What my weekend consisted of... photography - Jessika Lester

My favorite thing to do in the world is ride a horse. But when I’m old, I wanted to have something that I could keep forever for when I wouldn't be able to ride again so I started taking pictures so that I could always look back on the good times. After I started taking pictures of my horse and I, and getting people to take some for me, I felt as though I really had become addicted to taking pictures. I was inspired by the beauty of every picture and what I was capable of making them look like. I felt as though I might really be taking off on a great hobby that I could also make money in. When I started taking pictures for other people I was afraid they might not turn out like I planned, but the good Lord has blessed me I feel with an eye to see the beauty in any picture. People were so pleased with my work they began wanting to do more sessions with me and then I would have their family and friends want them done as well. So now I am able to do something I love and make money from it. Can you say a double plus? Here are some pictures of me, that I have done. 

Just some good ole girls doing what they love - Jessika Lester

Two weeks ago I was able to attend nationals which was held in Lexington, Virginia for barrel racing.... of course! Talking about a good time! I had all my rodeo friends there attending this amazing event with me and my boyfriend was finally able to come which I got him and myself a ticket for parking in a handicap spot. Oops! On with my story, I was able to set some personal records for myself and my horse! we feel into the whole there and barely missed placing, but I am determined that next time we will come out there with not just a belt buckle, but money as well! I am entered into a rodeo in Blackstone, Virginia coming up in a couple of weeks. If anyone is interested in attending a rodeo for the first time, or just to get out the house and do something its about a 45 minute ride but is well worth it! There is barrel racing, bull riding, calf roping, and tons of more interesting stuff! Here is some information if you want to check it out!

 

Hope to see y'all there!

To wrap things up with a video finally..... Jessika Lester

After my beach vactaions it was time to head down to Perry,Georgia. Before summer had kicked in I had been competeing with my horse Lover, or as her show name would be called Lover Girl to try making it into Youth World. Which is One of the highest callings for barrel racing. I got a letter saying that I had qualified for the first year ever! I was so thankful to be able to be given this oppurtunity to compete with girls all over the world. I took everything that I had learned down with me to Georgia hoping just to keep all the barrels up and have a safe run. All was well and I did end up having two very great runs and placed 55th out of 1,500 that were there trying to take home a brand new trailer that each division winner would be taking home with them. Even though I didnt place first and take home a wonderful trailer I was still happy just to have been apart of this dream! I will keep trying to make it back and hopefully only move up in my times and one day, take one of the trailers home with me!

It's that time again! -Jessika Lester

              School is back in session and this time I was ready for it to start again! Only because hopefully this will be my last year if I can squeeze in an extra class here and there! I'm going to start by wrapping my summer up and say some of what I enjoyed most about it! To start off my summer, I headed out to Nags Head North Carolina for "beach week". It was really fun and I got to hang out with a lot of friends that I hadn't seen for a couple of years. When I got back home, I had a week to stay home again before I was off on the Carnival Cruise Line, setting sail to the Bahamas! I thought I would have enjoyed my time more on the ship then what I actually did. However being confined knowing that I only had from one end to the other to explore with two and a half days of seeing nothing but the "deep blue sea" and I literally mean deep blue, I found that I was ready to see some land again! We stopped at Grand Turks, Free Port, and Half Moon Cay. That was interesting to see all the different islands because you could really see there is more out there then what you are limited  to at home. I remember asking a man how he liked living in Grand Turks and he told me he loved it. He said that It was always seventy five degrees and a one point of a certain season (I can’t remember which one) That the hump back whales come in and mate and he goes out scuba diving with some of the locals and they get to swim with these amazing creatures, and he said that they are so big, that when you swim to where you are completely in front of their eye, that you can see your whole body’s reflection. To me, I found that as a jaw dropping event to be a part of because it amazes me how in creditably enormous these whales are! This is not my whole summer and I will finish in the next blog! Thanks for reading!

Beach Week with some crazy friends

                                                 In Grand Turk, Bahamas soaking up some sun!

Konna - Jessika Lester

 

By far I love horses as my favorite animals, but one animal that has truly been a blessing to me is my puppy Konna. I saw and picked out Konna when she was five weeks old and might I say I was blessed with the best dog in the world. Konna is a white Labrador retriever who is now five months old and growing like a weed. She is intelligent with knowledge that scares me sometimes because it’s almost as if she is too smart for being a puppy. When I’m not having exactly the best day, she defiantly has a way of bringing my happiness back out of me and I’m so thankful for that. Some people don’t appreciate how much a dog can change a person’s life, or they don’t believe that a four legged animal is even capable of changing a person’s life, but I for a fact know that they can.

Konna is always making me laugh whether she is playing fetch with herself, running into stuff, throwing pizza rolls up in the air and trying to catch them, tormenting the poodles we have, darting into the utility room to get in the cage to get a treat, rolling every times she lays down, or running around in circle until she can’t move no more. I can’t help but laugh every time I am with her, and I thank God that he has put her into my life.    

Mud Bog - Jessika Lester

Something I really enjoy a lot is going to mud bogs with friends. I love the sound of lifted trucks coming into the facility and their trucks look like they have just been air bushed painted or they are so muddy that you can barely see the person who is driving it and you don’t know if someone else is in the truck because it is covered in mud. The driver usually has cleared a circle big enough to see out of in front of where he/she is sitting so that he/she can see some what where to go. I attended the Good Friday Mud Bog March 29, and may I say that was a good time. I got to see a bunch of my friends that I hadn’t seen since graduating which was really nice to catch back up and then I got to see the trucks run through the mud. Which to some people it may sound stupid or boring, however it something that I love to be a part of and if I had a truck to mess up and be able to run through the mud, I would defiantly be out there trying to compete against the guys.

People may call us a bunch of "rednecks" for doing activity’s that consist of running through the mud, or some people say we have nothing better to do without lives, but the way I see it, if it makes you happy and keeps you out of trouble, do it. If people don’t like what you do, don’t worry about it. More than likely they probably wish they could do the stuff you do and as a jealousy, they hate on you for that!

Never Settle For Less, Barrel Racing - Jessika Lester

I have always wanted to barrel race since I was little. I started when I was about seven years old and haven't stopped since then. My passion for the sport is unbelievable I strive for the best every time the timer starts and I'm on the clock trying to knock out my competition. The adrenalin that takes over my body is what I live for. There is a power so big beneath you that it was once untamable and now you’re on its back about to let all its power take action and go. People don't realize the power a horse has and what they are capable of doing that's another reason why I love barrel racing so much is so that people can see that horses are intelligent and extremely strong animals. Barrel racing also is not easy. They say "awh its nothing to run around barrels", think again. There is so much thinking involved that if you miss one out of several things you have to remember you might as well pack up and head home because you’re not going to win. It takes a lot of concentration and a lot of multitasking to be able to barrel race. Not only that, you are working with an animal that also has a mind of its own at times and it might refuse to do something you want him/her to do with can be frustrated but then again I like a challenge.