FrodoBeutlin
Well-Known Member
Last week I promised I would do a competition report for my first ever show on Frodo even if it went really badly… well, this clearly happened to test my resolution!
I have a long list of good excuses but I don’t really 'do' excuses so I’ll skip it! Let’s just say that the previous weekend was one of the worst competition preparations known to mankind and I should probably have entered HC, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.
This was my first show since April 2011 (!), and I had never competed Frodo before, therefore we chose a nice quiet venue (I hadn't realised quite *how* quiet!), a bit of a drive but very scenic. We were entered for the two Mediums, but I had to withdraw from the first, as we only got there about 5 mins before I was due in, LOL! But he warmed up really nicely, albeit shortly as we only had 15 mins, for the second test, which was Medium 61.
In the test itself he felt good, if a bit lacklustre. Some imprecisions here and there on my part, a really bad first halt and both the medium and the extended trot were virtually non existent, but to be honest I was happy with how he went. The score, however, was really bad -- 61.7%. Way too many 6s and not enough 7s
If this had been Germany and I had got 61% for my first test in one year and my first ever on Frodo, I'd be absolutely chuffed, but in the UK I did expect a bit more.
Having said that, the winner got 63% (and from what I saw her horse looked lovely, but I didn't see all of her test) so ok, admittedly not terribly high scores. As it was only the two of us in the Medium (!), I came second, or, erm, last, depending on whether you see the glass half empty or half full! I have never come last before so that's a first!
Good points:
1) It's absolutely amazing to compete a horse who just gets on with it and you don't have to worry about spooking / keeping the poll up / 'test tension'. You can actually concentrate on riding the test I could get used to this!
2) I remembered the test! Considering I only rode it in its entirety for the first time in the competition arena itself (!), I was quite impressed with myself
3) The judging! Even when the marks are low the comments are positive and encouraging. Something else I could get used to
Bad points:
1) A lot of things were really imprecise, totally my fault, it's pointless to ride a really good canter half pass if then you proceed all wobbly down the centre line afterwards I do really hope it's just a question of getting back into the swing of things. The good thing about this country is that there are so many shows to choose from! You virtually have a BD show every day, somewhere in the country!
Lots of pics now! Some from the evening before, at home, and some from the test.
Test:
First halt
Pretty boy:
Of course the whole day out would have been worth it just to see this:
Frodo the sheep dog!
Oh, Rauti is doing well and slowly getting his fitness back
Doritos and Kinder Bueno on offer if you've got this far (yes, I am a pig!)
I have a long list of good excuses but I don’t really 'do' excuses so I’ll skip it! Let’s just say that the previous weekend was one of the worst competition preparations known to mankind and I should probably have entered HC, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.
This was my first show since April 2011 (!), and I had never competed Frodo before, therefore we chose a nice quiet venue (I hadn't realised quite *how* quiet!), a bit of a drive but very scenic. We were entered for the two Mediums, but I had to withdraw from the first, as we only got there about 5 mins before I was due in, LOL! But he warmed up really nicely, albeit shortly as we only had 15 mins, for the second test, which was Medium 61.
In the test itself he felt good, if a bit lacklustre. Some imprecisions here and there on my part, a really bad first halt and both the medium and the extended trot were virtually non existent, but to be honest I was happy with how he went. The score, however, was really bad -- 61.7%. Way too many 6s and not enough 7s
If this had been Germany and I had got 61% for my first test in one year and my first ever on Frodo, I'd be absolutely chuffed, but in the UK I did expect a bit more.Having said that, the winner got 63% (and from what I saw her horse looked lovely, but I didn't see all of her test) so ok, admittedly not terribly high scores. As it was only the two of us in the Medium (!), I came second, or, erm, last, depending on whether you see the glass half empty or half full! I have never come last before so that's a first!
Good points:
1) It's absolutely amazing to compete a horse who just gets on with it and you don't have to worry about spooking / keeping the poll up / 'test tension'. You can actually concentrate on riding the test
I could get used to this! 2) I remembered the test! Considering I only rode it in its entirety for the first time in the competition arena itself (!), I was quite impressed with myself
3) The judging! Even when the marks are low the comments are positive and encouraging. Something else I could get used to
Bad points:
1) A lot of things were really imprecise, totally my fault, it's pointless to ride a really good canter half pass if then you proceed all wobbly down the centre line afterwards
I do really hope it's just a question of getting back into the swing of things. The good thing about this country is that there are so many shows to choose from! You virtually have a BD show every day, somewhere in the country!Lots of pics now! Some from the evening before, at home, and some from the test.
Test:
First halt
Pretty boy:
Of course the whole day out would have been worth it just to see this:
Frodo the sheep dog!
Oh, Rauti is doing well and slowly getting his fitness back
Doritos and Kinder Bueno on offer if you've got this far (yes, I am a pig!)
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