Hambleden

SpottedCat

SpottedCat

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After last time I wasn't going to do any more reports since someone out there is clearly so unhappy with the idea that a friend might actually want to take photos of me, but Hambleden is such an amazing event that I want to encourage people to enter it - it deserves all the support it gets!

So I drove up the night before frantically hoping I had got a stable (sent off all the stuff but I have had 3 bits of post with cheques in go missing recently and the cheque hadn't been cashed, couldn't get hold of anyone to determine whether or not it had arrived - they were probably busy with important things!!). Ihatework promised me she would find me somewhere if we turned up and there was nothing!

Got to within spitting distance to discover a closed road. I had no idea how to get round - the diversion was sending me in the opposite direction and as I'd never been before I had no idea which way to turn when I hit the main road again....so I rang IHW and asked her to rescue me whilst I waited it out in a petrol station. Arrived at stabling, no lists up so put GBO in a stable and went off for dinner.

Had loads of time the next day, so fed GBO and went and walked the SJ and XC at half seven in the morning, then cleared up and decamped to the main lorry park.

Vids not pictures I'm afraid - I have loads of lovely pics on my FB but you are not allowed to see them or the thread will disappear even though they are not pro photos.

Dressage first - Same test as Howick, I though the horse went remarkably similarly if a bit more forwards...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zautyA8PaE4&feature=g-upl&context=G2296ba8AUAAAAAAADAA

I was pleased, and IHW and I agreed it was probably a 33-35 test.

We then hid in the lorry until the rain and hail had passed, got to SJ, put number down and watched a few go. Warmed up ok, though I am a bit hacked off with how I am riding at events - jumping 1.10-1.15 courses with chatter1 and finding them easy, but being a bit hopeless at events. I was expecting the SJ to look big as Howick looked tiny and I had heard Hambleden was stiff, but actually was pleased to see it looking fine. Needing riding, but not enormous. This means there is one less thing for me to worry about, which is nice, and means Chatter1 is doing her job well!!

Two down, which I was miffed about as my fault I think:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xckd3NVLK6I&feature=g-upl&context=G2e41677AUAAAAAAACAA

At this point I discovered my dressage was a 25 and I was jointly in the lead :cool:

Then on to XC. I was in agreement that it was a beautifully presented course, but nothing terribly technical. It didn't even look that big and bold to me. The steward told me there were 8 in front of me, two people went and I got called to the start, which was random but fine! The lovely starter asked me to go in the box at 15, and I politely declined - GBO knows his job too well now and I can't go in the box until they get to 5 or I can't hold him and he gets v upset and waves to the crowd if I try. She was fine with me waiting, and in he went on 5.

He flew round the course, but I just didn't feel we had a terribly fluent round - couple of places where I asked for a long one and he chipped in, and I just didn't come back with that awesome feeling I usually get. Who knows why - I'm probably being fussy and a perfectionist!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IifxufBPYU&feature=g-upl&context=G25a0c41AUAAAAAAABAA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9fRSUA9B4U&feature=g-upl&context=G2423e19AUAAAAAAAAAA

Anyway, he did a fast clear, just picked up 1.6 time but I wouldn't have done anything differently.

Sadly the poles were enough to knock us right out of the placings to finish 19th. Very annoying and I am still sulking about it whilst trying to remember to enjoy the journey (TD ;))

However, Hambleden itself is probably the best event I've been to, and totally deserves the rave reviews everyone gives it. The work which had gone into it was obvious, the woodchip in the woods was very appreciated, the people towing us out were cheerful despite me having no clue how to get to my tow hook, and I will be back!

The GBO got a packet of polos anyway for doing such a fab dressage.
 
Booo, hiss to all the button pushers who have denied us the gorgeous photos which I have seen on your FB - the score of 25 is well and truly deserved! Such a bummer about the SJ and I feel your pain... but the ground was holding and it seems it wasn't only our two who didn't want to get in the air. These blooming open100s are ridiculous! Perhaps a Novice is required for the GBO :)
 
SpottedCat said:
However, Hambleden itself is probably the best event I've been to, and totally deserves the rave reviews everyone gives it. The work which had gone into it was obvious, the woodchip in the woods was very appreciated, the people towing us out were cheerful despite me having no clue how to get to my tow hook, and I will be back!

The GBO got a packet of polos anyway for doing such a fab dressage.
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Thanks SC - am feeling thoroughly demoralised this morning calculating how many £1000s we have lost due to having to abandon and am disappointed that people feel it was a soft course - given the ground conditions I am just pleased that it was safe!
 
