Cowpony
Well-Known Member
Went to the Sunshine Tour yesterday for the dressage. I went two years ago and it was pretty chaotic, but I'd heard it was much better last year. It was beautifully run this time - much better for having dressage on its own on Thursday. There was a proper arena for the warm-up, just across the track from the test arena, stewards with radios, limit on the number of competitors allowed in the warm-up 
and a lovely atmosphere.
My mare was very excited but settled after a while and I had her in a reasonable place before we went in. She was a bit more tense in the test but generally listened to me and did quite a nice Prelim, so I was hopeful we might be placed. We then did an absolutely horrible Novice test (cantered when I asked for medium, having given me a magnificent medium in the warm-up, then changed her legs on both counter-canters)
Went back to the lorry, sorted her out, went to the results tent seeing people walking towards me carrying those beautiful yellow rosettes and goody bags. Tried to convince myself I hadn't seen 10 rosettes yet, or that they were from a different class..... Got to the tent and caught sight of my name on a sheet with no rosette, then realised it wasn't me but another competitor with the same first name. The steward looked through all the sheets before eventually finding mine......under a yellow 8th place rosette!!! So very happy, the dismal Novice mark has faded into insignificance!
and a lovely atmosphere.My mare was very excited but settled after a while and I had her in a reasonable place before we went in. She was a bit more tense in the test but generally listened to me and did quite a nice Prelim, so I was hopeful we might be placed. We then did an absolutely horrible Novice test (cantered when I asked for medium, having given me a magnificent medium in the warm-up, then changed her legs on both counter-canters
) Went back to the lorry, sorted her out, went to the results tent seeing people walking towards me carrying those beautiful yellow rosettes and goody bags. Tried to convince myself I hadn't seen 10 rosettes yet, or that they were from a different class..... Got to the tent and caught sight of my name on a sheet with no rosette, then realised it wasn't me but another competitor with the same first name. The steward looked through all the sheets before eventually finding mine......under a yellow 8th place rosette!!!
So very happy, the dismal Novice mark has faded into insignificance!
