The 15th Queen Evez Championship

(Year 232, Summer) Every other year Mazaloom's society enjoys a day with show jumping, and mingling along with some punch and cake in hand. This is the 15th competition, and a new Champion is to be found!

Queen Evez Championship is originally intended for the finer families. All Houses gets invited, and some of them will even participate in the show jumping contest. Check back a couple blog posts for more details on preparations.

Recent years the event has become more open, although tickets are still very limited and commoners will hardly get inside unless they join someone already invited. If you don't know anyone from this level of community, you will definitely not enjoy the day anyway. It has a relaxed but rather internal vibe, and traditions involved might make you look silly when not keeping up with the crowd. And - members of the royal family will normally attend. There are always six seats reserved for them, as their Queen's Stables is the formal host.

King Tarriot and Queen Venezia seems a bit worried for the Crown Princess' show jumping debut.

Before the contest can start, all rise to wish good luck to the horses and their riders. Then they cheer three times for the trophy that is filled with cash for the lucky winner. The prize amount varies depending on tickets sale and donations, this year it's §5,000. This is actually based on a Medieval equestrian contest tradition where the winner got a «bucket of grain».

In a regular year there will be eight contestants, but in celebration of the 30 years anniversary this year the line-up counts 10 contenders, including six insiders and four outsiders (not representing aristocracy):

Insiders:

1. Baron Robert of Shiningham with horse Spirit, representing House of Ross (Rossie).
2. HRH Crown Princess Emireza with horse Rexina (stable), representing Royal House of Luxe-Hamper.
3. Lady Aili von Kaching Landgraab with horse Champagne (Mazaloom).

4. Baroness Morgan of Verde with horse Flame, representing House of Sax-Donnersmalt (Mazaloom).
5. Count Helfert of Ticktop with horse Glory, representing House de Gould (Ticktop).
6. Baron Vincent of Man with horse Scotch, representing House de Croismare (Aarbyville).

Outsiders:

7. Adriana Caliente with horse King (training grounds) (Mazaloom).
8. Jodney Weisser with horse Luna (stable) (Crafthole).
9. Coat Hill Chestnut with horse Dawn of Moon (Advorton).
10. Bertin Gooseman with horse Duke (!) (Advorton).

In the audience we spot quite a few familiar faces. HRM King Tarriot and HRH Queen Venezia (blue dress), with their oldest son HRH Prince Basil (19). His older sister, the Crown Princess, will start as number 2.

The blue row is reserved the royal family.

On the right we see HRH Prince Blaise and HH Princess Duella (pink hat), with their daughter HH Princess Evendice (25).

Prince Blaise is a Business CEO while Princess Duella is a highly requested Lawyer. 

Prince Blaise and Princess Duella resides in Britechester. Princess Evendice will move out to study at University his Fall, while her younger brother Prince Marquis will stay home for a few more years.

The 15th Queen Eves Championship starts!

And then the show jumping can begin! Riders score points based on their riding, fitness, good luck and of course the horse's show jumping skill. In addition the judges also have a say based on the all over impression. The exact scores will not be revealed, but the audience will know whether each contestant is placed in top 3. After some mingling the top 3 will be announced with scores, and winner will be known.

First contender is Baron Robert of Shiningham (21). He is son of Duke Jarret and Duchess Ribra Lynn of Rossie, and was raised to become the future duke. He currently studies at Military School in StrangerVille. He rides his father's horse, Spirit. Opening the show means that he is less experienced, the favorites will be saved for later. Baron Shiningham does decently, but is a bit shaky, and well - he might not bring the trophy to his boarding school.

HRH Crown Princess Emireza with Rexina.

And now there is some extra applause as HRH Crown Princess Emireza is announced! She participates with Rexina, a well trained horse from Queen's Stables, owned by the Crown. And wow, she does so much better than the opener! She is not known for horse riding, but it is obvious that she did practice - and probably had good helpers here at the stables, too. The last bar falls to the ground, but she can be proud anyway, and the audience certainly gives her the best support.

Crown Princess Emireza is interviewed by Mazaloom Radio.

Mazaloom Radio interviews each contestant, and the Crown Princess is no exception:
- Your royal highness! Will there be more equestrian contests in the future?
- Some riding, of course, but I do not aim for the higher level of this sport. I will better focus on my final high school years.

