Blair 1* Report - with wonderful Mr Figjam pics!!!

[punk]

Well - there were good bits, and bad bits (and not just the weather!)
We arrived early evening on the Tuesday, in lovely sunshine, and despite the dire warnings, we didn't have to be towed in!! However, the weather soon turned for latecomers!
Daughter/rider organised the ponio, and I organised the opening of the first bottle of wine! We were lucky enough to be parked really close to most of our group of friends, so a jolly evening was had by all! Then - I attempted to put up our rather elderly gazebo..........

Had to be there Tue for riders meeting on Wed at 10, but nothing else to do until Dr - which turned out to be 4th on on Friday, instead of Thurs as expected!!! So - a long wait to get going!!
Needless to say, after the rain on Thursday and overnight (torrential!) the warm-up was like a ploughed field! The arena was much the same, and VERY deep and sticky. Tried the new calmer and it worked!!! (or maybe pony just couldn't get feet out of mud to spook!!!) All in all - a 58 - which was better than expected!!

On to the interesting bits ! - Cross country Saturday - weather good - pony good - rider nervous but good!!

Then on to the first with gusto!!

Still going strong at the 4th

Went superbly, and Mr Figjam caught her at the last!!

Then on to the Show jumping!!! Ground VERY sticky, and distances VERY long for a pony - especially in the combinations. Think he was quite tired - as was rider (especially having been at the disco on Saturday night!)

Was full of nerves, not helped by Andrew Hoy and Andrew Nicholson standing by the arena, smiling at her as she went in!! Rode a good round................ pony jumped out of his skin..........

As someone commented - the jumps were not big enough!!!

but sadly got an unlucky 8 faults --- and also 8 time faults!!!

Still - ended up 39th out of 61 starters - not bad for a 14.2 Connemara and 17 yr old rider - and the winner was Andrew Hoy on an advanced eventer!!! I think they did 'not bad'...................... but then I am maybe biased by being a proud Mum!!!!!!!!!!!

I will shut up now

Many many thanks and credits to Mr Figjam for the very best photos I have ever seen!!!

And to Mrs Figjam for being .... just great!!!

What lovely people you meet through this forum!!

 

[KatB]

Oh wow!! What a GORGEOUS pony, and a fantastic result, they make it look very very easy!

 

[worMy]

gorgeous pony and WOW look at them FLYYYY in the SJ!!!

 

[punk]

Thanks Kat B!!! I am SOOOOOOOO proud of them. She has brought that pony on from nothing over the last few years (got him when she was 12).

We are sadly thinking that he should really take a new child to the top (he will be doing the JRN champs for the third time this year having come 15th last year) but it is a HARD decision, as nothing we look at to take S on to the next level comes near to him in talent!!!

A once in a lifetime pony - but I don't take anything away from my daughter, who has worked very hard to get him there!!

Have been looking for the one to take her to the next level, but that is sooooooooo difficult...................

Any ideas?

 

[jules89]

you.are.amazing.

LOVE your pone and looks like you guys are totally on your way to the top!

 

[KatB]

Oh, he sounds fantastic, it is hard when they need to move on

Is your daughter going to uni or continuing to ride? She looks like she has done a fantastic job with him, you're right to be proud!!!

 

[punk]

Hi Kat B - She has just left school, has a gap year, and then will go to Uni, but not too far away, so if we can find the right horse, she will continue to ride.

I have 3 daughters, who have all brought their own horses on from nothing to JRN champs. The elder two have given up ( well - eldest plays polo at uni!) but this daughter would just love to go on. This pony could EASILY do 2* X-C, but the distances in the SJ would probs be beyond him, and I don't think it would be fair to try. He has gone clear in Intermediates, but realistically, if she wants to progress, we have to find the right ride.

I have always been very lucky (think I have a good eye

) but am finding it so hard to find anything that inspires me ......................!

Thanks so much for your lovely comments!!

 

[Wigglypigs]

Congrats, ponio and daughter look amazing. I was there on the saturday but never saw you guys. Friend aiming for one star next year - im excited already!

Good luck on finding new horse.
x

 

[Pidgeon]

What a fabulous pony you've got

you must be very proud of both of them

and boy can he jump

 

[Thistle]

Lovely pics and I want (need) that pony! Well done

 

[MagicMelon]

What a brilliant result and wow what a pony! Think he could make a pure showjumper rather easily!

