Rambo
Well-Known Member
Okay, apologies in advance as this report is going to be loooooooooooooooooooong
We set off for Towerlands at about 6:15pm on thursday evening. It's a 2.5 hour drive from us, and i hadn't been there since i was 17 years old (and that's a loooong time ago for you youngsters
). I had anticipated arriving around 8:45pm and there being a 'few' lorries there but nothing more
As it turned out, we arrived around 10pm having decided to take a short 'KFC Break' at Stanstead
Well......we soon realised we weren't going to be alone as on arrival we were greeted the 'Stable Manager' in his 24hrs hut, and a buzzing atmosphere, with around 150 lorries already parked up
We had booked mains hook-up but it was already getting difficult to get anywhere near a point to plug into
After a fair while searching we managed to find our stables....not easy with about 200 horses already camped out for the night...and we settled the boys in as well we could. Bo is a bit of a pro at this sort of thing (i guess a throw back from his days in Holland with a 'pro') but Trike was totally in awe of everything that was going on......bless
We got the lorry parked and settled in for the night....
Friday dawned and we soon realised that this was a VERY busy show
Got a shower, and walked the course for the the firt class of the Small Tour...Trike's class...a 1m Open to all intents. The course looked inviting, but having not taken him to a show in nearly 6 weeks, and what with all the amazing arena decorations in place, it was with some trepidation that we ventured forth
Due to the numbers (120 in the Smal Tour, and 60 in the Grand Tour), all classes on friday were run as 2-phase, and were drawn order. We were drawn 70th to go in this class and somehow still managed to be rushing around like a blue-ar$ed fly to get ready in time
We warmed up in the outdoor arena where the 'other' show was taking place and whilst Trike was going 'okay', he wasn't really going forward.....perhaps a few too many late nights and a little bit awestruck about the whole thing (this was only his second stayway show since we've had him !). We entered the arena (indoor) and he suddenly brightened up
There was plenty to spook at and he did his fair share.....feeling more like a 4 yo than the 7yo that he now is
I wound him up and we hit the first fence sweetly...the rest of the round followed in similar fashion, and to my amazement we were clear approaching the last fence in the 1st phase
Unfortunately, Trike had never seen a wall before (at least not with me
) and decided it needed closer inspection before jumping....so 4 faults at the last fence....perhaps a little frustrating, but then this is Trike and wehave to remember that every round with him is a bonus...so pretty happy really
Class 2 was the Grand Tour equivilent...a 1.10m Open, 2-phase, which Bo was entered for. We were drawn about 15th to go in this class, and again the course seemed inviting enough when we walked it, and nothing too big. The arena at Towerlands does seem to make everything look a lot smaller that it really is though and when we walked the course it was clearly up to height
Anyway, Bo warmed up well and i felt we were in with a decent chance.........he threw his toys out of the pram before we entered the arena (a good thing from past experience as he often gets placed when he strops outside the ring
)...as we entered there had been no DC's so i felt a solid round would suffice....and so it was....Bo jumped the first DC of the class (and received a huge round of applause from the vocal audience there)
We weren't particularly quick but at this point i was more interested in jumping DC's than being fast....what with qualification for the Nations Cup comp on sunday being at stake. So, we had our name in lights on the big screen for a while.......but as it turned out we were just a little too slow to get placed
We ended up 13th out of about 55 starters.....with them only paying the first 11 places....Ho hum
So, moving on, we decided not to jump Trike in the Nations Cup qualifier as it was 1.05m and he hasn't jumped that with me before....and i was knackered just thinking about jumping anouther class with him lol! So, Bo came next in the Grand Tour Nations Cup qualifier. This was a 1.15m 2-phase class, and we jumping about 8pm at night at this point
Horse, rider, groom and children were all well pas their best at this point
The track was 'challlenging' to say the least. Bo and i had only recently jumped our first 'properly' competitive 1.15m about a fortnight earlier...and the second phase of this class was bang up to 1.25...if not 1.30m in places (they were running very last at this point and wanted the class over
