Baydale
Well-Known Member
Ok, I know it's Dubarry Young Event Horse but it just doesn't have the same ring to it.
I know I won't get any sympathy for my less-than-ideal Burghley prep - a week in Grenada
, I have photos for anyone who'd like to see them.....no?
- but my day before with Jupiter included an aversion to going near a crosspole as it had a monster blue barrel parked by it (four times
), bucking, bouncing and a few rounds of the Left/ Right Game (for those that haven't heard about Jupiter before, that's his idea of fun when landing over a fence, just before you've recovered your position
). Oh well, I could only hope that he'd be better the next day not worse.
We arrived in plenty of time and watched the final ten in the 5yo's, then set to polishing the fat, shiny one while all he wanted to do was eat, a true Baydale trait.
I got on to ride up to the warm-up arena and was lucky to get there as the Burghley deer were v scary, nearly as scary as the presence of Pippa, WFP, Bill Levett when I got there.
Jupe was a bit dull warming up but I felt mildly inspired when the last upright sharpened him up - a lot!
In we went and Jupe positively puffed out his chest and played to the audience, convinced that they were all there just to see him.
He decided his usual problem with judge's cars had gone as he had bigger fish to fry: banners and people.
Let's just say he was bright as a button and leave it at that shall we, as although we more or less did everything, it was rubber ball stylie with one mega spook. Bless him, he has the sense of humour of his big brother, HH, only without the discipline - plenty of time to sort that out though.
I breathed a sigh of relief as I left the arena and hoped that the rubber ball approach would carry through to the jumping. Off we set, a bit keen but good to 1 and 2, nice forward spot at 3, heading towards A end of the dressage arena - can you see where I'm going here? - and we nearly had a head-on with the guy going into the arena.
I'd heard his buzzer go to start ages before but apparently he was circling to settle his horse just where I had to go to turn to a decent size oxer.
We both politely did the "After you. No you go. No really, you go" thing, he said he'd go, circled again, then said "No, you go", so Jupe bounced back into action, pinged the oxer and round to the double. He just had the oxer in behind but was good out, then was delighted to go up a gear for the three xc fences. Big pats for the boy as I thought after his Shelford outing I might have over-cooked him and he'd be a shrinking violet (as if
). Here's dad's vid, bit fuzzy, but note the camp headshake, a Baydale classic.
Quick stand-up and trot-up for the confo judge, although for a horse that was shown as a youngster he'd somehow forgotten how to stand square.
I was really chuffed with him but got average, nay, less than average marks
: 24.5, 21.5 and 10. Hey ho, I'm happy with where he's at and particularly liked how he coped with the big occasion.
It was great to see kit279 and OH, Tricksy and her OH (photos to follow, he's fab at them
) and meardsall_millie was excellent company and a great help, other than when walking the course and I said "it's big, isn't it?" and she replied "I'm not saying anything!"
Cocoa and mum's scrummy iced buns for those who made it this far.
I know I won't get any sympathy for my less-than-ideal Burghley prep - a week in Grenada
We arrived in plenty of time and watched the final ten in the 5yo's, then set to polishing the fat, shiny one while all he wanted to do was eat, a true Baydale trait.
I got on to ride up to the warm-up arena and was lucky to get there as the Burghley deer were v scary, nearly as scary as the presence of Pippa, WFP, Bill Levett when I got there.
In we went and Jupe positively puffed out his chest and played to the audience, convinced that they were all there just to see him.
I breathed a sigh of relief as I left the arena and hoped that the rubber ball approach would carry through to the jumping. Off we set, a bit keen but good to 1 and 2, nice forward spot at 3, heading towards A end of the dressage arena - can you see where I'm going here? - and we nearly had a head-on with the guy going into the arena.
Quick stand-up and trot-up for the confo judge, although for a horse that was shown as a youngster he'd somehow forgotten how to stand square.
I was really chuffed with him but got average, nay, less than average marks
It was great to see kit279 and OH, Tricksy and her OH (photos to follow, he's fab at them