3rd contestant is now ready to perform: Mrs Aili von Kaching Landgraab with her horse, Champagne. She is leading the club Equestrian Foals, and she does pretty well. Her husband, Mr Malcolm Landgraab, as well as her mother, Baroness Rose of Gloom, are both in the audience.

Now, with 3 performances, we naturally have a top 3: All of them! But because the real favorites come later, this top 3 will surely not last for long.

And now for 4th contestant: Baroness Morgan of Verde and the barony's horse Flame.

Does Queen's Stables keep goats? Hm. Maybe it managed to sneak in with one of the contenders?

Baroness Morgan hails from Windenburg, but married to Oasis Springs, a district with rich equestrian traditions. And she does impressively well! All jumps were good, and she gave an elegant impression, too. Judges declares that Baroness Morgan is in top 3! But we don't know who she just pushed out...

And now, one of the highlights of the event! Count Helfert of Ticktop with his mysterious Unicorn horse Glory!

The spectacularly looking Glory gets rounds of applause, both for performance and looks.

Glory gets the biggest wow from the audience this far, no wonder. They never participated before, and very few did ever get to see Glory. There were rumors that his participation is to say thanks and goodbye to high nobility, as this is the last year Count Helfert will be seen as a High Nobility Peer. Next year he will lose some privileges due to the regional reform. That's the cost of reigning the smallest region of them all with only 4,000 residents. He will keep his Ticktop county, though, just rank lower.

Glory looks like magic, and they perform very well. Not the winner for sure, but this event is just as much about entertaining. Judges announce that Count Helfert and Glory made it into top 3, that is now counting Mrs Aili Landgraab, Baroness Morgan and Count Helfert!

Final participating Insider is Baron Vincent of Man. He is a very dedicated equestrian and member of the club Equestrian Contenders. Bookmakers have him as favorite for the 1st price. And his horse Scotch does very well! Will it be good enough for the win?

Favorite with bookmakers, Baron Vincent of Man and Scotch.

Judges think so, at least Baron Vincent is announced to join top 3, pushing down Mrs Aili Landgraab.

Now there is a short break before the four Outsiders will enter the contest. Will any of them be able to interfere with the top 3? For the first three contests only the Houses were allowed to enter, but now it is possible for just anyone with a minimum of skills to sign up. Insiders shall always outnumber the Outsiders, though.

On the balcony right outside the bar lounge we spot even more familiar faces. Duchess Mandy von Windenburg (blue dress), the Duke Vibrattore and Duchess Prudence de Aarbyville, with the duke's sister in-law, Baroness Lizzy (yellow), who just watched the performance of her husband, Vincent. They reside in San Sequoia, and had twins not so long ago.

The stable balcony has a bar lounge that gets busy during the break.

Finally, all to the right sits Duchess Gloria of Meadows (green), with daughter, Lady Corva Saxor (25).

Now, the four Outsiders! Everyone waits for the legendary horse Duke, who will naturally be closing the show. The current top 3 (in order of performing) is: Baroness Morgan, Count Helfert, and Baron Vincent.

First Outsider is Adriana Caliente (32) from Oasis Springs. She enters with a horse from the Chestnut training grounds, King. She nearly falls off the horse, but manages to complete the routine. The score can not even touch top 3. Confirmed by the judges.

Next is Jodney Weisser (50) from Copperdale. The horse Luna belongs to Queen's Stables. He actually lacks control as Luna walks off to eat some floral decoration! The audience is cheering politely. Weisser and Luna made only two of the three jumps, and their score can't be much to brag about. Judges confirm that Weisser is outside top 3.

Next up is Coat Hill Chestnut (30) with horse Dawn of Moon. Coat Hill descends from the native Chestnut tribe, and his family is rather shy and lives secluded up at Galloping Gulch. Rumors have it that it was Don Gooseman, dad of next contender, who signed up Coat. Dawn of Moon is very old, and it shows. Two out of three jump bars fall down and this performance can not bother top 3.

Finally, this contest is about to be closed by a living legend! Back in his glorious days, Duke did win most championships that could be won. Don Gooseman was the partner, but today it is Don's son Bertin Gooseman who has the impossible task of doing nearly as well as his dad (who is in the audience, btw). They both missed the event's dress code...

