Competition report: Frickley 80cm Arena Eventing

alexomahony

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Last year my friend entered this with her old eventer, and I went along as groom and was so impressed by the course I made a note to enter the next year.

Sky has been pretty sticky on recent outings and being a bit naughty and nappy out SJ'ing so I thought he'd enjoy a change and he LOVES jumping on grass so I decided this would be a great change for him, even though he can worry about new things.

Saturday morning came round and I had a nice time of 13:39, so a nice 10:30am set off would get us there with plenty time to find a toilet, register, get something to eat and walk the course. Sky is always happy to chill on the trailer so of me and mum went. We set off a bit earlier due to the weather (about 10:10am) and the drive wasn't too bad considering the weather, it was POURING down, but luckily there wasn't too much standing water on the roads and it was a steady and easy journey.

We arrived about 11:50, checked Sky and headed off to the tents. Hat tagged, horse registered, sandwich eaten and toilets toileted we headed back to the trailer to get ready - I wanted Sky to be ready and walking around with Mum in hand whilst I walked the course so he could have a good look around. He can often be quite a handful at shows, but he stood quietly in the trailer to be tacked up and didn't squash me or our snazzy new saddle (thank god!)

Had a slight blip in calmness when Mum showed up holding her huge brolly and Sky flipped out breaking the pin in the bum bar and nearly jumping the breach bar!! Took a few moments to calm down but we got him off and after a walk around he started to calm down a bit. Sky when fresh can sometimes be a bit cold backed, so I'm glad I stuck to my plan of him being walked in hand for a while before I got on - the ground was wet and I did not want to come flying back off again within the first stride of walk!!

Walking the course I began to worry a little as some of the fences were quite concerning and spooky - and some going away from the warm up arena where I thought 'I won't get him anywhere near that!!' Anyway, negative thoughts pushed out my head, I went to warm up and he was FAB, light in the hand, forward, sharp off the leg and listening. Jumped the fences super and a few people hadn't turned up so I could go in early. Fine with me - there was a gap in the rain :D

Headed in and he had a little spook at the photographer and I made a point to go near the first XC fence. Headed to fence one, perfect, two - a spread with a little brush under it, no problem - the whole SJ course caused no issues at all... I went a bit steady as I didn't have studs in. On to fence one in the XC, he was up to the bridle and feeling bold, I gave him a little tap behind the saddle just to remind him to stay that way - sailed it, into the woods which we trotted through, to XC fence 2, a barrel with flowers along the bottom, he had a look but I clicked and he went, then a sharp right angle to a full up brush fence back into the woods, which was dark... he wanted an extra look and got too close, so he got a pat and we came round again, sailed it, and then jumped back out great over a matching fence, swooping curved round to fence 4 - jumping away from the warm up and the fence was a house with a white roof and flowers along the bottom (the first I thought he wouldn't go near!) I gave him another little tap behind the saddle just to keep him up to the bridle and HE FLEW IT! AMAZING! I was BUZZING! Round to 5, a hanging log back into the wood which caused no issue and out over a wide and solid arrowhead, which he flew as well! I was SO happy we got round I forgot to steady up in time for the vertical joker fence and we had it down (gutted!) but that didn't concern me at all, I was so pleased we had a non sticky XC round <3 And I didn't even have to work all the hard, he was enjoying himself and I was having a ball! Which is what it's all about. To top it off we got a lovely frilly for 9th which is fantastic!!!!!

Thanks for reading - sorry about the essay! Got carried away :D







Sky Frickley small.jpg
 

milliepops

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lovely photo :D great report, had to giggle about your mum and the brolly, that's the sort of thing mine would do!

Congrats on the results too, sounds like a great day despite the weather.
 

alexomahony

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lovely photo :D great report, had to giggle about your mum and the brolly, that's the sort of thing mine would do!

Congrats on the results too, sounds like a great day despite the weather.


Bless her sometimes she just doesn't think, but to be fair - Sky was so chilled it surprised me that the brolly bothered him!
 

myheartinahoofbeat

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Brilliant.Looks like you had lots of fun. I liked the bit where you said some of the fences were spooky but you pushed the negative thoughts out of your head. That's the key to it isn't it. Positive thinking. It worked! Well done.
 

alexomahony

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Brilliant.Looks like you had lots of fun. I liked the bit where you said some of the fences were spooky but you pushed the negative thoughts out of your head. That's the key to it isn't it. Positive thinking. It worked! Well done.

So true it really does work - I'm very guilty of often riding 'too pretty', and not being effective but on Saturday I *pretended* to have a competitive nature and rode 'to win' and it certainly works! Sometimes I think, if being competitive isn't in your nature, it's good to 'pretend'... once that riding effectively and positively comes, its amazing how much you really enjoy yourself and actually stop worrying about the actual fences, and concentrate on just having a great time!
 

myheartinahoofbeat

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So true it really does work - I'm very guilty of often riding 'too pretty', and not being effective but on Saturday I *pretended* to have a competitive nature and rode 'to win' and it certainly works! Sometimes I think, if being competitive isn't in your nature, it's good to 'pretend'... once that riding effectively and positively comes, its amazing how much you really enjoy yourself and actually stop worrying about the actual fences, and concentrate on just having a great time!
I LOVE this. Definitely going to try it next time I'm out
 
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