BRC Nationals Report! Fabulous FABULOUS Genie!!!!

miss_c

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Well, a 4 1/2 hour journey to Lincoln wasn't my favourite way to spend a Friday, however all 9 club horses arrived at Lincoln safe and well. We had a riding test team (on which I was riding the Prelim test), Intermediate Show Jumping team and an individual in the Open Show Jumping.

She wasn't too keen on getting ready to go...

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Nor was she impressed with waiting to have her passport checked...

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But once there Genie, being Genie, settled in like a pro. Our stables were about as far away from the lorries as possible thanks to Genie having to have a permanent stable - some of you will remember she's allergic to something in grass, so we cannot risk it away from home!

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We woke on Saturday to a very misty Lincoln and went to support our first team member after mucking out. She was first to go at 8.30am which was perfect as her mare can get rather tense at times. Started well, got to the fourth movement of the Novice riding test and the judge beeped the horn, got out of the car, and told her she was riding the wrong test. Cue our other novice rider who was watching panicking and checking her sheet - our rider was DEFINITELY riding the Novice Riding Test 2014. It turned out that the judge had the PRELIM riding test!!!!!!! Our poor rider was allowed to go out and recompose herself and then be slotted in, and her mum who is also a riding test judge was absolutely lethal. I had to go and get ready so missed her test take 2, but was told they were pleased with it.

Genie came back to the lorry and had a snooze while having a massage... (It's alright for some!)

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And then we went off to work in... A lovely hack later and we arrived to the fifteen dressage arenas and horses everywhere. Fortunately Genie is one of those fabulous unflappable sorts and didn't give a flying... well... you know! I was told my arena was running early and they would be calling me shortly, but explained that I hadn't worked in at all so would like to wait until closer to my time. The steward was lovely and quite happy with that - thank you steward!

Off we went eventually to do our test and trotted round the arena. The judge kindly wound down her window and said that it would be two beeps for me to start - I am partially deaf and when I told her this she was also lovely and said that she would beep when I was down by the car and check that I nodded to say I had heard the horn! I wish all judges were as lovely!

I was glad I had put studs in as it was rather slippy, but Genie seemed fine on the grass. Our test generally looked like this, completely with me doing 'gormless face'.... (link as it's a pro photo)

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Came out and asked our first rider's mum (the one who judges) what she thought, and all she said was 'perfect'... I wish!!! Our other two riders also rode well I thought.

Saw to the horses and trekked to the scoreboards about an hour after our last rider to find our first rider had been marked very harshly and was only on 58%. :( While we were there they put up the score for our second rider (Prelim Test) who posted a fab 69%, and then they put up mine...

We posted 80% dead on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cue lots of insane laughing from me and a few tears, alongside my shaking. I never dreamt we would come close to our qualifying score at the Nationals (we qualified on 88.2%)! I was about halfway through the class and the last score they put up.

We then had another THREE HOURS to wait until they put up the rest of the scores!!!! Our fourth rider (Novice Test) posted 72% and was amazed and obviously very pleased!

So....

Our team was 8th!!!!! :D Our first rider was obviously disheartened after her score (she's ridden at BD Winter Champs so we had hoped she would do ok!) but as it turned out we were on an equal score of 26 with another team, so it went to fourth rider - she was higher placed in her arena so we got 8th and they got 9th. Hopefully she now feels that she really did make a difference for the team.

As to our individual result....

Genie and I WON our arena!!!!!!!! :D :D :D We were also 10th overall - out of all horses in the riding test competition at Prelim and Novice. VERY pleased with her!

She absolutely TOWED me through the presentation - she's a proper show off and loved every second. I love my sash although I REALLY wanted one of the beautiful rugs!!

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I am SO proud of my pony. Although the Riding Test is technically judged 100% on the rider, she gave me 110% and I was able to think about how I was riding instead of worrying about her. We travelled home this morning and it was a relief to get back safely... our fourth rider was also 10th in her arena so got an individual rosette. All the showjumpers completed and did extremely well, I think the team finished 18th and our Open rider was on an enormous (17.3hh) fairly young horse who is still maturing and did brilliantly. The whole team had a great time.

It was lovely to meet some HHO'ers and a self-confessed HHO lurker! Time for you to start posting!!!!

Thank you for reading, have left over birthday cake!!!! It's my birthday tomorrow but Genie has already given me the best present ever.

xxx

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only_me

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wow! Fantastic result!! 80%?! That's amazing!! And to win your arena to boot, brilliant! :D

Genie looks like she has it all sussed out ;) massive congrats to you and well done to your team and your other RC members as well, sounds like a good champs for all! :D

Quick qu though, when you say allergic to grass do you mean the grass at the venue or grass in general?
 

miss_c

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Quick qu though, when you say allergic to grass do you mean the grass at the venue or grass in general?

Thank you!

Three years ago she had an allergic reaction to something she ate in the field. We're not sure what it was but we almost lost her three times in a week and it took over two months to get her back to 'normal' turnout hours and a full year before I could leave her out overnight. I know my paddocks at home are 'safe', but away from home I just cannot risk it so while the others were happily grazing poor Genie had to stand and watch. :(
 

miss_c

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What a great result. Well done. I have never liked riding tests so you are braver than me and a huge score!

Thank you! I think they're quite scary really... especially being a 'large' rider... There were some really low scores and I feel really sorry for those people - some were in the 40s! I think I would stop riding...
 

miss_c

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You both look fab! We'll done you! What's the plan now? :)

Thank you!! :D We've been for a lovely hack this morning to stretch her legs and now she gets a day or two off. We have Team Quest until the end of the month and then start of October we are at Kings EC for Petplan Areas. Then touch wood start of November is Team Quest finals (Team currently in 7th so touch wood!). After that she gets some chill out time, December is always hacking only but I may bring her easy month forward - she will have earnt it! We have finished our Regionals qualification so no need to go out to BD left right and centre for a while.
xxx
 

milliepops

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Great result, well done! What a brilliant outing. I love Genie's face, she reminds me of a certain bay mare very close to me ;)

What day are you at Kings AF? Might see you there!
 

miss_c

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Great result, well done! What a brilliant outing. I love Genie's face, she reminds me of a certain bay mare very close to me ;)

What day are you at Kings AF? Might see you there!

Thank you! It certainly made the long journey worth it! The pony did good and boy does she know it!!!

We're at Kings on the Sunday for the Novice Restricted. A bit of a trek, especially when we had one 45 mins away, but I was away just before it so it didn't work date wise. Would be lovely to meet you!
 
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