sw123
Well-Known Member
We have had the most fabulous weekend at Somerford Park, Spider our 6yo Mill Law baby was doing his first CIC* and it was also the first time that Somerford have held classes above novice with a new, stunning CIC* and Intermediate track having been built.
Dressage for Spider and Emilies other ride Douglas was on Saturday so we had a quiet day with Spiders test in the morning, followed by his trot up and then Douglas in the afternoon followed by his trot up. Spider looked brilliant in the warm up, hes really grown up and his frame has got much stronger. He looked very very smart with Em in top hat and tails. Into the test he was lovely and consistent, there were a few moments where he though there were ghosts in the trees at the end of the arena but generally one of the best tests that he has done. I trotted him up while Em rode the other horse he did look slightly donkey like going one way but then dragged me doing best extended trot the other and passed with flying colours.
Off we went to walk the course wow!!! It was stunning and David Evans and team had done an amazing job, It was a serious track, 1 and 2 were nice and then the questions started and didnt finish till the 3rd last. It was full up to size and very nearly the same course as the intermediate which was also very much up to size. Normally a CIC* is half novice and half intermediate, well this shared 75% with the intermediate and nothing with the novice!!! Question after question, all things that Spi has done before but all things hes not done one after the other with the let up fences being big up to height fences too. It was going to be a case of he either is a big bold event horse or he isnt. The first big question was at 7, 2 big hedges with ditches in front on an angle of 3 very definite strides, you were either going or you werent as there was no room for any wobbles. I trust Em implicitly that she wouldnt take a horse to an event it wasnt over ready for but did think this was going to be quite a large ask!! Assured her that when she went XC if he didnt feel happy or felt green just to stop all would be fine. She laughed at me but he is my baby!!
On the way back from the course looked at the dressage score he got 47.9 which in FEI markings was very smart and at the time after 65 horses out of the 100 was good enough for 3rd place! Clever boy! Douglas did his test another smart one for 49.2. They were both in the top 8 after all the horses had gone so couldnt ask for more than that.
We stayed at a friends nearby and had much nicer stables than the onsite ones, lovely meal and drinks! Not too early start for jumping on Sunday so all very civilised in the sun. Douglas jumped first a clear round and then Spider.
It was a big course with lots of poles and not many fillers (or at least not many solid looking ones!) Spi jumped brilliantly in the warm up and as they were calling for people to jump Em literally jumped the oxer then cantered straight in. He really really jumped. Did rattle one as if to say this isnt a 1.10 novice track and then tried his heart out for a lovely clear round.
We took him straight onto the XC and off they went. The stupid commentator said nothing other than hed hit the wall before the coffin quite hard so it was a nerve wracking wait for 6 mins till he came round to the water jump where he looked very smart straight through and then over the final 2 fences clear!!!!!! They were well inside the time too!!!!! Em was beaming, Spider was beaming, apparently he really took it on and didnt waiver, absolutely loved it. How proud were we!!!
Douglas followed with another clear inside the time so it was a very very good day at the office! Finals scores were announced and from the 100 starters, Spider finished an amazing 6th and Douglas 8th you cannot ask for more than that can you, especially from our little 6 year old! Hes now got 22 points, 21 of them gained this season in not many runs and is very grown up and out of novice very scary stuff!!!
VERY HANDSOME!!!
Sideways
Dressage for Spider and Emilies other ride Douglas was on Saturday so we had a quiet day with Spiders test in the morning, followed by his trot up and then Douglas in the afternoon followed by his trot up. Spider looked brilliant in the warm up, hes really grown up and his frame has got much stronger. He looked very very smart with Em in top hat and tails. Into the test he was lovely and consistent, there were a few moments where he though there were ghosts in the trees at the end of the arena but generally one of the best tests that he has done. I trotted him up while Em rode the other horse he did look slightly donkey like going one way but then dragged me doing best extended trot the other and passed with flying colours.
Off we went to walk the course wow!!! It was stunning and David Evans and team had done an amazing job, It was a serious track, 1 and 2 were nice and then the questions started and didnt finish till the 3rd last. It was full up to size and very nearly the same course as the intermediate which was also very much up to size. Normally a CIC* is half novice and half intermediate, well this shared 75% with the intermediate and nothing with the novice!!! Question after question, all things that Spi has done before but all things hes not done one after the other with the let up fences being big up to height fences too. It was going to be a case of he either is a big bold event horse or he isnt. The first big question was at 7, 2 big hedges with ditches in front on an angle of 3 very definite strides, you were either going or you werent as there was no room for any wobbles. I trust Em implicitly that she wouldnt take a horse to an event it wasnt over ready for but did think this was going to be quite a large ask!! Assured her that when she went XC if he didnt feel happy or felt green just to stop all would be fine. She laughed at me but he is my baby!!
On the way back from the course looked at the dressage score he got 47.9 which in FEI markings was very smart and at the time after 65 horses out of the 100 was good enough for 3rd place! Clever boy! Douglas did his test another smart one for 49.2. They were both in the top 8 after all the horses had gone so couldnt ask for more than that.
We stayed at a friends nearby and had much nicer stables than the onsite ones, lovely meal and drinks! Not too early start for jumping on Sunday so all very civilised in the sun. Douglas jumped first a clear round and then Spider.
It was a big course with lots of poles and not many fillers (or at least not many solid looking ones!) Spi jumped brilliantly in the warm up and as they were calling for people to jump Em literally jumped the oxer then cantered straight in. He really really jumped. Did rattle one as if to say this isnt a 1.10 novice track and then tried his heart out for a lovely clear round.
We took him straight onto the XC and off they went. The stupid commentator said nothing other than hed hit the wall before the coffin quite hard so it was a nerve wracking wait for 6 mins till he came round to the water jump where he looked very smart straight through and then over the final 2 fences clear!!!!!! They were well inside the time too!!!!! Em was beaming, Spider was beaming, apparently he really took it on and didnt waiver, absolutely loved it. How proud were we!!!
Douglas followed with another clear inside the time so it was a very very good day at the office! Finals scores were announced and from the 100 starters, Spider finished an amazing 6th and Douglas 8th you cannot ask for more than that can you, especially from our little 6 year old! Hes now got 22 points, 21 of them gained this season in not many runs and is very grown up and out of novice very scary stuff!!!
VERY HANDSOME!!!
Sideways
