Introduction | TWV 2017 by EquestrianJade on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

4:30 AM (MT)
Virgil tightened the girth of Judd's saddle, making sure it was nice and tight for the long ride ahead. The barn looked like a ghost town at this time of the morning, just the occasional whistle of the wind outside and scuffle of hooves. Virgil grasped his sleeping bag which was rolled up in preparation for the trip and swung it onto Judd's back, positioning it comfortably behind the saddle. Judd, Virgil's gelding, let out a long sigh, a cloud of white vapor quickly dissipating before the gelding's muzzle. Virgil gave Judd a pat on the neck before removing his halter and leading him out of the barn. The bitter wind bit at him as he zipped up his coat. Before Virgil had a chance to mount Judd, he heard a familiar voice from across the way.
"Virgil!" Lylah yelled, frantically pulling on her hoodie, her winter coat in one hand. "I'm so sorry, I slept through my alarm." she quieted down, attempting to catch her breath as she came to a halt next to the older man.
Virgil chuckled, "It's alright, just go get ol' Rub tacked up. I'd hurry if I were you though, there's already people arriving." he explained, amused.
"Okay," she paused, looking around, "Right! Okay," she spoke to herself before disappearing into the Mares Barn where Virgil had just left.
Virgil did one last check to make sure every item of tack was secure on Judd. The gelding began pawing at the ground, ears swiveling back and forth in impatience. The older man stepped around, now standing in front of him, gently pulling his forelock out from under the brow band of his bridle. Judd ceased pawing but tossed his head to display his annoyance. He scratched the gelding's forehead, "Alright, alright, settle down." he grunted, as he moved back to the left side of the gelding and pulled himself up into the saddle. Virgil had to work him in a few circles before Judd decided he could stand still.
A few minutes later, Lylah and Rubigo emerged, fully clothed and tacked, from the barn. Virgil waited patiently while Lylah shut the door to prevent the cold air from reaching the mares and geldings inside. Afterwards she hurriedly swung herself onto the bay mare and squeezed her into a trot. Virgil took point as they both headed for the starting line of the trail.

~~~

5:00 AM (MT)

All the contestants gathered around the two guides, it was getting close to being time to start. It was time to start the introduction.
Virgil held Judd's reins in one hand, his other waved at the contestants.
"Hello everyone, we are very happy to see you all this morning for the very first event in The Winter Ventures.
I know you're all ready to get going, so I'll keep this short and sweet.
Now, we all want you to have fun but safety always comes first, so be sure you have everything you need and make sure you follow the flags, don't go off the trail. It's easy to get lost out there and with all this snow everything looks the same, so ensure that you stay on the marked path. Me and my coworker, Lylah," he paused to gesture to the woman that sat on the bay mare next to him, " will be riding this trail along with you. Whether you tag along with us or go it alone, we will be there if you need assistance.
And with that, I'm going to go ahead and wish you all the best of luck! Have fun out there and we'll see you in Aspen."
Virgil tipped his hat to the contestants and turned and watched as the contestants passed the first set of flags.

Heyo guess what guys, its my introduction image for TWV. This is an event that me and my friend, Jyynxx are hosting. Pre-registration ends February 10th so go register now!! You can find a link to the group at the top of this description.
I had a lot of fun with this and I hope to see you there!

Art & Characters(c)Me
Pose References: fav.me/d1go96y from SalsolaStock & fav.me/d209en1 from GloomWriter