Lolo
Well-Known Member
It was a family affiar today at Blackwater Farm PC ODE. My mum (mad lady that she is!) volunteered to take on the running of the event 3 years ago now. In the first year, we had 90 entries, last year we had 100 and this year we had 130... Means we have to be there from half 7ish right through the the very end of the day (nearly 6).
Alice was also riding, and was doing her first 1m class on Reg. Very nervous because she's been taking things quite slowly with him and this was a big step up (only done 5 90cm events!). We arrived at the crackles of dawn and I took up my post in the scorers cabin/ on the 'front desk' handing out numbers and answering queries.
They did a sweet test, but Al went wrong and although the nice bits were very nice he was inconsistent in the contact and resistant in the canter. A harsh 44 (thought it would be more of a 38-40 as his trotwork was lovely and it was all very accurate) that left them in the bottom third (but nowhere near last which was a huge improvement!).
I then legged it off to add up more dressage sheets/ XC scores and mum went to sort out the queue of PC mummies!
SJ- the course was lovely, but quite full up and twisty for a wagon like Reg. He jumped really sweetly round with 2 unlucky poles (just lost the canter quality before a downhill upright, which then unnerved him for the next fence). The last fence was a big double, and he had a last minute wobble and said no. On Monday, they had a clinic which went a bit wrong and he had a really issue with doubles there- when he gets stressed he reverts and gets so worried he can't canter or jump doubles... Second time round he popped through sweetly! Lots of pats- although it was 12 faults, it was down to two small errors, and he jumped far better than over 90cm courses.
By this stage, mum had to do the prizegiving for the smallest class and I had the last few things to add up for second class.
Dashed off to the XC, and they motored round. Didn't really go for time (it was looking difficult to get) but Reg's naturally big stride and confidence meant they flew round making it all look very easy miles inside the time. One of only 4 XC clears inside the time (almost got too fast penalties :O) but he looked like he wanted to go again, so definitely didn't feel pushed out of a rhythm!
All these shenanigans left them in 10th place- very happy smiley faces! Bit annoying that the SJ mistakes cost them a top 6 placing, but there's always next time. He'll keep going at 1m classes now as he looked very comfortable there.
The day was a real success though I think- no complaints beyond the ground being hard, which we really tried to do all we could but 2 weeks of no rain left us slightly stuck! Also saw Baydale although I was in a bit of a "aghhh" moment as I'd just been told someone who wasn't there had a dressage score, leaving a surplus of one extra test and Al was about to SJ!
Dressage lesson stuff here for people to either coo over or CC- don't mind either!
I have some videos of today and of the dressage lesson- only they're taking years and years to load!
Alice was also riding, and was doing her first 1m class on Reg. Very nervous because she's been taking things quite slowly with him and this was a big step up (only done 5 90cm events!). We arrived at the crackles of dawn and I took up my post in the scorers cabin/ on the 'front desk' handing out numbers and answering queries.
They did a sweet test, but Al went wrong and although the nice bits were very nice he was inconsistent in the contact and resistant in the canter. A harsh 44 (thought it would be more of a 38-40 as his trotwork was lovely and it was all very accurate) that left them in the bottom third (but nowhere near last which was a huge improvement!).
I then legged it off to add up more dressage sheets/ XC scores and mum went to sort out the queue of PC mummies!
SJ- the course was lovely, but quite full up and twisty for a wagon like Reg. He jumped really sweetly round with 2 unlucky poles (just lost the canter quality before a downhill upright, which then unnerved him for the next fence). The last fence was a big double, and he had a last minute wobble and said no. On Monday, they had a clinic which went a bit wrong and he had a really issue with doubles there- when he gets stressed he reverts and gets so worried he can't canter or jump doubles... Second time round he popped through sweetly! Lots of pats- although it was 12 faults, it was down to two small errors, and he jumped far better than over 90cm courses.
By this stage, mum had to do the prizegiving for the smallest class and I had the last few things to add up for second class.
Dashed off to the XC, and they motored round. Didn't really go for time (it was looking difficult to get) but Reg's naturally big stride and confidence meant they flew round making it all look very easy miles inside the time. One of only 4 XC clears inside the time (almost got too fast penalties :O) but he looked like he wanted to go again, so definitely didn't feel pushed out of a rhythm!
All these shenanigans left them in 10th place- very happy smiley faces! Bit annoying that the SJ mistakes cost them a top 6 placing, but there's always next time. He'll keep going at 1m classes now as he looked very comfortable there.
The day was a real success though I think- no complaints beyond the ground being hard, which we really tried to do all we could but 2 weeks of no rain left us slightly stuck! Also saw Baydale although I was in a bit of a "aghhh" moment as I'd just been told someone who wasn't there had a dressage score, leaving a surplus of one extra test and Al was about to SJ!
Dressage lesson stuff here for people to either coo over or CC- don't mind either!
I have some videos of today and of the dressage lesson- only they're taking years and years to load!
He is getting there now. He can actually work through properly from behind when he's not having a stress fit/ a bit nervous. Just needs lots of match practise!
