Trailblazers Working Hunter Qualifier Report

[Javabb94]

So I decided to take J to a working hunter qualifier. I really want to have a go at some intermediate workers at county/agricultural shows next year and thought that this would be a good platform to really get going, as he has only done 2 workers.
I decided to enter the exceeding 148cm 85cm and 1m. He show jumps at this height, only the 85cm was the trailblazers qualifier. I arrived just as they were starting the horse classes and I nearly had a heart attack at the course! It was very bright and full of scary fillers, santa clauses and manikins! He has never seen fillers like this and at this point I wished I had entered the smaller classes to get him round.
Hopped on and the collecting ring was rather busy but he was very good and moving nicely. I took him in for the 85cm. To get to the first fence, required going between two bushes. This took him by surprise and he ended up side on to fence one so had a stop. Represented and he popped it nicely. Fence 2 was a skinny wall which again he stopped at! He wasn't being naughty he was quite upset by the many santas/flowers/reindeers and snowmen! He then popped 3 and 4 nicely (one was a brush). He then had a stop at the fence I was scared of with the manikins and a pipe with a santa crawling out of. He then jumped the skinny planks really well and popped the steeplechase with water trays and rubber ducks and popped the feeders to finish. It may have been a cricket score but he did better than I expected. I know he is quirky and things like this take him by surprise so he did well considering. Had a long wait before the open and then it was our turn. He popped everything sweetly but we got an odd stride to 7 and it would have been impossible to jump a square 1m oxer from where we were. He also had a fence at the skinny which we got too close to.

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He felt great which is good, so we will be entering the next one on the 14th December. We are also going to Trailblazers Showjumping qualifiers on Sunday in the 85cm and 95cm with the aim of some nice double clears as I hope to do the 105cm by end of December/January. He also loaded again both ways first time, I didn't think he would on the way home as it was dark and was getting quite strong on the ground.
Abbie has been a bit off lately so will be getting the vet out to reassess her as I have a feeling there is something else going on so need to get to the bottom of it if we are to move forward.

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Also on my blog http://naviculartoeventer.weebly.com

Sorry the pics are very dark and blurry, my camera has been rather poor quality of late think I need a new one!

 

[blood_magik]

Well done.
Sounds as if you had a successful day given that he's still relatively new to working hunter.

 

[TheSylv007]

Fantastic - well done!

 

[tinap]

Well done! We've done a couple of wh classes before but have never yet encountered a Santa xx

 

[Javabb94]

Well done.
Sounds as if you had a successful day given that he's still relatively new to working hunter.

Thanks - it's all about exposing him to new stuff really so he grows in confidence, as he can put on a good show and really stands out in intermediates

Fantastic - well done!

Thanks

Well done! We've done a couple of wh classes before but have never yet encountered a Santa xx

Haha neither had I til then! Must go and buy one and leave it in his stable so the spooky pony gets used to it!

Hopefully next time he will realise they didn't eat him last time

 

[EveningStar]

Thanks for your report - over here in NZ our working hunter is a little different - how do the classes work? Is it like showjumping but with plain fences and judged on horses form? Do you have a flat element to it?

Sounds like a good outing for J even with the cricket score in the first, I don't blame him for spooking at Santa!

 

[LeannePip]

fab report and well done for getting through the first round just shows it pays off in the second!

i wish we had trailblazer stuff down here!

eveningstar not sure how the trailblazer ones work but generally its jump a rustic course then all the clears/judges choice come back in for the flat show and you do an individual and sometimes agri/county theres a strip too

 

[Javabb94]

Thanks for your report - over here in NZ our working hunter is a little different - how do the classes work? Is it like showjumping but with plain fences and judged on horses form? Do you have a flat element to it?

Sounds like a good outing for J even with the cricket score in the first, I don't blame him for spooking at Santa!

Normally you jump your round first - if big classes only clears do a flat show but at this show we all did one. Show is generally trot/canter bother reins and an extension in canter or do a gallop down the long side. In my show I always walk away from the judge and trot back past them and then do show.

At this show as big entries we trotted/cantered on right rein then jumped the course and after landing after 8 on left rein showed gallop/canter/trot walk. And then after that there was a separate judge and we walked away and trotted back.
Unfortunately J thought jumps and our left rein was weaker than right!

fab report and well done for getting through the first round just shows it pays off in the second!

i wish we had trailblazer stuff down here!

eveningstar not sure how the trailblazer ones work but generally its jump a rustic course then all the clears/judges choice come back in for the flat show and you do an individual and sometimes agri/county theres a strip too

Thanks we have quite a bit of trailblazers round here but I could never afford championships even if I did qualify. We have a couple of venues who do jumping one for dressage and a couple for workers/showing some nice variety. This is the first time I have done it.