Angela clung on to Dobbin’s neck as Linda led the carthorse down to the paddock. She was scared to sit upright in case she fell off, but she didn’t want to look down either – the ground was an awfully long way away. She’d probably be safer riding on an elephant!
“Hurry up, Angela!” called Tiffany. “We’re all waiting!”
At last they reached the paddock where everyone was standing in line. Tiffany smirked as she saw Angela’s worried expression. There was a series of jumps set up around the paddock. Surely Tiffany had to be joking?
“Tiffany thought it would be fun to hold our own little gymkhana,” said Mrs Charmers. “You can take it in turns to jump the course and whoever has the best round wins the prize.” She held up a large red rosette.
“I’ve won hundreds of rosettes,” Tiffany boasted. “My bedroom walls are practically covered in them.”
Angela stared at the jumps. Most of them were bigger than her! And in any case, she couldn’t imagine Dobbin managing to get off the ground.
“What about ME?” she said. “I’ve never jumped anything, not on a horse!”
Tiffany rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t make a fuss, Angela,” she sighed. “You can just walk Dobbin round. We’re not expecting you to win!”
“Not unless there’s a prize for the slowest,” said Alice, to a chorus of giggles.
Angela glared. That snooty sneak Tiffany had planned this from the start. She knew very well that Angela couldn’t ride and was bound to trail in last. Now she’d have to listen to Tiffany telling everyone the story: “Poor Ang-er-la, she’s just so hopeless!” she’d say.
Tiffany rode Princess into the paddock and trotted her round a couple of times to warm up. Leaning forward, she galloped hard at the first jump. Princess took off and jumped it perfectly.
“Go Tiffany!” cheered Mrs Charmers.
Tiffany completed the course without any fuss, only knocking down one pole among the jumps. She shook out her curly hair and waved her hat at them.
“Oh, well done, darling!” cried her mum. “You were so brave!”
Angela pulled a face. Knowing Tiffany, she’d probably practised the course a hundred times during the week. The competition was just another chance for her to show off and come top of the class as usual.
Alice, Suki and the others took their turns but none of them could match Tiffany’s round. “Oh, bad luck!” she said, each time. “And you tried so hard!”
After seven rounds Tiffany was in the lead.
“Is that everyone?” she smirked. “Oh no! Does that mean I’m the winner?”
The other girls sat on the fence, sulking.
“What about Angela?” asked Alice.
“Oh yes, Ang-er-la!” cried Tiffany. “We mustn’t forget you, must we?”
Angela gripped the reins. She would show that smarty-pants Tiffany. Linda led Dobbin into the ring as everyone leaned forward to watch. Dobbin snorted loudly. He’d seen the jumps and he didn’t want to go near them. He dug in his hooves and stopped.
“Come on!” Angela hissed in his ear.
“Just walk him round, Angela!” shouted Tiffany. “It’s not that difficult!”
Angela tried. She coaxed Dobbin, patted him and ordered him, but he stubbornly refused to budge. Even Linda tugging and pulling made no difference.
“Oh, Ang-er-la, you are funny!” tinkled Tiffany.
Then it happened. A horsefly landed on Dobbin’s nose. Horseflies have a nasty bite and this one was no different.
Dobbin let out a shrill whinny and shot forward, dumping Linda in the dust.
“HEEELP!” screamed Angela, clinging on. Her riding hat had slipped over her eyes and she couldn’t see a thing.
“WOAH, BOY!” she gasped. “Brake! Stop!”
But Dobbin didn’t listen. He charged towards the first jump and took off. Angela felt like she was flying.
THUD! They hit the ground and Angela almost catapulted over Dobbin’s head. Somehow she clung on, blindly. Dobbin cleared another jump and flew over the next three. Angela shook her hat back into place. She could hear voices, which almost sounded like cheering.
Dobbin wheeled round. He thundered at the last jump. It looked way too big. Angela shut her eyes…
“Arghhhhh…!”
KADUNK!
Angela gripped Dobbin’s neck as they landed. The horse slowed to a stop, panting and snorting. Angela slid from the saddle and sat down heavily on the ground. Her legs were shaking and her hat was on sideways.
Suki and the others came rushing over. For some reason they seemed pleased that someone had beaten Tiffany.
“Well done, Angela!”
“That was amazing!”
“I didn’t think you could ride!” they chattered.
Tiffany’s face had turned as red as an overripe tomato.
“Goodness!” said Mrs Charmers. “That really was quite … um … astonishing.”
“So Angela’s the winner?” said Alice, looking at Tiffany. “She had the only clear round.”
“Well, yes … I suppose she did,” said Mrs Charmers. Reluctantly she handed Angela the red rosette.
Everyone clapped, apart from Tiffany who looked like she might explode at any moment.
Angela beamed from ear to ear. She’d said all along that riding would come naturally to her. Just wait until News Time on Monday, she thought. This was one story she couldn’t wait to share!
