tigers_eye
Well-Known Member
WARNING: includes mightily embarassing video footage
Soo, remember that thing I've been banging on about to raise funds for my nationality change and Olympic ambitions? It was last night, and was a big success.
The whole thing was filmed, but that's a lot of video so so far am just uploading some bits from my "eventers" slot at the end of the show. A lot went wrong in the week before the show, my opening act injured herself, my commentator cried off in favour of a live tv gig, my hoped-for puissance riders never materialised..... But lots of frantic phone calls and executive decisions later I was cautiously confident we had a show on our hands.
Opening act was a charming 17yo girl and her beautiful welsh pony, first they did some dressage with just a rope round her neck, then she took the saddle off and did some fabulous liberty work. I had to take off just as people started arriving to get my lot ready, and as we arrived back at the yard on horseback we could hear this fabulous music she used and loads of applause, sent a real shiver along my spine! The replacement commentator, who arrived 10 minutes before curtain up and who I'd only spoken to on the phone sounded confident and informed too, a relief!
The second act was the yard owner, and my dressage trainer, Denis Soyer doing classical in-hand work with his beautiful Slovak warmblood. He's a stunning liver chestnut with flaxen mane and tail. He was rigged up with a small mike so he could explain wha he was doing with the horse. They went through basic commands, walk, halt, back up, lateral work, then progressed to some piaffe, and baby high-school moves. They ended with spanish walk. From the outside we couldn't see anything, but I've watched the video and hats off to him getting the horse onside as he's a spooky bugger and his "home" indoor arena was not looking like usual!
Third in was an old family friend who came a long way to do her dog-dancing routine. I didn't know what to expect, but I know she's good, and thought it would be a nice break in hte horse action! She did a fab routine, then brought the house down when her friend joined in at the end with the tiniest pinscher - one of these: http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgu...=aYNqTbnaIIPBhAeq5KjzAw&sqi=2&ved=0CD4Q9QEwAg
Then it was us! Us consisting of myself on William, my friend Marie on Ricky, and her fiance Patrick leading Missy. Missy has been lunged in the last week to take the edge off her, but other than that hasn't done anything since last November when she was backed. I had the little mike, and tried to explain the horses' backgrounds, what level they're at and what's expected at each level. We tried to show a bit of the flatwork required, then we moved on to a simulated cross-country exercise, your standard barrel and two poles, jumped as either a corner or an arrowhead. Both horses though this was mighty suspicious under the circumstances (there was me blabbing on about how the older horse shows the younger one what to do, well on the way there William had whipped round and little Ricky had to be the brave one who led us there!). Meanwhile I was trying not to do a darth vader impression whilst jumping, talking and breathing! Once Ricky had got the picture I hopped off to help adjust the fence, and she came across it a few times. Then I stood thebarrel up and got back on. He was a bit wary the first time and went too high, coming down on the back rail. Came again and he ducked out (unheard of), and I FRIGGING FELL OFF! In front of 70-odd paying guests and sponsors! Clusterbuttocks! My enterprising husband who was doing the sound felt the need to cut the volume on my mike at that point in case I was swearing (I'll have you know I wasn't!).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsAlo6ED5B4
So what's a girl to do?! I cleared my throat, got back on, had them put it down a bit, and carried on! Watching the video back William wasn't really warmed up enough and certainly not switched on with me having been off him for 5 minutes. Oh well, it did mean I got a round of applause for eveything we managed after that!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2sD_OhO3L4
I was really really proud of them though, especially Missy who I think is really special, if she could just grow a bit more please!
So after those fun and games were over we hacked the horses back to the yard, put them away, and drove back up in time for the auction of promises. We had, in order, a jumping lesson with my jumping trainer, a meal for two at the local italian, 2 lots of 4 tickets to Arville International Event in June, a pair of Raybans, a beautiful Tolga bridle, a night and spa treatment for two at a fabulous hotel, santa's commissioned painting, a session with my horses' osteopath, and, as grand finale
, yours truly as competition groom for the day. It was a rip-roaring success, raising far more than we had dared hope. I am now going to take up being a groom if I can earn that much . And there ended a fantastic evening. We stayed to clear up and partake in a drink, but we were too tired to party for long! By midnight we were home.
The whole thing far exceeded my expectations, and I was really touched and grateful how generous people were with their time, help, money, and presence! I must also admit I expected to hear a bit of bitching when I started organising it and approaching people, but I literally haven't heard a squeak of disapproval. Could be I've got selective hearing, but I like to think the best of people! Today we have slowly been coming down off the adrenaline high, we treated ourselves to a nice lunch
. So, bring on the eventing season!
