Shelford....an interesting and long day

OldGit

OldGit

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 April 2009
Messages
1,570
Location
North Leicstershire
Visit site
So local event reasonable times and I'd walked the course the day before, so it should have been a nice easy day, but hey this is me were talking about. First complication was A level (sorry GCSE) result day, so woke at 05.30 worrying about eldest daughter (fairycakes) but at 06.00 got the call....she'd got ABBA, and, mama mia, she's off to leeds!

So off to event, MG (OH) had to drop kids to nursery and let in builders so I headed off on my own. Arrived, and parked next to (a bit too close in fact) Meadsall Millie, and said hi to Thistle walked SJ course(!) and got him ready. The slightly firm going of yesterday had been transformed by the heavy showers so it was great.

Warmed up for dressage and once again his improved going continued, did a reasonable test, MG(OH) said it looked a lot better so was a bit disappointed with 37 (didn't find out til after SJ though)

MG (OH) arrived and we had a coffee then slipped into SJ attire, warmed up nicely except for a slight eyesight failure when I turned to the wrong practice fence and almost met Mathew Wright coming the other way, luckily he saw the funny side too. Watched a few rounds and people were having stops or knock downs with no.6, an upright off a turn away from the trade stands. Started the round and he was jumping fine, came to no.6 and completely changed how we were going, and fired him at it so we were underneath it and had it down.

The XC was also running ahead off time so quick change a few pops over the practice jumps and off. Quite a twisty course without much galloping. 1 to 6 were fairly standard (5ab a step into water with a right turn to a brush out) then a long run to 7ab a log to falling ground (into dark) with a brush out then a bit of a push to a trebble of brushes (8ab and 9) 8a was nornal width then two "half moons", on to a trakhener, then a pigroll, then an upright stride drop four strides to 13 an owl hole. 14 a house 15 a pig!!!! 16 and 17 were hedges (17 was really small with a big corner on a left curving line) then off to 19ab a pallisade curve right to a step up and on to the final 2.

MG was fab, even popped in a flying chage before the trebble as we were off it a bit!!! We finished clear with 4.8time to finish 19th

Prob should have been better but SJ he was great and if I hadn't interferred we'd have gone clear

Nice to see Equester there, they have had their website hacked so lost all info, so if anyone has stuff ordered or wants to and can't get through, I've got their number so PM me.

Now to the interesting bit. Left Shelford at 13.50 hours for our half hour run and got home at 18.30!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We broke down just outside the village and it took the mechanic a good 2 hours to fix (nowt serious, just sludge in fuel line)

So pictures tomorrow when I've recovered, and thanks for reading! Once again massive congrats to Sophie
 
Well done matey - lovely to see you (even if you were rather close!! :p). You haven't mentioned the bit about almost falling off as you got on before dressage :p.

Sounds like you've got MG (horse not OH) well sorted out now - where next?

(Oh yes - once again, apologies for the 'technical' terms used in the description of my SJ round ;))
 
Well done, sounds like quite a positive day. We were there watching so probably saw your round but didn't recognise you. Look forward to seeing your pics :D
 
Brilliant, so pleased youre getting back into the groove.
HUGE Congrats to your daughter too.

As for breakdown, this happend to me in 2007. Got back from BCA, dropped neddie off and was driving lorry home (empty) when lorry screamed and shuddered and we stopped lol.
That was 6pm, recovery truck arrived 9pm... I lived 1/3 mile down the road :/
 
Brilliant!!!!! SOunds like you are well back on form :) :) :) WHat a bugger about the truck though :(

COngrats to your daughter too - i went to Leeds, she'll have and AWESOME time, its an amazing place to be a student :) :)
 
Well done on the jumping & well done to your daughter. I did my first degree at Leeds (Latin) & so did my colleague (Classics).
 
I thought that was you bunging up the lane and was aghast at how much lorry bad luck one person can have. But if you're having my share, then I thank you, as I've been on the hard shoulder of the A1 before which was a bit :eek:.

It sounds like you and MG are getting back on track, so that's great to hear. We expect blips but you've had more than most. :( Btw, if you could possibly sneak the blue and white pony of Tanya's out without her noticing and DHL him to me, I'll swap you for some Pinot Grigio.:D
 
Nice one, well done OG, he sounds so much more on form and you sound a lot happier with him ;-)

B*gger about the lorry.......hope its all fixed etc, you'll have to get some of those fuel de contaminating tablets or whatever they have nowadays!

Where is next?
 
Nice to hear a reversal of fortune on the riding front.

I think if your lorry were an animal I would be having serious thoughts about its quality of life and wondering whether it might be time to put it out of its misery..... Don't plan any long trips any time soon!
 
Thanks everyone, re lorry this is the old faithful. I think all times the fuel tank was drained, it allowed grit into the line. Easily sorted just a bitch to find where the blockage was. So it aint going to the knackers just yet!!

Sophie is still over the moon and really looking forward to Leeds, thanks for all the positive feedback.

Oh and apologies to all whose progress home I impeded with my poor parking. Nearly had on "hotrod" into the back of the lorry so it was a bit scary!
 
Last edited:
well done on a great result and well done fairy cakes- awesome results :D
your lorry- you refer to it as 'old faithful'- erm, why???! :rolleyes: what happened to your new lorry?

a levels come out really early- the universities actually get them on the tuesday so they have time to decide if they want to take people who have missed their grades. i think now most schools/ colleges let the students have them via email wheras in the past you had to trek into school for them :)
 
Well done. Thats possibly the same reason that a lot had problems at number 6.
But an enjoyable day until breakdown?
One thing worse than breaking down on way home with horses on is breaking down on way there with horses on.
 
Peanot said:
Well done. Thats possibly the same reason that a lot had problems at number 6.
But an enjoyable day until breakdown?
One thing worse than breaking down on way home with horses on is breaking down on way there with horses on.
Click to expand...

Yep been there to 3 hours in a pub car park, on the way to Aston le Walls 3 in 2005, and the date .....Friday 13th, thats why I took one look at the schedule this year and decided not to run there (also in sole charge of little oldgits so would have needed a saddle modification!)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top