LCH611 said:
Thanks SC - am feeling thoroughly demoralised this morning calculating how many £1000s we have lost due to having to abandon and am disappointed that people feel it was a soft course - given the ground conditions I am just pleased that it was safe!
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In all honesty over the tannoy it was causing enough issues that I think IHW might be right - I am on a super-experienced very easy XC horse. He's done lots of Novices (I've done a few too on him), and even as a youngster he has never been spooky or difficult. I hadn't realised that coffin at the end would have been in the PN too - I'd assumed it was a N/CIC fence (depending on which side you jumped), so I think that would have really been influential!

Also do not forget I am sulking because normally a dressage of 25 with 2 down SJ and a quick clear XC would scrape you a minor placing, but it was so ridiculously competitive in the open BE100 that I was well out of the running and am kicking myself. If the XC had caused more issues I might have been more cheerful but you'd have had a lot of people who weren't, so on balance no bad thing really!

I thought the effort with the ground was amazing - it was holding up really well as I did not go XC till after 1pm. The only 'moment' I had was at the log after the water complex where I rode for a forward one just as he hit sticky deep ground, so we had an uncomfortable jump.

I felt so sorry for you having to abandon, it's by far and away the best event I've been to, and I sent you a little email to say thankyou and hope you can pass on my thanks to the sponsors too.
 
Lovely report, shame about the pics but hey ho, vids are good at lunch time :) 19th on a sub 40 score, I'd have been sulking about that too! Thanks for sharing, event looks lovely, and I know I say this about everyone's horses, but your boy is gorgeous.
 
Bubbles said:
Lovely report, shame about the pics but hey ho, vids are good at lunch time :) 19th on a sub 40 score, I'd have been sulking about that too! Thanks for sharing, event looks lovely, and I know I say this about everyone's horses, but your boy is gorgeous.
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Thanks - I am only sulking in a light-hearted way - it's just typical that a sub-40 score, which is usually my aim, leaves me so far down the order - and I'll probably never lead the dressage again! :D

The GBO is aware he is gorgeous, and also thinks he is very important.... :rolleyes:
 
What a great report, well done on the dresage score! :)


SpottedCat said:
I felt so sorry for you having to abandon, it's by far and away the best event I've been to, and I sent you a little email to say thankyou and hope you can pass on my thanks to the sponsors too.
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And well said, most of us are aware how hard it is to run an event in the best of conditions, credit when its due.
 
Wow on the dressage score, amazing! Can't believe two fences would drop you down such a lot, must have been some decent people and horses there to be that competitive? Good luck for next time, can't see vids as at work and really should be! :o
 
Ha, I am really glad I posted this now as I feel better that you would all have been mildly put out to drop so far down the order;)
 
Bl00dy go you, smashing dressage! Glad you are heeding TD's advice about enjoying the journey, think you have to with eventing as it's so hard to get everything to go your way on the day! Will make do with vids but still narked that due to snivelly nosed button pushers we don't get to see the photies harumpf. Well done you for making the journey, it is a fab event. We've not registered BE this year due to the Pig's problems but it is always one of our faves :)
 
Thanks NR99 - I started having dressage lessons with someone regularly in Jan and it is paying off (sometimes!).

Cheers BB - I thought I made a bit of a hash of the hanging log after the water, but your photos through the water are fabulous!
 
Very well done indeed and a fabulous dressage!! Definately one to put on the wall. I stabled too but did not see you around there. I was warming up for the sj with you though.
I echo your feelings about the event. Hambleden was a brilliant event and superbly run. The organisation there was some of the best. The ground was lovely albeit a bit deep in places before those two almighty showers and the hail storm. I will definately be back next year.
 
Wow at the dressage score! I'm sulking on your behalf but maybe the sticky conditions affected his SJ. I'm also sulking because R was going to go to Hambleden for the first time on the Sunday :(.
 
trefilan said:
Very well done indeed and a fabulous dressage!! Definately one to put on the wall. I stabled too but did not see you around there. I was warming up for the sj with you though.
I echo your feelings about the event. Hambleden was a brilliant event and superbly run. The organisation there was some of the best. The ground was lovely albeit a bit deep in places before those two almighty showers and the hail storm. I will definately be back next year.
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Thanks! I hope you were concentrating hard enough on your warmup not to really see mine. I am a bit hopeless at events. ;)

Rosiefan said:
Wow at the dressage score! I'm sulking on your behalf but maybe the sticky conditions affected his SJ. I'm also sulking because R was going to go to Hambleden for the first time on the Sunday :(.
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I don't think the sticky ground helped, but equally I don't think I helped either. I think I probably didn't have quite enough leg on (for various reasons) so back to the drawing board! At least the next one SJs on a surface! Shame Rosie missed out - I'd encourage them to enter next year though, courses were amazing!!
 
