The Welsh Cob attends the Winter Champs

trendybraincell

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A few people may remember I got a wildcard for the Petplan Area Festival Championships held at the Winter Championships at Hartpury.

So yesterday I rose at the grand time of 4.30am :eek: to go get the Welsh Cob ready, I had plaited the night before (first time ever) to save time but it turns out plaiting before hand isn't a good idea! He'd scratched the bottom half so I had to redo most of them and when your horse as a mane as thick as Shadwicks and a neck as chunky you have quite a few plaits (23 yesterday)!!!

We set off pretty much on time (7am) and for a change arrived with no detours, normally I end up missing a turning and we drive in circles. We had plenty of time and wondered over to the warm up about 9.20...normally he switches into show mode, he goes round looking pretty but not really working the best he can, so we did LOTS of transitions, on and back within the pace to really get the hind leg coming up and under.

Just before we went in I did a few mediums just to get him sparky and headed up to the test arena. My last couple of outings had been rather unsuccessful, I'd forgotten tests and royally messed things up so I was feeling a bit nervous for this one. Discarded my beloved whip before I entered and started my test.

Well I didn't forget it, I didn't make any mistakes. He was up and forward, still not as much as at home but the best he's been out competing. I went up that final centre line got an almost perfect halt (fronts a little off) and burst into tears. This little horse has done so much, he's not phased by anything, he goes in and gives me such a ride I can not describe how much he means to me.

Trainer waited for results and we got 67.24% we finished 5th in our group and so qualified for the second round :D:D:D:D:D I was just over the moon, having banished the test memory problems. The second test was 3.02pm so I had a feeling he have gone off the boil by this point, and I was right...he didn't do anything wrong but had gone rather flat on me (don't blame him, I was knackered too!) well I didn't care what happened, I had time to think about the movements heard the music on the loud speaker and actually enjoyed the whole thing :) the second medium had 'jail house rock' playing and it fitted his rhythm...I came across that diagonal with such a grin.

I pushed for all we were worth in the last medium canter and got a great feeling, came up that final centre line finished with a square halt and knew it wasn't enough to get placed but enough to make him first in my books :rolleyes:

I got a few great pro pics, and a friend came with her camera (will put pics up when I have them)

fruit salad and fresh orange juice for those who made it to the end :D
 

Hebe

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Brilliant, great to see tHese loVely welsHies, out strutting tHeyre stuff, as a welsH Cob breeder tHis fills me witH joy eaCH one i Hear of. Looking forward to seeing piCs :)

(apologies, dodgy keyboard , ot doing it on purpose lol) :rolleyes:
 

star

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i can just imagine how you felt coz I remember feeling the same when me and my wonderful Welshie got to the Area Festival Finals. Have got the best pic of us both walking out of the arena with me grinning and it looks like he is too. Turns out it was the last time he'd leave a dressage arena and just the thought of that photo brings tears to my eyes. It is such an achievement to get there and to do well with the little Welshies and they do tend to try their hearts out for us. well done!
 

trendybraincell

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Well I've given up waiting for the full set of photos from my resident winter champs photographer, she has a very good excuse though!! Still, she has given me a few to post :D

Before the big moment...I've been struggling with remembering tests recently :eek:
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CC more than welcome. The more I look the more I want to pull my shoulders back, bend my elbows in the medium canter etc :D
 
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