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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡds8Nf86HIK
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1hsDoeAAZ
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVIFMRKTM7
Hassan shuffled across the aisle at least as tiredly as I was and yawned as he raised his hand in greeting.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKgOLCcGgV
I nodded to him. This man was my spirit animal!12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwtDnTR8h8
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wMlQu3jbE
"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?"12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrH1Iqpt7I9
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."12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3npNVvHGeq
He laughed throatily. "Well, don't let the boy go alone. That only brings bad luck."12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRTCNmjudn
"Superstition I don't understand, or is there more to it?"12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RkTfYjQ7l
Oleg shrugged. "Gut feeling!"12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGh3eJCxtM
"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?"12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzop2mKwrvf
"The young lady arrived late. Everything's packed!" Oleg grinned and winked at me. "Only Pola's bread is missing."12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevNwysrLUd
"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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwX1RCtimYB
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?"12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySImwCoVR2
I shrugged. "I just thought it was unfair that we were competing here. Look around. Most people are here for fun."12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXxuY3YFom
"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."12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWcUgbFic1h
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2OiwQUhM3
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!12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPuvGLk70VC
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZf2vBsU43s
While I wanted to sink into myself, he openly defied me. How I admired him for it!12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1tEsWr9Zi
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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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSkzLglA1K
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHizUqozs1h
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHcfZCjYxR
My heart was pounding in my throat. 12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2NHlGhieta
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ggCsZXz6A
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp82vuN6gjO
Hassan didn't notice; he rode as always. Focused, correct, and above all, forward. He was with the horse.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFIQw9N8OrS
It got louder with every jump.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFaA839vLX
Nila grabbed the beam and her fingers dug deep into the wood.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMv4TBt5ZK5
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3kmQxfVlT
Nobody did anything! Nobody said anything!12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiua9zFfqH1
Hassan was completely pale as he rode out of the arena. Nila lunged. I was paralyzed. His shoulders slumped, his hands trembled.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nlJhT8cEd
Something about a clear round blared from the loudspeakers, despite the audience's displeasure. Displeasure—what a lousy word for that!12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApeJiTwJpf
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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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwYIn6fiuA
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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopevotrLGH
Hassan looked lost. He should have been beaming, grinning from ear to ear, delighted with his achievement, but he just looked shaken.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnEaJLoVvR
My heart sank.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbczP5x6RH
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!"12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSG33wzcGHY
The organizer flinched. "I'm really sorry..."12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAXF3ycOl6
"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.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dtVOFPxCC
"I... We..."12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oO60rHiaU
"Yes?"12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENABlocjMS
"We're afraid of riots."12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkNLiSMq88
"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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