Great report - sad no photos, boo :( And he really did go very well, didn't he? Maybe he was reluctant to take long ones XC because of the going: T said it really did get quite deep in some places through the woods, so if he didn't trust his footing he was very sensible not to take flyers ;) Also delighted to hear you are heeding my (bossy) advice :D

A great shame to hear LCH611 is feeling demoralised, I can imagine the clear up must be deeply depressing, it's bad enough when you do get to finish the event :( However, please don't take the feedback on the course badly, it's meant in a positive way! I think you are quite right the coffin would have been influential, I didn't look at it in detail as I never realised it had been intended for the PN track, but it certainly looked like a spooky little hollow :D I can only reiterate that Hambleden is a fab event, hence people like us travel nearly 3 hours from Wales to get there - any suggestions should be seen in that context ;) :) Here's hoping for better weather next year!
 
TableDancer said:
Great report - sad no photos, boo :( And he really did go very well, didn't he? Maybe he was reluctant to take long ones XC because of the going: T said it really did get quite deep in some places through the woods, so if he didn't trust his footing he was very sensible not to take flyers ;) Also delighted to hear you are heeding my (bossy) advice :D

A great shame to hear LCH611 is feeling demoralised, I can imagine the clear up must be deeply depressing, it's bad enough when you do get to finish the event :( However, please don't take the feedback on the course badly, it's meant in a positive way! I think you are quite right the coffin would have been influential, I didn't look at it in detail as I never realised it had been intended for the PN track, but it certainly looked like a spooky little hollow :D I can only reiterate that Hambleden is a fab event, hence people like us travel nearly 3 hours from Wales to get there - any suggestions should be seen in that context ;) :) Here's hoping for better weather next year!
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TD I am sure you are right on all counts! The GBO is becoming quite the dressage diva - had a lesson with my trainer yesterday and apparently my canter half passes are of test quality now, which considering my dressage ineptitude is nothing short of a miracle! I must credit Chatter1 with laying the groundwork for me though ;)
 
Having read your continual blogs and watched your video SpottedCat, i definitely agree with you, the two poles down WERE your fault, you were far too heavy with your hands!! Try letting go next time!!!
 
tomjones said:
Having read your continual blogs and watched your video SpottedCat, i definitely agree with you, the two poles down WERE your fault, you were far too heavy with your hands!! Try letting go next time!!!
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Ouch! This wouldn't be in response to SC's comments on the £50 for a clear round thread would it..........
 
tomjones said:
Having read your continual blogs and watched your video SpottedCat, i definitely agree with you, the two poles down WERE your fault, you were far too heavy with your hands!! Try letting go next time!!!
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Excellent, clearly I've been wasting my money spending it on training with Robin Dumas and the 3* rider I showjump with, who knew I could come on here and get such super advice for free?!

I've never claimed to be anything other than what I am, an amateur rider who events for a hobby. This, however, is a spiteful and childish dig from someone who is clearly sore about something - I hope you now feel better.

Mind you - if you can read how a horse should be ridden from seeing a video, I'm impressed, because if you let go of this chap SJ, then he'll stop, and stop, and stop.

I'd offer you the chance to come and ride him and prove how much better you can do, but it's a moot point really since I had to make the decision to retire him yesterday - nice timing, thanks.
 
tomjones said:
Having read your continual blogs and watched your video SpottedCat, i definitely agree with you, the two poles down WERE your fault, you were far too heavy with your hands!! Try letting go next time!!!
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LCH611 said:
Ouch! This wouldn't be in response to SC's comments on the £50 for a clear round thread would it..........
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Interesting that both posters have been banned, at the same time, after requests to check the IP addresses.

Talk about suicidal business PR. :rolleyes:
 
AandK said:
The user name goes dark red.
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Thank christ for that.

I saw Puppy's post and thought that LCH had been banned, and there is no way on earth I would believe she would be act unprofessionally, she runs one of the best events on the BE calandar.

The poster going under the username 'Washbrook Farm' no comment .....
 
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