Fiona
Well-Known Member
After a good SJ practice on Thursday night at our riding club (jumped 4 rounds and only 2 poles down - which is fab for Flo) we headed off to do the novice class at the area RC champs yesterday. As the height was 85cm and we had done an intro last week I was reasonably relaxed (though got slightly stressed on Fri afternoon when I realised none of the others in the club would help out at it so I would have to be a dressage steward for a good part of the morning).
Anyway OH managed fine without me stagemanaging his dressage warm up and went in to do a v nice test (even his aunt who was judging in the next door arena said it was nice). He got a score of 35 which was second in the class.
As soon as I had finished my job we headed over to the showjumping, and warmed up fairly quickly as there were no queues.
She went in and jumped really nicely apart from one down (1st part of double and OH said he completely overshot his turn and jumped it on the angle) and one short stride into the planks (she has never jumped planks before).
So v pleased so far....
Now comes the down bit. Went to walk the course and found that although most of the course was lovely, the 2 water fences were strong to say the least. The first water was only a hollowed out ditch really but steep slope in and steep out to a large solid pallisade (at the EI event last week it was the novice fence). The second water was down a hill and round a right hand turn to a post and rail with a turning (90 deg) four strides to a log into the water. Now OK there was no drop into the water (the log was just on the edge) but I thought it was actually harder then the open course as they didn't have to jump the post and rail (having jumped a tiger trap coming down the preceding hill).
ANyway OH wasn't worried so I got them ready then headed off onto the course so I didn't make them nervous...
Fence 1 (barrels) and 2 (seat) went well and 3 was a three part combo..
Four was a nice log thing...
Jumped a couple of other fences in the distance (incl a v skinny skinny, and then back toward me for this rather brightly coloured fence to drop..
After that I ran like an idiot to a spot where I could see the water, but could near the commentary and knew that they were clear at the trakhener and the first water with a big jump out over the palisade...
But their luck ran out at the water unfortunately as it al happened just a bit quick for FLo and she stopped dead in front of the log into the second water. OH presented ehr again and she was still uncertain, so he gave her a smack this time and she bounced over it and into the water. Only two more fences to go, some tyres and a lane crossing (with a PN sized part A) and she was home.
OH was disappointed as they would have won with a clear XC round, but he felt she was very confident at all the other fences (the ditch etc) and he pushed her on a bit more than last week between fences so she has proved she won't have any trouble making the time.
I guess thats the difference between a BE/EI intro, and a RC comp. The max height may be set at 85cm, but the complexity can be vastly increased.
I'm pleased she jumped it though (and looking quite confident not climbing over one leg at a time).
Hope you enjoyed the report and the pics.
I have no dressage shots (due to having clipboard and rulebook in hand) and videoed the SJ, so will try to do something with that later on perhaps.
Fiona
Anyway OH managed fine without me stagemanaging his dressage warm up and went in to do a v nice test (even his aunt who was judging in the next door arena said it was nice). He got a score of 35 which was second in the class.
As soon as I had finished my job we headed over to the showjumping, and warmed up fairly quickly as there were no queues.
She went in and jumped really nicely apart from one down (1st part of double and OH said he completely overshot his turn and jumped it on the angle) and one short stride into the planks (she has never jumped planks before).
So v pleased so far....
Now comes the down bit. Went to walk the course and found that although most of the course was lovely, the 2 water fences were strong to say the least. The first water was only a hollowed out ditch really but steep slope in and steep out to a large solid pallisade (at the EI event last week it was the novice fence). The second water was down a hill and round a right hand turn to a post and rail with a turning (90 deg) four strides to a log into the water. Now OK there was no drop into the water (the log was just on the edge) but I thought it was actually harder then the open course as they didn't have to jump the post and rail (having jumped a tiger trap coming down the preceding hill).
ANyway OH wasn't worried so I got them ready then headed off onto the course so I didn't make them nervous...
Fence 1 (barrels) and 2 (seat) went well and 3 was a three part combo..
Four was a nice log thing...
Jumped a couple of other fences in the distance (incl a v skinny skinny, and then back toward me for this rather brightly coloured fence to drop..
After that I ran like an idiot to a spot where I could see the water, but could near the commentary and knew that they were clear at the trakhener and the first water with a big jump out over the palisade...
But their luck ran out at the water unfortunately as it al happened just a bit quick for FLo and she stopped dead in front of the log into the second water. OH presented ehr again and she was still uncertain, so he gave her a smack this time and she bounced over it and into the water. Only two more fences to go, some tyres and a lane crossing (with a PN sized part A) and she was home.
OH was disappointed as they would have won with a clear XC round, but he felt she was very confident at all the other fences (the ditch etc) and he pushed her on a bit more than last week between fences so she has proved she won't have any trouble making the time.
I guess thats the difference between a BE/EI intro, and a RC comp. The max height may be set at 85cm, but the complexity can be vastly increased.
I'm pleased she jumped it though (and looking quite confident not climbing over one leg at a time).
Hope you enjoyed the report and the pics.
I have no dressage shots (due to having clipboard and rulebook in hand) and videoed the SJ, so will try to do something with that later on perhaps.
Fiona