). We jumped our round, and Bo was going great guns over the first 5 fences...clear to this point....where we came off a tight angle to a full up double of oxer to upright. I had to take a check going in, so we didn't get the best stride we could have, and he clipped the back rail going in.....this left him short for the second part so he put down again and we had a stop
They replaced the rail on the first part and we came again......gave him a good boot going in and he sailed the oxer, but still had a slight hesitation coming out although he did jump it. Bo's concentration had gone at this point though, and we turned to the next fence...the wall off the corner...and he did his nappy, stroppy, duck out thing...and so we were eliminated
A real shame as he had been going so well to that point
Onto Saturday, and the next round of Nations Cup qualifiers. Trike was first up in the Small Tour...a REAL test for Trike as this was going to be his first 1.05m with me
It was an A4 (speed class) too....so suited us to move forwards a little to get the impulsion over the fences. Well.......it weren't pretty......but the boy tried his heart out and went round for 1 down, and a rather annoying 'look' at the wall again....but 8 faults nonetheless in his first class of this size with me
Bo was in the Grand Tour equivilent at 1.15m....a full out speed class....not as big as the previous nights class, but still plenty to think about as we were against the clock
When it came to our turn, he started off okay, we were going forwards better than we had been, but he managed to tap two fences out before we approcahed the last....the same double of oxer to upright on about 8.5 yards
Anyway, he backed off a little going in, and landed short over the first part and put down again before the upright.....i sooo nearly got propelled out the front but managed to hang on somehow
Came again, and he jumped it okay.....but by now i was concerned that he was losing his confidence a little and so decided to switch from the Grand Prix to the Accumulator instead. Trike was already down to do his Small Tour Accumulator anyway....
I should say at this point that Trike usually only jumps one class per show...he just doesn't have the stamina for more....but we decided as we'd paid our entries, we would have a crack at the Small Tour Accumulator anyway. There were plenty of new spooky fences in there, and unfortunately the rider got it wrong at one too....so he stopped at a simple upright, the also at a very fancy decortive wall (fence 6 of 8 i think
) so we were eliminated
I wasn't too bothered though as the whole Small Tour think with Trike was jus supposed to be a bit of fun and better than leaving him at home
Bo came next in the Grand Tour Accumulator...and somehow i managed to miss the course walk
It was the same course as the Small Tour Accumulator, just a bit bigger.......and in fact the joker was quite a bit bigger....at around 1.30m
As we went in we knew we had to score 31 points or more to ge in the prizes.....but Bo managed to have the first two fences down ! I guess if you're going to have poles in an Accumulator the 1 and are the best to have, but it left us with no choice but to jump the Joker if we wanted a chance. He jumped the rest of the track brilliantly, and we came the the last....the joker for 16 points....but i got a shocker of a stride and he had no choice but to say NO
I then came again and jumped the smaller 8 point option and we finished up with 21 points so nowhere near the prizes there ;( I was a little frustrated that he had the two early poles but happy that he jumped in a reasonable rhythm and went round as i had been concerned that he would lose confidence still further
We sat and wathed the Small Tour GP and the Big Tour Gp (which finished around 10pm
) and was glass that we had withdrawn as it did get up quite big....more like a strong Foxhunter than a 1.15m to be honest
So, sunday arrived, and both horses were entered for their respective Consolation Gp's . I was in two minds as to whether to jump Trike or not as he seemed genuinely exhausted by the whole 3 day show 'thing' and when i got on him in the morning i was very unhappy with the way he was going....very little forward momentum at all
I sooooo nearly withdrew him after a couple of practice fences.....and i wish i had after the round we had
He entered the arena a was reticent to canter, but once there he moved forward okay....in fact much better than he had been outside....so we approached the first fence...a simple and small oxer, jumping towards the union jack at the bottom end of the arena. Anyway, 1 stride out, on a perfect stride and perfect rhythm....he stopped dead
Came to it again, and he did exactly the same thing..........Trike's way of saying i've had enough dad
Oh well....end of Tour for Trike.....................
