleg grinned and winked at me. "Only Pola's bread is missing."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZLrLQTaJJ
"Good, then I guess I'll go back into the house!" What a hint, that I'd otherwise be in the way. Thanks, Oleg.
When we arrived at the riding club's grounds, the sun was already high in the sky. We parked between private trailers and vans, and I only spotted one other truck, a sales and breeding stable. What a shame. I preferred riding against professionals rather than people who were just there for fun and then looked annoyed when I was better than them. It was unfair, too.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlbowq71CQ
Hassan gave me a scrutinizing look. We were standing with the horses, and David was getting ready for the first test. "Why do you look so thoughtful?"13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6atd9Yjs4N
I shrugged. "I just thought it was unfair that we were competing here. Look around. Most people are here for fun."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyIptlzh2hy
"So? We have to make money. Placed horses sell better than unplaced horses. I always think that at shows like this, maybe someone will find their new companion in one of my horses."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNViSvEr5X
I liked the idea, too, and was always happy when someone came up to me after a show and asked if the horse was for sale and how much we were willing to sell it for. Still, I didn't really think it was that good.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAawUaQXsz
Riders passed us. Some stared conspicuously at Hassan, even though he looked perfectly normal in his white show clothes. I didn't like the atmosphere!13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZUn0rmakj
I looked for David's gaze, but he was far too preoccupied with his horse to notice my doubts.
Even as we stood at the fence, eagerly watching David's round, the staring didn't improve. I wanted to grab Hassan and tell him we were going home, but he would never back down! He stood beside me, strikingly upright. His shoulders squared and as proud as ever.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0eAMYct8Pf
While I wanted to sink into myself, he openly defied me. How I admired him for it!13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDUwJNSHJo
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It got even worse when Hassan rode. His horse for this M-level show jumping competition was a beautiful bay, with such correct foundations that riding it could only be fun.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOP9julioT
As soon as he was announced, a murmur went through the crowd. Quiet, like an ominous whisper. I immediately sank deeper into my fleece jacket, as if it was my protective shield. Still, that murmur crept under my skin, into my bones. It gripped me and made me shiver.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZj8qs4muvn
Nila stood next to me. She pressed her lips together tensely and kept her gaze fixed on Hassan, who was greeting the judges and waiting for the bell.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2Gsi0DLhU
My heart was pounding in my throat. 13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ODX8dMYa3
The bell rang out, and he cantered off. Smooth, beautiful strides toward the first jump. It looked so easy, the way only someone who loved what he did could make it appear. The bay horse leaped. Clean, still with plenty of air, but Hassan sat as loosely as some of the amateur riders could only wish for. Nila breathed a sigh of relief.
And then it happened.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡViFAu9PM2t
The bay horse was just getting back up and Hassan was riding him forward toward the next jump when the booing started. At first it only came from one corner, and then more and more joined in.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5alwhEzfT0
Hassan didn't notice; he rode as always. Focused, correct, and above all, forward. He was with the horse.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbaABySsL7S
It got louder with every jump.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFzqcp2i6E
Nila grabbed the beam and her fingers dug deep into the wood.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWp87aRAwxQ
Tears burned in my eyes. A bitter taste spread across my tongue. Every fiber of my being wanted to scream. Tell these idiots to shut up. I felt helpless. I wanted it to stop! Hassan rode well! Better than most of the others here. He didn't deserve this! Why were they doing this?
Hassan pulled away after clearing the last jump. Dazed, he blinked into the stands. With wide-open eyes, he searched for me and Nila, who were still helplessly watching these people trying to take away his achievement.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMsoFwzZjs
Nobody did anything! Nobody said anything!13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tsbdhvNQN
Hassan was completely pale as he rode out of the arena. Nila lunged. I was paralyzed. His shoulders slumped, his hands trembled.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtklUWi8L6h
Something about a clear round blared from the loudspeakers, despite the audience's displeasure. Displeasure—what a lousy word for that!13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFp3tneF3Ml
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Only slowly did I come to life. I squeezed through the crowd, hurried after Nila, who was already running. My heart was pounding. Who was responsible for this? Anger gripped me, mingling with worry for Hassan.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6nFi78DdK
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw David, his face bright red, arguing with the organizer, who was getting smaller and paler by the minute.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplIlMvxLa4
Hassan looked lost. He should have been beaming, grinning from ear to ear, delighted with his achievement, but he just looked shaken.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZtQNwSQAM
My heart sank.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dPkz8rFVS
Nila was standing beside him. She had placed a hand on his forearm and was talking to him quietly. Her gaze darted nervously toward the spectators, as if she expected some of them to pounce on him at any moment. I wanted to say how sorry I was that he should have stayed home, but I couldn't. I wanted to hug him and reassure him that everything would be okay, but wouldn't that be lying to him?
"We're going!" David's voice came through to me, loud and firm. "We don't support this fascism!"13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaRsjlH9Oo
The organizer flinched. "I'm really sorry..."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOn5FmjffOX
"Oh yeah? Then why do they want to remove him from their ranking?" David took another step closer to the stocky man, who immediately shrank even further.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNteRiS76V
"I... We..."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZLv08dm5C
"Yes?"13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9vbNuEHuf
"We're afraid of riots."13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVc9Od6lWU6
"Riots at a horse show. I've never laughed harder!" David shook his head dismissively and looked at me. "Hanni, get Hassan and Nila, we're going!" He turned back to the organizer. His smile became more charming, more dangerous. I should really intervene, but I didn't see the point! Not after what had just happened. "Of course we want our entry fee back. I expect they'll refund us as a matter of course, won't they?"
As I mechanically followed Hassan and Nila, only one question echoed in my head. Was this just the beginning? Or just an unfortunate isolated incident?
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