NSEA National Schools Championships

Ambers Echo

Ambers Echo

Still wittering on
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13 October 2017
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Izzy and I are off to Addington today for Champs. She is riding in 4 SJ classes. She qualified on Jenny but is borrowing Dolly. (Katie attends a different school and just missed out on qualification herself so she's riding Dolly in the Plate Champs in a month instead). Izzy has only ridden Dolly 3 times. :oops: Katie makes Dolly look really easy so I assumed Izzy could hop on and go. But watching Izzy makes it clear that she is less straightforward than she looks. So they could be anything from clear to eliminated! Either way it will be a great experience for them.

Wish them luck!

I'll be offline now till we are back on Saturday evening. Have a great weekend, all. Whatever you guys are doing.
 
Wow what an amazing few days we have had.

I am so, so proud of Dolly. It was a HUGE stay away event and incredibly busy. She has seen a bit this year but nothing like that! She had to hack through the lorry park to get to the arenas and it was mayhem. But she was just so chilled. Then she jumped 3 flawless clears and one 4 faulter. She is just amazing for a 5 year old. They placed top 25% ish in all classes and THIRD in the Regional Points League. Izzy loved being part of a team, everyone was so supportive, the atmosphere was ace and even the weather was kind.

We both loved every minute of it.

Dolly is now going to enjoy some down time before having to do it all again in 4 weeks at the Plate Championships with Katie.

Pics of our adventures:

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Thanks. She really is such a fab pony. We are very lucky.

I am also proud of Izzy. I really liked how she dealt with the run out she had on the first day in the Championship Team final. It was the biggest class of her life (not size but importance) and she was super-focused and very nervous as she desperately wanted to do well for the team. But when Dolly ran out she instantly switched from competing to training: Stopped Dolly. Walked calmly past the fence to let her see it and re-approached on the other rein. No flapping, no kicking, no dragging her round. Just explaining the question and popping it 2nd time of asking without stress. She knew 4 faults left her out of it, so the priority became giving Dolly a good experience.

She was gutted she felt she let the team down as her round had to be dropped. But luckily her round did count for the team 3rd in the RPL. These kids are far too hard on themselves at the best of times but it is even more difficult when you are part of a team I think.
 
JUst too add - looking at those pics it does not look busy at all! That was day 1. It got fuller and fuller to the extent that lorries could no longer get in and out and people were blocked in. Apparently one competitor threw a strop after being unable to park up for ages and just went home and the poor traffic marshall was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.....
 
Izzy has enviably long legs, a great seat and a fabulous attitude. The last one has to have come from you, so congratulations to all of you.

.
 
Amazing results, well done. To go with a "new" pony at all is impressive enough, but to then get all those clear rounds and to place with the team is so commendable. Well done Izzy and Dolly! Hope the outing for Katie is similarly successful.
 
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