What a weekend! BD Inter-County Challenge!

miss_c

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I had an interesting run-up to the ICC, first being a Novice reserve, then a Novice individual, then a Prelim team member, then back to Novice individual, and finally back to being a Prelim team member due to a lame horse. Then on Friday, two days before the competition, I seriously hurt my back tidying the muck heap. (The moral of that story? Tidying the muckheap is bad for you...) Fortunately I was able to see my fabulous osteopath (who had some rather choice words for the state of my back) on Saturday morning.

On Sunday we set off for Summerhouse at the very civilised time of 8am this morning, arriving with plenty of time to hand in my biography form and get ready. While Genie had her massage pad on my lovely osteopath put me through some stretches in preparation and in the hope my back would hold out. Goodness knows what we looked like to anybody next to the lorry!

Genie worked in really well in a busy warmup and I found that we were ready before time. Fortunately (for me) the horse before us had withdrawn so we were able to go in early. The test itself felt good, I felt I lost her a little in the walk at the end of the test and the final trot centre line definitely wasn't our best. However on the whole I was very pleased (and my back didn't die halfway through!) so was hopeful of a good score although you can never tell and usually when I think I've got a good score the opposite happens.

Bless the pony she only went and came 2nd in our arena on 71.1%! We had everything to play for on Monday in the spookier indoor arena and I hoped that we could at least maintain our placing. Genie was very pleased to get home to find a hay net waiting in her stable. I on the other hand was late with my next painkiller and my back is started to let me know about it. Our other team members also had a good day and we finished the first day in 6th.

On Monday my alarm went off at 4.15am (there really should be only one of those in a day!) and off to the yard I went, with the pony loaded at 5.30am to head to Summerhouse. I had a bit of trouble tacking up and jumping on board for the arena walk due to my back but I managed and Genie as always didn't look at anything... it would have been typical though that if I didn't do it she would have spooked at something!

We had a 50 minute or so break before I needed to tack up and work in for our 8.13am test so Genie had her massage pad and I tried to limber up my back. My wonderful osteopath and also trendybraincell arrived in time to help me re-tack up and supervise my warmup in which Genie was absolutely as good as gold. I went into the test arena pleased with how she was feeling and hopeful of a good test, instantly relaxing when kat_bath who was writing gave me the biggest grin ever!

P19 has always been a bit of a bogey test for us, but it felt SO easy. Our free walk was not our best and our stretchy trot was practically non-existent but I came out of it very pleased with her and how I had ridden it. Genie was untacked and loaded and I took her straight home before my score was up - she was home and out in the field by 9.30am!

Genie seen to, I headed back to Summerhouse to find we had won the P19 on a massive score of 73.86%! Unfortunately (for us anyway) the overnight leader was in 2nd and very close behind us so in the end we were pipped into 2nd overall individually. However she is a lovely lady and her horse is stunning so I really cannot complain at being so close behind her.

It was a long wait until prize giving at the end of the day but it was worth it. We won a front riser pad (although my saddle fits...) which wasn't quite the iPad mini that the BYRDS winners got (!!!!!!) but as I have already said, I really cannot complain. Overall our team climbed to 4th which was a fantastic result and I am so proud of Genie. There was a fantastic team spirit in the Avon camp and I must add an enormous thank you to our County Coordinator who did a fabulous job organising us all and was incredibly supportive all weekend.

So all in all I had an amazing, albeit long, weekend. To come 2nd individually and also get team 4th was more than I could have hoped for and I am so so so so proud of my little coblet. We're not your typical dressage competitors but it's nice to think that we can still strut our stuff and do well. There's pictures on my blog that I cannot post here but there's some pretty rubbish quality ones from Mum's phone! Next up for us is the BD Senior Inter-Regionals at Keysoe in less than 2 weeks! Eeeeeep!!!!

Thank you for trekking through this essay, please help yourself to cookies!

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shortstuff99

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Well done :) she looks fab! Bet you are really pleased-!

Quick question though I thought if you were doing inter-regional then you could only compete at inter-county at the level higher then what you are competing at inter-regional? Are the rules diferent for other areas? Or if you are a reserve does it change? Sorry don't want to sound weird but just wondering as I can't do same level at both in my area!
 

miss_c

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Thank you! I'm still completely over the moon!

We're doing inter-regionals at Prelim and had been selected before we were moved down to Prelim for the ICC. The only rules I've seen are regarding if you've ridden at the national or winter championships which we definitely haven't! I know our county coordinator couldn't select me at prelim for the ICC initially because she had to give priority to those who hadn't been to regionals but then had no choice in the end as she ran out of horses. You have to do a higher level at Petplan Area Festivals than you have done at regionals though.
 

