FigJam
Well-Known Member
TPO and I went along to Gleneagles last night to watch Geoff Billington and William Whitaker do a SJ demo. It was supposed to be Michael & William, but Michael is stranded abroad competing due to the ash/flights nonsense, so Geoff stepped in at the last minute to substitute for him. Not a sub-standard stand in at all! 
It was really good. They started off on a couple of very green mares, William drawing the short straw on a 5 year old that tried its best to spook and get him off, but he did very well with it. Then Geoff came out on a more experienced, fairly new to him horse and then they both came back out (William on a more experienced horse this time!) to do a knockout race (Geoff won 2-1!) and then some puissance.
I found Geoff really entertaining to watch/listen to and was very much in admiration of Williams calm, relaxed riding with a jumping position to die for!
Thought some folk might be interested in a few wee videos I took of the puissance. My memory is being a bit fuzzy this morning
, but I think they did it initially at 1.20m, then-
2nd round- wall at 1.40m;
Geoff;
William;
3rd round- wall at 1.60m;
Geoff;
William;
4th round- wall at 1.72m;
Geoff;
William;
I could be wrong though! It definitely ended up at 1.72m anyway! And they both cleared it everytime. With lots of this wall is half the width of a normal one, so looks and rides much bigger!
Really good night.
It was really good. They started off on a couple of very green mares, William drawing the short straw on a 5 year old that tried its best to spook and get him off, but he did very well with it. Then Geoff came out on a more experienced, fairly new to him horse and then they both came back out (William on a more experienced horse this time!) to do a knockout race (Geoff won 2-1!) and then some puissance.
I found Geoff really entertaining to watch/listen to and was very much in admiration of Williams calm, relaxed riding with a jumping position to die for!
Thought some folk might be interested in a few wee videos I took of the puissance. My memory is being a bit fuzzy this morning
, but I think they did it initially at 1.20m, then-2nd round- wall at 1.40m;
Geoff;
William;
3rd round- wall at 1.60m;
Geoff;
William;
4th round- wall at 1.72m;
Geoff;
William;
I could be wrong though!
It definitely ended up at 1.72m anyway! And they both cleared it everytime. With lots of this wall is half the width of a normal one, so looks and rides much bigger! Really good night.
