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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4i0FONXeHs
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVrOxBcxXs
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQ2mzwH6rI
Hassan shuffled across the aisle at least as tiredly as I was and yawned as he raised his hand in greeting.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyVstp85sa
I nodded to him. This man was my spirit animal!25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXjGBSxqHf
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVOiARVdOq
"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?"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvZelPUfKq
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."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKufN1mWelE
He laughed throatily. "Well, don't let the boy go alone. That only brings bad luck."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUAbCIuV1M
"Superstition I don't understand, or is there more to it?"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbRpgF24GL
Oleg shrugged. "Gut feeling!"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrcy2sWGml
"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?"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7KdmCP4rC
"The young lady arrived late. Everything's packed!" Oleg grinned and winked at me. "Only Pola's bread is missing."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIsJRR5qwe
"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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9wPH6JH6e
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?"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWtMJoAT07
I shrugged. "I just thought it was unfair that we were competing here. Look around. Most people are here for fun."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtq1cRkmNXk
"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."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjshLWomeP
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1av7YajS7
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!25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIEkkIZ8Pj
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaponuq8Azk
While I wanted to sink into myself, he openly defied me. How I admired him for it!25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaqa6b00QA
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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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZfFmRuCE3
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzGijz0QsS
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlId4YuOAu
My heart was pounding in my throat. 25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZMXzkIJV5
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGdnfq0nND
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxmGY2bhuu
Hassan didn't notice; he rode as always. Focused, correct, and above all, forward. He was with the horse.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhpqDJIUBb
It got louder with every jump.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Uzb3jTEIC
Nila grabbed the beam and her fingers dug deep into the wood.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SfZiSjMuO
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGWuaBYgd7
Nobody did anything! Nobody said anything!25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtqMcAg6kJ
Hassan was completely pale as he rode out of the arena. Nila lunged. I was paralyzed. His shoulders slumped, his hands trembled.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0czbHuUg0d
Something about a clear round blared from the loudspeakers, despite the audience's displeasure. Displeasure—what a lousy word for that!25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSu2YcZONPZ
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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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWa6NFNSV2k
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMjNNfYJf1
Hassan looked lost. He should have been beaming, grinning from ear to ear, delighted with his achievement, but he just looked shaken.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7s1yYT4YA
My heart sank.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNpwPREhvB
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!"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgHYEM2U6j
The organizer flinched. "I'm really sorry..."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKWLJNaOlw
"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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHL4Ne1gXB0
"I... We..."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdt2CTXzIXz
"Yes?"25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSrawUnDZa
"We're afraid of riots."25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4MlaAJOR3
"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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