Bernster

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Clever dressage pony ! But isn't it mental that you have a bad back, and your horse gets the massage pad! Amazing what riders put up with. Well done.
 

miss_c

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Clever dressage pony ! But isn't it mental that you have a bad back, and your horse gets the massage pad! Amazing what riders put up with. Well done.

Haha yes it is really! Although this time I did have an on-site osteopath for me. She always says she finds it amazing that we all make sure our horses have the best of everything in that respect but never see to ourselves! I might have to steal Genie's pad for a bit though... ;)

Thanks for the mention! Well done again - a brilliant weekend.

Thank you!!! :D Will see you soon for your promised ride on the superstar! ;) :D
 

Ellie2893

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Well done Miss_C! Lovely to see you and the gorgeous Genie - shame we were both on at the same time as would loved to have watched your mega P19!
See you soon :) xx
 

miss_c

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Well done Miss_C! Lovely to see you and the gorgeous Genie - shame we were both on at the same time as would loved to have watched your mega P19!
See you soon :) xx

Thank you Ellie! Was lovely to see you as well and well done! I think I have a video of it somewhere. :D See you soon no doubt! x
 

shortstuff99

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Thank you! I'm still completely over the moon!

We're doing inter-regionals at Prelim and had been selected before we were moved down to Prelim for the ICC. The only rules I've seen are regarding if you've ridden at the national or winter championships which we definitely haven't! I know our county coordinator couldn't select me at prelim for the ICC initially because she had to give priority to those who hadn't been to regionals but then had no choice in the end as she ran out of horses. You have to do a higher level at Petplan Area Festivals than you have done at regionals though.


Thank you for taking the time to reply to me :) I think maybe it is different in the east as the inter-regional is before our inter-county so that may change things?

Good luck for Keysoe :) I compete there all the time, it's my favourite venue! Good tips though are to be okay with bushes (the arenas are boarded by bushes) especially if you are in arena 3 and be okay with reflections in the judges boxes!
 

ginger_dressage_pony

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Well done, kept seeing you around but didn't see your tests, lovely pictures though! I had a less successfull weekend, Monday was better, but if anybody saw the chestnut outside on Sunday who just about managed to get down the centre line before exploding into some stunt horse style rears, that was mine....the judge got out of her car and suggested I call it a day for my own safely, at this point, judging by the pictures we were almost bolt upright..Bl***dy horses!! Well done you though, we had a better day inside on Momday so I feel I am allowed to wear my ICC team clothing without too much shame...😜😳
 

miss_c

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Thank you for taking the time to reply to me :) I think maybe it is different in the east as the inter-regional is before our inter-county so that may change things?

Good luck for Keysoe :) I compete there all the time, it's my favourite venue! Good tips though are to be okay with bushes (the arenas are boarded by bushes) especially if you are in arena 3 and be okay with reflections in the judges boxes!

That would make sense... similar to the regionals/area festivals rule. Thank you for Keysoe! I've never been but have heard it's a great venue and fortunately G's not one to spook (although I will still do the arena walks just in case!). I'm really looking forward to it and have started getting things together today. Just dreading the drive up there.

Well done - fantastic result.

Thank you! We did better than I had hoped!

Well done, kept seeing you around but didn't see your tests, lovely pictures though! I had a less successfull weekend, Monday was better, but if anybody saw the chestnut outside on Sunday who just about managed to get down the centre line before exploding into some stunt horse style rears, that was mine....the judge got out of her car and suggested I call it a day for my own safely, at this point, judging by the pictures we were almost bolt upright..Bl***dy horses!! Well done you though, we had a better day inside on Momday so I feel I am allowed to wear my ICC team clothing without too much shame...����

Oh no! I did see a chestnut going into the outdoor warmup around lunchtime on Sunday that was very on their toes... might that have been you? You should have come and said hello! No shame at all wearing your clothing - you were selected and you competed which is more than many!! :D x
 

ginger_dressage_pony

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That may have been me, my first test was about 9 am, second was about 4, but I went down to the warm up in between to try and make out second test less petrifying ( for both of us 😉) but it didn't work! He's an ex racehorse ( not that that's any excuse for free styling his way through his tests!!) but big parties seem to blow his brain. He's having a week off to chill out while now, so onwards and upwards I guess! 🙏🏼
 

miss_c

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That may have been me, my first test was about 9 am, second was about 4, but I went down to the warm up in between to try and make out second test less petrifying ( for both of us ��) but it didn't work! He's an ex racehorse ( not that that's any excuse for free styling his way through his tests!!) but big parties seem to blow his brain. He's having a week off to chill out while now, so onwards and upwards I guess! ����

Naughty boy! Will keep everything crossed for you that gradually big parties are less of an issue.

I've come for the cookies :D

I still think a front riser is a bizarre prize!

Me too lol! Help yourself to cookies! ;)
 
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