 

[MissDeMeena]

They didn't just do a 'bit good' they did bloody awesome!!!!!
He's my new fav pony!! Love him!!! And no wonder he finds it hard to make the distance in the SJing when he gives them that much hight, he's already jumping 2* hight

I have a 5yr old for sale

(that said, i want to find an owner first, so i can keep the ride

)

 

[Pipsqueak 1981]

WOW!

Lovley pony!
What an excellent result! One question....I'd like to know how you actually attached springs to the ponies hooves! Certainly looks like you have some on... they look fantastic!

WELL DONE

 

[Joss]

Great report & absolutely superb pics. Particularly those SJ ones, he is givng them feet.

Hope you find a good solution to the what to do next problem. Its quite hard when you feel you have gone as far as you can, especially when you have got a really good horse/pony. One thing is for sure you wont have any problem finding a new rider for him, the queue will be round the block.

Look forward to seeing you again soon.

 

[FigJam]

Great report! (the photos aren't too bad either!

) I cannot believe the air he is giving those SJs, especially when you consider the mud would have been adding a couple of inches as well! He is a fab wee pony an you are very right to be so proud of them both, what an achievement.

Good luck with the search for a successor, it makes it so hard to find the next one when the current one is such a star!

Was lovely meeting you, will hopefully bump into you somewhere next season, if not Blair 2010 in he glorious sunshine where we'll be worrying about the ground being too hard?!

 

[OldGit]

Great report, great pics and great result. Well done to all!!!

 

[Maesfen]

Congratulations! Your daughter has done a wonderful job on that pony who is totally gorgeous BTW! Nothing nicer than a dun Connemara for me, especially one so talented as that. Great pictures too; it must have been a real weekend to remember.

 

[kick_On]

Fabby report and cracking pony

 

[deskbound]

What a fabby pony, you must want to put his feet in gro bags every night to try to get him to 16 hands....

 

[TPO]

Congratulations to all! I seen part of your daughter's xc which was awesome and the whole of her SJ round. Considering the going pony was just pinging round the SJs! Mr FJ's photos are fab!

 

[TableDancer]

Wow, that is a fantastic report and wonderful to see some photos of your pair at last - I've had to imagine them up to now!! All I can say is they look just STUNNING - love the enthusiasm and the obvious mutual trust and enjoyment XC, and the SJ, WOW!!!!! Forget jumping 2*, he's jumping 3*!! You must feel incredibly proud of them, well done to the whole Team Punk

 

[kerilli]

what a gorgeous pony, and your daughter looks as if she rides him beautifully. hope you manage to find something super for her next step up.
fwiw if i were you i'd sell him for £££s (with a jump like that, won't be difficult) and go to Vere Phillips, he has cracking young horses. i had 2 from there years ago and both were superb.

 

[punk]

Ha ha!!

It has taken me all this time to work out photobucket and how to upload the photos - took Figjam to tell me how to do it!!!

Bit of a techno-phobe me!!

 

[punk]

Not a bad idea!!

However, I am such a softy about my horses, and he isn't just talented - he is also the most loveable pony and will have to go to the VERY BEST home. Can't even bear thinking about it....................

Thanks for lovely comment about her riding - will pass the comments on to her!!

 

[connie1288]

Fantastic!! I saw his pic on EWW. My old instructor used to have a Stallion called Jacaranda, wondered if there was a connection!

 

[Kenzo]

Great report, wonderful pictures and what a cracking pony, well done to them both!

 

[punk]

Funnily enough someone asked us that at Hendersyde! Am I right in thinking Jacaranda is a dun Stallion?

I'm afraid there is no connection as ours is registered Connemara (Irish) by Spring Con (The Fugitive) out of Laurelgrange Bonny Lass (Murphy Rebel).

I think he was named by the previous owners, when they got back from a holiday where they had seen Jacaranda flowers and thought it sounded a nice name!!!

 

[Rosiefan]

Fantastically well done to your daughter and her pony - I love hearing about success for people who do all the hard work themselves, so rewarding for all concerned

Pictures are fab too.

 

[Nic]

OMG, look at the air he is giving the SJ's! He is cracking &They are a fantastic team.

It was lovely to meet you & put another face to a name.

 

[punk]

Thanks! Also to everyone who has left all the lovely comments!!