ColouredFan
Well-Known Member
Well the day started bright and sunny (not going to last!) washed plaited and loaded frankie. Arrived 2 hours before my dressage and set of to walk the course, at this point the XC was firm! Thought the course was fairly tough but hopefully jumpable!
Did dressage test he warmed up ok and did a reasonable test not quite as good as stonar (26) but not bad, thought i would get high 20's low 30's, No I got 35, seems all the judges were marking high and i was 12th after dressage, Went to SJ 30 mins before my time to warm up and learn course, An hour later we were still waiting and the heavens opened! SJ'ed in the pouring rain and got 2 down, I was very thankful that SL had run the Show jumping on the surface!
Went and got ready for XC and they were very behind time due to a fall and the air ambulance coming, again it pissed down and the firm ground was now slippy soft ground! I was due to go XC at 5.45 I actually set of at 7.10! He set off so fast and I jumped 1-4 with little control, managed to get him back for 5 and 6 and 7 which he jumped nicely, he jumped 9 and flew down the steps and a manged to gather my kniting and stear him into the narrow at 10. Troted before 11 (downhill to water) and didnt overide him this time and he jumped in lovely and managed to stear over element c on the buckle. good gallop up hill and jumped 13 and 14 on the angle, 15 and 16 were fine but slipped turing to 17 (second water) he jumped in great but I had decided to take long route so I could ride element a, so went long route no problem, he jumped the last 4 fine and we went CLEAR! we got 24 time faults but I couldnt have risked going any faster on the ground. Was very please as this was his 2nd Novice and is well known for being a tough course.
Well done to others who went and comiserations to you guys who didnt have such a good day! I went home very wet but in one piece so count myself lucky!
Bit disappointed as the photos are not great they chose to take fence 8 - probably the smallest on the course and there are no SJ photos of me (prob cus it was raining too hard!)
Did dressage test he warmed up ok and did a reasonable test not quite as good as stonar (26) but not bad, thought i would get high 20's low 30's, No I got 35, seems all the judges were marking high and i was 12th after dressage, Went to SJ 30 mins before my time to warm up and learn course, An hour later we were still waiting and the heavens opened! SJ'ed in the pouring rain and got 2 down, I was very thankful that SL had run the Show jumping on the surface!
Went and got ready for XC and they were very behind time due to a fall and the air ambulance coming, again it pissed down and the firm ground was now slippy soft ground! I was due to go XC at 5.45 I actually set of at 7.10! He set off so fast and I jumped 1-4 with little control, managed to get him back for 5 and 6 and 7 which he jumped nicely, he jumped 9 and flew down the steps and a manged to gather my kniting and stear him into the narrow at 10. Troted before 11 (downhill to water) and didnt overide him this time and he jumped in lovely and managed to stear over element c on the buckle. good gallop up hill and jumped 13 and 14 on the angle, 15 and 16 were fine but slipped turing to 17 (second water) he jumped in great but I had decided to take long route so I could ride element a, so went long route no problem, he jumped the last 4 fine and we went CLEAR! we got 24 time faults but I couldnt have risked going any faster on the ground. Was very please as this was his 2nd Novice and is well known for being a tough course.
Well done to others who went and comiserations to you guys who didnt have such a good day! I went home very wet but in one piece so count myself lucky!
Bit disappointed as the photos are not great they chose to take fence 8 - probably the smallest on the course and there are no SJ photos of me (prob cus it was raining too hard!)