Soo, remember that thing I've been banging on about to raise funds for my nationality change and Olympic ambitions? It was last night, and was a big success.
The whole thing was filmed, but that's a lot of video so so far am just uploading some bits from my "eventers" slot at the end of the show. A lot went wrong in the week before the show, my opening act injured herself, my commentator cried off in favour of a live tv gig, my hoped-for puissance riders never materialised..... But lots of frantic phone calls and executive decisions later I was cautiously confident we had a show on our hands.
Opening act was a charming 17yo girl and her beautiful welsh pony, first they did some dressage with just a rope round her neck, then she took the saddle off and did some fabulous liberty work. I had to take off just as people started arriving to get my lot ready, and as we arrived back at the yard on horseback we could hear this fabulous music she used and loads of applause, sent a real shiver along my spine! The replacement commentator, who arrived 10 minutes before curtain up and who I'd only spoken to on the phone sounded confident and informed too, a relief!
The second act was the yard owner, and my dressage trainer, Denis Soyer doing classical in-hand work with his beautiful Slovak warmblood. He's a stunning liver chestnut with flaxen mane and tail. He was rigged up with a small mike so he could explain wha he was doing with the horse. They went through basic commands, walk, halt, back up, lateral work, then progressed to some piaffe, and baby high-school moves. They ended with spanish walk. From the outside we couldn't see anything, but I've watched the video and hats off to him getting the horse onside as he's a spooky bugger and his "home" indoor arena was not looking like usual!
Third in was an old family friend who came a long way to do her dog-dancing routine. I didn't know what to expect, but I know she's good, and thought it would be a nice break in hte horse action! She did a fab routine, then brought the house down when her friend joined in at the end with the tiniest pinscher - one of these: http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgu...=aYNqTbnaIIPBhAeq5KjzAw&sqi=2&ved=0CD4Q9QEwAg
Then it was us! Us consisting of myself on William, my friend Marie on Ricky, and her fiance Patrick leading Missy. Missy has been lunged in the last week to take the edge off her, but other than that hasn't done anything since last November when she was backed. I had the little mike, and tried to explain the horses' backgrounds, what level they're at and what's expected at each level. We tried to show a bit of the flatwork required, then we moved on to a simulated cross-country exercise, your standard barrel and two poles, jumped as either a corner or an arrowhead. Both horses though this was mighty suspicious under the circumstances (there was me blabbing on about how the older horse shows the younger one what to do, well on the way there William had whipped round and little Ricky had to be the brave one who led us there!). Meanwhile I was trying not to do a darth vader impression whilst jumping, talking and breathing! Once Ricky had got the picture I hopped off to help adjust the fence, and she came across it a few times. Then I stood thebarrel up and got back on. He was a bit wary the first time and went too high, coming down on the back rail. Came again and he ducked out (unheard of), and I FRIGGING FELL OFF! In front of 70-odd paying guests and sponsors! Clusterbuttocks! My enterprising husband who was doing the sound felt the need to cut the volume on my mike at that point in case I was swearing (I'll have you know I wasn't!).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsAlo6ED5B4
So what's a girl to do?! I cleared my throat, got back on, had them put it down a bit, and carried on! Watching the video back William wasn't really warmed up enough and certainly not switched on with me having been off him for 5 minutes. Oh well, it did mean I got a round of applause for eveything we managed after that!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2sD_OhO3L4
I was really really proud of them though, especially Missy who I think is really special, if she could just grow a bit more please!
So after those fun and games were over we hacked the horses back to the yard, put them away, and drove back up in time for the auction of promises. We had, in order, a jumping lesson with my jumping trainer, a meal for two at the local italian, 2 lots of 4 tickets to Arville International Event in June, a pair of Raybans, a beautiful Tolga bridle, a night and spa treatment for two at a fabulous hotel, santa's commissioned painting, a session with my horses' osteopath, and, as grand finale
, yours truly as competition groom for the day. It was a rip-roaring success, raising far more than we had dared hope. I am now going to take up being a groom if I can earn that much . And there ended a fantastic evening. We stayed to clear up and partake in a drink, but we were too tired to party for long! By midnight we were home. The whole thing far exceeded my expectations, and I was really touched and grateful how generous people were with their time, help, money, and presence! I must also admit I expected to hear a bit of bitching when I started organising it and approaching people, but I literally haven't heard a squeak of disapproval. Could be I've got selective hearing, but I like to think the best of people! Today we have slowly been coming down off the adrenaline high, we treated ourselves to a nice lunch
. So, bring on the eventing season!
) you deserve it after putting so much effort in!
.
. (Notice how I've come round to Baydale's way of thinking and have exclusively brown coloured horses?!).