Moreton Morrell Novice report

BroadfordQueen

BroadfordQueen

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I was trying to think of some alliteration as my title, and I think "super speedy superstar sucks at showjumping!" was quite apt :p

We left at 7 to get there at 8 (we are pretty local luckily!), but traffic wasn't good- nearly off the motorway when we see signs saying "warning, animals on road"! Don't know what had happened, but it wasn't on our side of the motorway so we got there only about 15 minutes late. Warmed up for dressage and I have never felt so intimidated in my life! Warming up with about 10 riders who have done Badminton, in a very small and packed warm up arena- ugh it was horrible (although everyone was very polite!!). Went in and did a really nice test for Queenie- our best novice test yet, everything was accurate, although slightly tense. Unfortunately I was in a VERY tough section, at least half of them were pro's, so I got 42 :( Can't really expect much more as it really was all big names there today- being a midweek event I guess means that only pros can get there!
Onto the showjumping which was HUGE!! Since I haven't jumped anything for 2 weeks I was pretty nervous, biggest novice track I have ever seen (and I certainly wasn't the only one sharing that view!). Jumped 1 and 2 slightly rubbish, so gave her a quick tap down the shoulder with my stick into number 3- BIG mistake. She jumped number 3 hugeeeeee, and then messed up the related distance to number 4 which was a double, so cacked it up and had both parts down :( Gutted, especially as she then had the next jump down too (planks). Managed to get her collected back up and finish nicely, including the treble. So finished on a pretty crappy 12 faults. Must admit at this point I was feeling really down and out of my depth :(
Thought I would just crack on with the xc so went over to the start (and saw my old pc instructor who was stewarding, which was nice :) ) and it was nearly empty so pretty much had a couple of practice jumps and went.
She was AWESOME. Have genuinely never ridden a xc round quite like it, she was taking fliers at huge jumps, didn't think twice about any of the questions, she just gave me a brilliant ride! So my second clear at novice xc (god that sounds rubbish :p ), and also..we where inside the time!!!! How on earth she did it I don't know, as people where getting soooo many time faults!! Mega chuffed with my carthorse pony :D

Heres some pics, thanks to dad and David Sellers photography who took a cracking photo :)

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And a video (note the name of whos following me round the xc ;) )


Just thought I would add this pic of me in the warm up- can anyone see who is holding the horse behind me? Bit nerve wracking having him watch me jump! :p
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Must say all the pros where really friendly, I got a "good luck" off Rosie Thomas and lots of big smiles off people :)
 
well done and fabby photos! :)

i think most pros do tend to be quite friendly and Rosie is extremely nice- our horse was with her for a bit and she is such a lovely person.
 
Well done great report and great day :) Pictures look lovely too. I wouldn't worry about the SJ at least you know what went wrong and you can correct it next time! I would have been really nervous riding with all the pros but doesn't it make you feel good that you can compete against them!?
 
Blimey thanks everyone! :D
I was having a slight confidence melt down before I went xc, and mum just said to me, "the fact that you're riding here against all these big names is impressive enough". Shes right, I forget that Im not doing pony club events anymore!
She really was loving the xc, such an awesome pony :D
 
You look pretty good to me :) what a lovely set of photos and great video too, you were flying :D
Well done, MM always have big sjing IMO ;)
 
Cheers :D She isn't that clean, she was actually really grubby today, the camera just makes her look white :p
Hope she picks up her toes abit more on Sunday, have got a pony club team showjumping show, and we are doing the Hickstead qualifier class- which is 1.15m in the first round *gulp* :p
 
Well done, that sounds like a very good day out. She is flying round the xc isn't she, like others said I wouldn't worry about the showjumping, you know where you went wrong, so hopefully next time you'll know what not to do. Good luck for your next event.
And I must admit I bought a black horse specifically so you couldn't tell where the dirt is :)
 
Yeah I was kicking myself about the showjumps as with only 1 or even 2 down I may have still got a top 10 finish (xc times are that influencial!), but 3 just took me too far out of it! D'oh!
She took a real flier at the boathouse into the water, when I was looking at the video I paused it just before she took off and shes jumping it as if it was 2ft! :p
 
Well done!
I was stewarding today and it was very packed in the warmup for dressage (more so than last year). I don't know if its fact but someone said to me that Oli was there today but I'm not entirely sure! Still Andrew Nicholson and a few other good names were there today.

Love the XC pics!
 
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Thank you! She is 16.1hh :)
And yeah Oli T was there! He is the one in the pic of me in the sj warm up, think he was there watching a groom/pupil/friend who happened to do their dressage and sj at the same time as me so Oli was around when I was :p
 
You were in my section if I remember right! I did think he was stood behind us when we were stewarding the dressage, he seemed to keep looking over to someone but I couldn't pin point who.

The SJ was huge, I swear it was bigger than last year but maybe that was just me being short!
 
I think Lucy Elms was there, which is who Oli would have been supporting!

Well done BQ, good result. Don't worry about the Sjing, it is always influential there!
 
Thanks everyone :D
Next is ALW, they put me in the BE100 as there was no room in the novice originally, but we are going to phone up on withdrawal date and hope some people have withdrawn so I can do the novice :) Then nothing really till Great Tew novice :)
 
Well Done! :) Look like your enjoying yourselves!

I had 4 poles down in the PC Open Area there last year, I wouldn't worry, I was kicking myself too, as I also did my best dressage ever, 2nd after dressage. :) Yes, very influential there. :D
 
Thanks- we really did enjoy ourselves! Damn showjumping, it used to be my fave phase, slowly becoming my worst!
Results are up and I finished 17th. My dressage score actually wasn't that bad as there are a fair amount in the 40's, I wasn't last after dr by any means! :D :D And I was one of 3 inside the time :p If only I hadn't of messed up the showjumping :( Oh well, one day we will get it all right on the same day..! :p
 
Well done to you, I was there with a couple of friends today who were doing the Novice as well and everyone was saying the showjumping was built as a BSJA course and was well up to height, had to agree with that one and the x-country was stiff and asked quite a few questions, one person even said a couple of the x-country jumps wouldn't have looked out of place at Badminton especially the table before the water.

Steve Smith was riding a horse for Oli Townend his lorrywas parked in front of us. Most people were having poles in the showjumping, including a lot of the pros.

Once again well done that was one of the stiffest novices I have seen for quite a while.
 
The showjumping WAS huge! Deffo bigger than the BSJA I have done on Queenie recently (newcomers, including jump offs!)!
Thanks everyone :D
 
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