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“And Patrick Mahomes wins his first Olympic gold medal! The talented American brings home the first individual eventing gold medal since 2000 for the USA!”
Patrick was flying. He threw his arms around Arrowhead’s neck, laughing as she cantered off. He had been the last to go show jumping, and all he had needed was to go clear to win. And Arrowhead, magical, lovely Arrowhead, did it.
Grabbing his reins, he slowed down to a trot, still smiling as he guided Arrowhead toward the judges, pulling to a stop at the table. He leaned down to shake hands politely, knowing his trainer would kill him if he didn't show manners.
The judges gave him their congratulations before he and Arrowhead walked off. Bobby was waiting for him with his groom.
“I told you not to take the inside route on your way to jump seven,” Bobby greets, narrowing his eyes. Patrick laughed, taking his feet out of the stirrups before jumping out of the saddle.
“Who cares, I went clear and won the event,” He said smugly, fist-bumping his groom, a girl named Leah who probably will take his spot on Team USA once she gets a horse if he’s being honest, as she sponges down Arrowhead’s legs with cool water.
Bobby rolls his eyes. “Don’t forget to congratulate Julia and Tom before the medal ceremony and your victory gallop.” The German and the Brit were the silver and bronze medalists, respectively. Patrick rolled his eyes back. It's like Stroupe thought he had no manners.
“I will, I like McEwen and Krajewski,” He assured his trainer, patting Arrowhead on the neck. Bobby and he stared at each other for a moment longer before Patrick rolled his eyes and lunged for him, nearly knocking his trainer over as he yanked him into a hug.
Stroupe laughed, hugging him back. “Congratulations, kid,” He murmured. Patrick laughed as they pulled away, and then Arrowhead’s owners were there, the Hunts, who had bought her as a yearling, pulling him into hugs and murmuring their congratulations.
Patrick grinned at them. “Don’t you have a football team in the middle of training camp?” He teased, laughing as Arrowhead shoved her muzzle in between them. Clark ran his hand up and down her nose, and she let out a huff before tossing her head up and shoving closer to Patrick.
“We get it, he’s the favorite,” Tavia laughed, patting Arrowhead’s shoulder. Arrowhead proceeded to try and use Tavia as a scratching post.
“Arrowhead!” Leah scolded, popping to her feet and gently smacking the horse on the neck to gain her attention. “She has no manners.”
Arrowhead turned and stared at her, and Patrick laughed as Leah just stared back. An FEI official came forward, and Patrick sighed as he saw the paperwork, some sort of consent form for advertising. He signed it quickly, ready to meet up with the other medalists for the medal ceremony and victory gallop.
“Congratulations, Patrick,” Julia said, smiling at him as he approached, leading Arrowhead along. Her British counterpart nodded.
“Yes, congratulations. An exciting first Olympics for you, eh?” Tom said, reaching out and slapping Patrick on the arm. “You really broke out onto the pro scene and took over.” Which was true. Patrick had arrived on the pro scene after being an adult ammy at first and nearly won the eventing World Championships in 2018, and then the Badminton Horse Trials in 2019. Patrick grinned at him and murmured his thanks. Tom huffed out a laugh and yanked him into a hug, which Patrick happily returned. One thing he missed about team sports (although horseback riding was a team sport, he missed one with humans) was the comradery, but the equestrian world was full of either tight-knit friendships or heated rivalry, so he was delighted to receive such friendliness.
“Congratulations you two, you both had stunning rounds. Julia, your dressage round blew me away,” He said as he pulled away.
Julia smiled back at him, charmed. She was super talented, and Patrick would kill to be able to perform like her in dressage. He and Arrowhead got along decently enough in dressage, but cross country and show jumping was where they really shined, that much was obvious.
“Alright then, enjoy your gold and your victory gallop. Cheers.” Tom patted him on the shoulder. Patrick handed Arrowhead off to Leah before following Julia and Tom over to the podium. He stood behind it as Tom was medaled, then Julia, and then finally, he was stepping up onto his spot, a thrill running through him as he waved to the crowd. Then the FEI chairman approached, offering his congratulations as Patrick carefully lifted the gold medal off the tray and placed it around his neck. He lifted up the medal, showing it off to the crowd as he waved once again. He was handed flowers, and they stood for a moment for pictures. The group headed to their horses. Patrick mounted first and took off on his solo round, Julia joining him once he completed a lap, and Tom following her after the second lap around.
‘
There was nothing more exhilarating than a victory gallop. The leftover adrenaline from the round, the thrill of the gallop, the wind in your face, and knowing that you’ve won . And in this very moment, Patrick was the best in the world.
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Patrick spent his summers in Kansas City and his winters in Florida. The flights back home were uneventful, and he and Arrowhead arrived back at his barn. Arrowhead tossed her head and whinnied as he unloaded her. The horses in the pastures whinnied back. Arrowhead’s girlfriend paced the pasture fences, neighing for the love of her life. “Did you miss your girlfriend Arrowhead? Hm?” Patrick asked. “C’mon, let me turn you out with her.”
Callie, aka Miss California , was a big gray mare that Patrick planned to sell. Emphasis on “plann ed ”. Then Arrowhead had gotten attached and he couldn’t bear to separate them. She was a good horse, schoolmaster type, even though she wasn’t Advance level, but Patrick could put the few people he kept for lessons on her. And Leah was obsessed with her.
After he turned out Arrowhead, he went on a hunt for his working students. Leah was certainly the head of the three, with Alyssa and Derek following her lead. Derek was cleaning out the stalls.
“I thought I heard the trailer,” Derek said when he spotted him. “Welcome home, and congratulations.” Patrick smiled and thanked him. “How’s Miss Chief?”
“I turned Arrowhead out, but I might take her in early and poultice her legs,” He said. “Do you think you could bring her in before you leave for the day?”
Derek nodded, he always left around five or six o’clock. “Yeah, of course.”
“Thanks. Do you know where the girls are?” He asked, tilting his head.
Derek snorted. “Last I checked they were exercising the horses in the indoor arena and gossiping.” Patrick laughed, thanking him and heading toward the indoor arena where Alyssa was on Dynamo and Leah was on Moose, two bay geldings who looked almost like copies of one another if it weren’t for the fact Dynamo had a big blaze down his face and Moose only had a star with a strip.
“You’re back!” Leah sang when she spotted him, kicking Moose into a trot. Moose was a client horse, currently showing at the Modified level. He could go higher, he had the talent, but the client seemed wary of jumping any bigger on him. Patrick, however, would jump anything on him. Patrick grinned as Moose came to a stop a few feet away from him, stepping forward and patting the gelding.
“Hello handsome,” He crooned. Dynamo walked over, jealous, and Alyssa let him, letting her reins fall onto his neck. And Patrick turned to rub him up and down his blaze. “Dyno-saur,” He murmured. He turned and tilted his head up to look at his students. “How have they been today?” He asked.
Leah grinned. “Moose was a perfectly good boy, as usual.”
“Dynamo decided that there are shadow people in every corner and spooked all ride,” Alyssa said flatly, before smiling. “It’s okay though, you’re just a baby!” Her voice went high-pitched as she baby-talked the 16.3-hand-tall gelding. Patrick snickered, nodding as if Dynamo wasn’t well past baby age.
“He and I see the same things,” Leah said dryly. Patrick and Alyssa stared at her before all three of them started laughing.
“C’mon, you two can untack these two and then tack up whoever you want, Derek too, and I’ll give you all a group lesson since I’ve been gone so long. Deal?” He looked around, smiling in approval when the two nodded. It was good to be home.