Broadway report - Bob's first event (oops - warning, v long!)

[FestiveSpirit]

Well yes I know there was some minor competition on today at Badminton, but I was having a WHOLE lot more fun at Broadway today

(or I was once the stress was over

)

My friend/instructor and I had decided that it would be better for Bob if she rode him for his first couple of events

After last weekend when he was so brilliant XC he had then proved his total greenness when SJing this week, and also had a very unsuccessful XC schooling session. So I felt that Bob needed a confident rider who would reassure him and give him clear direction for his first event - and sadly that aint me

So today was 'fond owner' day and god, it is MUCH worse than riding

Bob was very tense in the dressage warm-up (not unexpectedly) but managed to do what I thought was a sweet, accurate test. Sadly judge did not agree and he got 41

Afterwards I noticed that the judge was not hugely generous mind you (section A) as the highest mark was 30.

SJ warm up was every bit as bad as I had feared

Bob panics when approaching the fence and tries to run through his bridle - a new bit today helped a lot, and Jenni was really patient with him and spent ages warming him up properly before she took him in. Not sure who was more surprised, Jenni or me, when Bob jumped around the course clear right until the last fence

It was effective rather than pretty but bless him he cleared everything (even the horrible scarey planks which I would have hated!) but then just lengthened and flattened too much over the final double and booted out both elements

Had time penalties too as Jenni had been patient and took things slowly and clearly for him, but overall I was delighted with only 2 down - he was so bad in the warm-up I thought he would be eliminated

Oh - just thought to add - yes, back/teeth/saddle etc have VERY MUCH been checked, physio etc say he is fine now, he is simply green and has really never been SJing much at all before in his life!!!

And XC - well, what can I say, he went back to his old fabulous XC ways and was CLEAR

Again time penalties because he was a bit looky and Jenni babied him around, but he looked amazing. I was just SOOOOOOO nervous though!

So we ended up with about 63 penalties, not great but I was really really pleased overall

I wish like mad that I had been riding him dressage and XC (although must emphasise that Jenni did a brilliant job, but they are the fun bits to me!) but very very glad indeed that I wasnt riding him around the SJ

Thanks for reading, sorry it is so long as usual

 

[SunSmile]

Yay go Bob! Onwards and upwards for you both

Pictures??

 

[Jane_Lou]

Well done Bob!
You now know the stress I go through while K is riding Baileys!
Keep your fingers crossed for us tomorrow please - seriously nasty scary (and big) fence 5 will be giving us both a sleepless night!

 

[FestiveSpirit]

There are pro pictures which I cant post, but Zalacca was there taking pics so may have some later

We now have a new plan, Jenni is eventing him next week (more confidence building!) then some schooling/training then we are going to drop down to BE80 (T)

for me to ride him at Ascott u Wychwood at the beginning of June

 

[FestiveSpirit]

[ QUOTE ]
Well done Bob!
You now know the stress I go through while K is riding Baileys!
Keep your fingers crossed for us tomorrow please - seriously nasty scary (and big) fence 5 will be giving us both a sleepless night!

[/ QUOTE ]

I am up at 4.30am tomorrow to go back to Broadway to help Jenni with her Novice horse, but that will be easy compared to today

I couldnt believe how nervous I was!

Best of luck for tomorrow, I will definitely be keeping my fingers crossed for you

Look forward to reading your report

 

[BroadfordQueen]

Wahoo well done Bob!! Sounds like a positive start, dressage can always be worked on and will improve with more experience, and a clear xc is brilliant

Did you happen to see what the Novice xc course looked like? ie was it huge?!

 

[jumptoit]

That's fab - sounds like a good plan too!

 

[FestiveSpirit]

I am intimately aquainted with the XC course, we walked it twice.. once in the morning for the Intro, once when we had finished competing for the Novice tomorrow

Ow my feet ache...

Jenni's assessment was it that was a pretty easy Novice course! Definitely not huge...a couple of accuracy questions, in particular two skinnies on a curving related distance which were the third fence from the end...but generally seemed OK! To her that is, not to me

 

[FestiveSpirit]

Thank you

Just checked the results and did my usual 'IF he had done a double clear...'

- he would have been 12th! As it was, 27th out of 31 completions

although a few eliminations etc so I am still happy he did well

Just need to sort this SJ business out

 

[Jiffy]

Coolio!

...I look forward to Ascott-u-Wychwood, so you'll have another photographer there too.

 

[FestiveSpirit]

YAYYYY - will be great to see you there Jiffy, havent seen you for far too long

Try not to giggle too much at the size of the fences though

 

[Jane_Lou]

We will see how tomorrow goes but we may now go to Ascott for the 80T rather than BCA as a bit of a confidence builder.

 

[FestiveSpirit]

Well it would be nice to say hello at Ascott

Although I am ashamed to say I completely forgot to say hello to Daisychain at Broadway today

I was too busy stressing about ickle Bob

Sorry Daisychain!

I am really looking forward to Ascott already, I am so sad!

 

[Jane_Lou]

Part of me wishes K would stick to dressage! I thought I had converted her over winter but as January came she started talking about dates!
I can't wait for Joe to come sound so I can get out doing some dressage myself..... far less stressfull.....

 

[kirstyhen]

[ QUOTE ]


I am really looking forward to Ascott already, I am so sad!

[/ QUOTE ]

I was ridiculously excited about AUW before the eventing season BEFORE I was going to do it had finished

It was really lovely there last year, Hen did a fab dressage (well away from anything exciting, behind the lorry park, away from the SJ and XC!), an absolute stonker of an SJ round (my fab friend gave me a brilliant course walk) and then stupid pilot rode like a moo and stuffed up the XC!

The SJ was nice, if he's done two Intros before it will be fine, and the XC was easy!

 

[TableDancer]

Well done Bob

We were there too, lovely day out in the sunshine - what a beautiful spot!

 

[Nats_uk]

Yay well done Bob! That's great for his first time - you can improve on the SJ and dressage so double yay for the clear XC