Game Face

Do you have a game face? You know, the expression your face automatically contorts to when you participate in a particular sport. I do. When I'm out on the course competing in mounted shooting I smile. Yes, smile. I wasn't aware of this until last year when a woman and her young daughter came up to me after a shoot at the Hillsboro County Fair to tell me they referred to me as the smily rider. They were thrilled to see me smiling out there and said I looked like I was having so much fun. They felt this strong enough to actually come up and tell me this. I, of course, smiled at them and said thanks. I wasn't quite sure how I felt about it. I did feel honored that they seeked me out amoung the riders to share their thoughts. I could tell the young lady was thrilled to come up and talk to me like I was some superstar. (My husband has actually been asked for his autograph before at the fair shoots.) I guess that's why the fair shoots are so much fun. But smiling on the course? I was supposed to be a tough cowgirl! hummm. You can't always help what your game face is. For those of you who know me you can probably understand why I naturally do this. I'm a very theatrical person, very expressive. My body emulates my feelings. Hence, the smile. The other part of all this is I'm squinting. I have blue eyes which are very sensitive to light so I squint a bit when I'm out there so I can see. I'm not the type of rider to wear sunglasses on the course as I know old west cowboys didn't have on their Maui Jims when mounting trigger. So I guess the smile is half joy and half squint. Either way, smiling is a good thing.
This past Sunday we had a shoot with some new riders. Having not previously seen my "game face", one of the new riders said to me after my first run that she enjoyed how I smiled during my run like I was having the time of my life. She said she was always so nervous. With the May flies being as bad as they were that day, I quickly asked her if I had any in my teeth and commented I'd better keep my lips shut or I'd be eating a bug lunch. She chuckled and told me she loved watching me ride because I looked so relaxed and she wished she could be as relaxed. Tough cowgirl cover blown again. Oh well, I guess I just be the smiley cowgirl. I could be called worse!