Favorite Bertin Gooseman missed the dress code, but at least he wears a hat... 

Duke and Bertin do quite well through the first jump, and then it looks like old Duke suddenly remembers his past pride! They simply fly above the next two bars, and although the applause is basically for Duke, young Bertin might return to Chestnut Ridge with the trophy!

We have now seen all contenders. The judges announce the current top 3, still in order of performing: Baroness Morgan of Verde, Baron Vincent of Man, and Bertin Gooseman! Count Helfert and Glory are out. Only the Winner will get a prize, and the exact order and scores of top 3 will be revealed during a quick ceremony after a break.

Cake, punch and small talk

But first, some cake, punch and small talk for the noble crowd!

It's indeed an event for big hats! Duchess Gloria (green hat) is known as «Lady Tiara», because she owns so many of them. With such a large hat she would probably be able to hide a smaller tiara under it, although it would be quite off etiquette.

King Tarriot is having a lively chat with Duchess Ribra Lynn of Rossie (yellow). The royal House of Luxe-Hamper is tightly connected to House of Ross. King Tarriot's father was of House of Ross, and the King and Duke Jarret of Rossie are cousins. There are rumors that one of the five sons from the Rossie dukedom is on Queen Venezia's personal shortlist of possible spouses of the Crown Princess.

Mazaloom's wealthiest man, Malcolm Landgraab Mester Cacti (79), visits from Oasis Springs. He is hardly noble, but his Mester title allows him to mingle as low nobility. Well, he would surely afford to get a ticket to this event anyway.

Malcolm Landgraab Mester Cacti's horse Champagne just performed. Now it's time for the real nectars.

Mr Landgraab is glad that his wife, Mrs Aili Landgraab, did quite well despite not reaching top 3 this year. None of their three sons are observed, though. Now some cake and champagne will be divine, and perhaps some old or new business contacts, too.

This event is clearly a meet and greet occasion, and it is fun to search for relations between random guests.

The artistic Baroness Rose (right) looks great for being 80 years old!

Countess Bequeenie de Tredony (left) greets Baroness Rose of Gloom. They both have connections to House of Landgraab. Countess Bequeenie is cousin of Malcolm Landgraab, as their mothers were sisters. Baroness Rose is mother to Landgraab's wife, Mrs Aili. The connections are easy to find at this party.

Lady Corva Saxor helps herself with some pink punch.

Lady Corva Saxor is only child of Duke Victus and Duchess Gloria «Lady Tiara» of Meadows. She has got the looks, but unfortunately she is not in line to the dukedom, and with no brothers the peerage might go to a distant family branch, such as Ted Rossell Mester Acres (StrangerVille). Lady Corva is single, but a future son can still become a future Duke of Meadows. Such a preasure on a modern young woman!

The mingle break is the perfect occasion for gossip updates.

It's not obvious what upsets Duchess Mandy von Windenburg (blue), but she looks rather surprised. She hails from commoners in Oasis Springs, but married to the Duke von Windenburg few years ago, and they already have five children, including two sets of twins. Baroness Lizzy of Man (yellow) hails from the Windenburg Isle, her unmarried mother died when Lizzy was a child, an she was raised by her Uncle, who holds a Mester title and is the neighbor of the Duke von Windenburg. The shocking news might be that someone on the Isle was bitten by a vampire last week?

Baron Auphor is known as the Royal Chamber's «problem peer» - he often neglected the established rules.

Probably the oldest man at the event, Baron Auphor of Verde (91), from Oasis Springs, being proud of his wife, Baroness Morgan (39), made it to top 3!

The Results

After the break, the audience is back in their seats, and the Speaker announces the top 3 results!

3rd place (not rewarded): 400 points, Bertin Gooseman with horse Duke.

2nd place (not rewarded): 576 points, Baron Vincent of Man with horse Scotch.

1st place, winning Trophy with §5,000: 810 points, Baroness Morgan of Verde with horse Flame!

And we have a winner!

The top 3 participants steps up accordingly to their announcement, and the audience applauds. It's Baroness Morgan's very first win, and her first contest, too, but seeing she had the Equestrian organization emblem on her jacket, she might plan to explore more contests in the future.

Queen Evez Championship will be arranged again in two years, meanwhile the Champion is named Morgan.