All The Pretty Ribbons
Fact: You don’t show for the ribbons, you show for the experience.
Also Fact: A crappy ride can earn the same ribbon that a good ride doesn’t earn.
More Facts: I haven’t won a ribbon in a really, really, really long time… and I really miss them.
For years, my ribbons stayed in a box with my mom because she was toying with the idea of sewing them into a quilt for me. I couldn’t really get behind that idea, because I have some strange ribbon colors from one show series in particular and I don’t want a beautiful ribbon quilt to be covered with rainbow stripes. At my pleading, she mailed them to me this week.
Ribbons! I gleefully went through them and took a trip down memory lane. I don’t remember every ribbon, but I do remember every show… especially when I started to count them and create pie charts like Viva Carlos did because I think it is the best idea ever.
Since I have only shown 3 horses in my life, and 2 out of the 3 were just one off times… I divided my ribbons into ones won by Elvis, ones won through IHSA (Intercollegiate Horse Show Association) and “Other” which includes hunter pace ribbons, a loaner horse and the 1 ribbon from my 4H County Horse Show disaster.
I wasn’t at all surprised to see just how many ribbons Elvis won me, because he’s the only horse I’ve ever consistently shown. What was surprising is that I won more IHSA ribbons than others… I always thought I kinda sucked at IHSA, but I really didn’t so much.
Of all our ribbons, most of them were won at a show series called Johnston County Horse Show Series. It was an open show held every month with year-end points, and one year we went to most shows in order to point chase. Also, at each JCHSS show I would do a halter division, jumping division, and under saddle divisions – so it was a lot more classes than your normal hunter/jumper show. The other shows listed here I think I only went to once or twice, excluding Triangle Hunt because those were the hunter paces sponsored by our fox hunting club.
All in all, I have won 85 ribbons so far in my horse show career. Certainly not as many as some, but I’m pretty proud! This is enough to send them off for a quilt, but since there are a handful of ribbons I don’t want to cut up (first champion, some IHSA ribbons, etc) and the printed ‘winning’ stripe on most of my ribbons is a rainbow color… I don’t think I will be quilting with these.
I think my plan is to make a pillow with some of the older ones. On many ribbons, the rosette has become discolored under the plastic (especially the cheaper ones). A pillow also won’t take as many as a quilt.
Since I don’t want rainbow stripes in my pillow, I thought about making those into a ribbon belt. What could be better luck at a horse show than a belt made of ribbons you’ve already won?
For the special ones, I’m going to roll them up and place them in a large glass jar. That way I can see the pretty rosettes that are meaningful to me without them being cut up or stored away in a dusty box.
Maybe one day if I’m lucky, I’ll have some ribbons of Simon’s to throw into the jar. I sure do hope so… I loooooooooove ribbons!
Do you guys have any good ideas with what I can do with all of these, or clever ways you display your own ribbons?
14 thoughts on “All The Pretty Ribbons”
I don’t show, therefor I have no ribbons, but I’ve seen a LOT of cute ideas on Pinterest. Quilts, pillows, and one of my favorites-One girl found an old coffee table with a glass top and put the ribbons underneath the glass so people could see them under the glass. 🙂
you are seriously making me regret throwing away all my ribbons! this was such a cool idea! my old horse won me soooo many ribbons (4H, local hunter circuit, less but some with AQHA) that I just ended up keeping a few of the special ribbons/trophies and donating the rest. I would’ve loved a pie chart!
eventing ribbons are much bigger though so now I’m starting to collect them…! and they give ribbons out through 9th. I hang them on my door right now but I’ve been wondering what I’ll do with them after I gather a bunch. (my idea was always have a horsey themed library one day in my future house and hang them, but like that’ll happen lol!)
my new goal is to win a neck ribbon/sash! although that goal is a long, long ways away 🙁
and I know Simon is going to win you lots and lots of ribbons!
I too am yearning for an equestrian library!!!!!! It will be covered in ribbons, because by the time I can afford to have one I think I’ll have plenty of money for showing and fancy horses hahaha.
Nice.
I could have sworn you blogged about a DIY ribbon quilt a while back…did I dream that?
I did! Those were ribbons I won through showing model horses… which is a whole ‘nother story 🙂
I did a ribbon box with mine. I just bought a basketball case from my local sports store and picked my favorite championship ribbons to display around the outside. I filled the inside with other, smaller ribbons and glued the top shut so dust wouldn’t get inside.
That is really, really pretty! You have some gorgeous ribbons, and that’s a great idea.
My daughter also has boxes of ribbons and trophies. I think the quilts and pillows are a nice idea. I’ve also seen wall hangings made from them.
I often wonder what my parents did with my ribbons when they moved and got divorced… Henry and I are starting over on my collection!
Now you have me thinking about cool ways to display them! 🙂
I really don’t have that many ribbons and pretty much all of my old ones have been lost but if I ever do start winning ribbons again I’m going to use some of these ideas. They are really cool!
Love the jar idea – i’m really boring and just hang them on coat hangers and keep them in a closet to prevent discolouration. I do leave out my baking ribbons from county fairs around the kitchen, but the sun gives them a shelf life of only a couple years (but it’s worth it since it boosts my ego!)
P.S. I pick horse shows partly based on who gives out nicer ribbons.
I love the ribbon jar and ribbon box idea! Although I don’t show anymore, I have a ton of fancy dressage ribbons that I should do something with!
Side note: my all time favorite ribbons are neck sashes. What is it with a neck sash that just drives me wild?!
I don’t show horses, but I’ve shown my dogs for 20 years, in multiple classes and disciplines. In AKC events AND CKC (Canada) events with 4 dogs, the first two were showing at the same time, so I have A LOT of ribbons. A friend of mine has decoupaged ribbons onto wooden tissue box covers found at craft stores. I have done the ribbon table top Christmas tree, a friend that has top winning confirmation dogs in her kennel has done a full sized ribbon tree.