Bo was feeling good as we warmed up for the Grand Tour consolation Gp, and i had high hopes of taking home one of the smexy rosettes that were being given out
The track was a good 1.10m, with a combination across the diagonal....but very jumpable and nicely spaced out
We started our round, but he just jumped a little flat over the second fence....a straightforward oxer....and rolled the front pole
He jumped the rest of the course flawlessly and so a very frustrating 4 faults....ad no prizes, placings, or rosettes all weekend
The show is amazing though....as the numbers of entries testify to. The courses are beautifully presented, Towerlands is a fantastic venue, and the 'voice of Hickstead' commentating throughout just made the whole show feel very 'special'
I would recommend it to anyone who is confident and competitive at 1.05m and 1.10m....although, with hindsight i think we would have been better off putting Bo in the Small Tour as some of the tracks (GP in particular) are very strong courses
It is also a very highly contested show with some very good horse/rider combinations competing. Perhaps a little disappointing was the fact that on the 'Inter-Nations' front, only the Irish fielded a team......but they certainly made up in vocal support what they lacked in numbers, and the whole show would have been a much weaker afair without their presence
There are photo's to follow when the photographer updates his site....I've seen some of the friday ones......i DREAD to think what Trike's saturday class might throw up as there were some 'interesting' moments...especially over the water tray...which he 'may' have caught on camera......but there might also be some good ones too
Thanks for reading....if you're still awake lol!
We set off for Towerlands at about 6:15pm on thursday evening. It's a 2.5 hour drive from us, and i hadn't been there since i was 17 years old (and that's a loooong time ago for you youngsters
Friday dawned and we soon realised that this was a VERY busy show
Class 2 was the Grand Tour equivilent...a 1.10m Open, 2-phase, which Bo was entered for. We were drawn about 15th to go in this class, and again the course seemed inviting enough when we walked it, and nothing too big. The arena at Towerlands does seem to make everything look a lot smaller that it really is though and when we walked the course it was clearly up to height
So, moving on, we decided not to jump Trike in the Nations Cup qualifier as it was 1.05m and he hasn't jumped that with me before....and i was knackered just thinking about jumping anouther class with him lol! So, Bo came next in the Grand Tour Nations Cup qualifier. This was a 1.15m 2-phase class, and we jumping about 8pm at night at this point
Onto Saturday, and the next round of Nations Cup qualifiers. Trike was first up in the Small Tour...a REAL test for Trike as this was going to be his first 1.05m with me
Bo was in the Grand Tour equivilent at 1.15m....a full out speed class....not as big as the previous nights class, but still plenty to think about as we were against the clock
I should say at this point that Trike usually only jumps one class per show...he just doesn't have the stamina for more....but we decided as we'd paid our entries, we would have a crack at the Small Tour Accumulator anyway. There were plenty of new spooky fences in there, and unfortunately the rider got it wrong at one too....so he stopped at a simple upright, the also at a very fancy decortive wall (fence 6 of 8 i think
Bo came next in the Grand Tour Accumulator...and somehow i managed to miss the course walk
We sat and wathed the Small Tour GP and the Big Tour Gp (which finished around 10pm
So, sunday arrived, and both horses were entered for their respective Consolation Gp's . I was in two minds as to whether to jump Trike or not as he seemed genuinely exhausted by the whole 3 day show 'thing' and when i got on him in the morning i was very unhappy with the way he was going....very little forward momentum at all
Bo was feeling good as we warmed up for the Grand Tour consolation Gp, and i had high hopes of taking home one of the smexy rosettes that were being given out
The show is amazing though....as the numbers of entries testify to. The courses are beautifully presented, Towerlands is a fantastic venue, and the 'voice of Hickstead' commentating throughout just made the whole show feel very 'special'
There are photo's to follow when the photographer updates his site....I've seen some of the friday ones......i DREAD to think what Trike's saturday class might throw up as there were some 'interesting' moments...especially over the water tray...which he 'may' have caught on camera......but there might also be some good ones too
Thanks for reading....if you're still awake lol!
