What to aim for in 2018?

Bernster

Bernster

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I've deferred my Wobbleberry Challenge to 2018 due to a late in the season confidence issue with jumping. I'm spending the winter training for that but I'd like a second goal/aim (I'm better if I have a 'thing' to plan for). Any suggestions please as I'm not familiar with the different comps / events around?

I'd like the second goal to work well with the training plan for a BE80 so maybe something around flatwork, sj, jumping generally, or showing, rather than anything a bit different like trec or horseball. Probably unaff but I'd maybe do one affiliated discipline other than BE.

We've done pretty well at RC level Prelim dressage and showing (hunter classes mainly). SJ is our weakest phase - back to training up to 80, but not confidently.

So what is out there? I'll have mini goals along the way, like doing a 70 course confidently, improving forwardness and transitions etc. but it'd be nice to have 'something' aim for, maybe with qualifying rounds or a league and a championship at the end. maybe a RC thing?

Pic to check that I can still post pics!
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What about something like My Quest? Or Team a quest if you can rope some friends in with you? Pretty sure they have a championship to aim towards.

Some of my local venues run unafilliated leagues in both dressage and jumping. A top 6 placing qualifies you for the championship classes.
 
Join a riding club and aim for Area qualifiers, with the chance of going to the championships. They do everything, Horsetrials, dressage, sj etc. Plenty of training opportunities as well.

If you don't want to always go away from home, do an online dressage league. That way you can record in your own time, and submit, with still the chance to get something at the end. The one I do also has Prix caprilli and music tests - so much more fun than plain dressage.
 
I'd recommend joining a Riding Club too, and perhaps aiming to compete at the RC Area Dressage Qualifiers, and perhaps even qualify for the championships. It might be wise to make your second goal a dressage/flat orientated one, so if for some reason your jumping confidence is still a bit fragile, you still have one achieveable goal! Joining a RC would probably also give you access to a lot of new training opportunities as well.
 
What about qualifying for the Sunshine Tour Championships at Hickstead in September? They have qualifiers in dressage, showing, show jumping and eventer's challenge. I did the Eventer's Challenge there this year. It was a life long dream to ride at Hickstead.
 
Great suggestions thx peeps. I'll look into those - I've heard of My Quest but not researched what's involved. Trailblazers I'd also heard of but seems to have gone a bit out of fashion. The quals look fairly straightforward though so I'll see whether venues near me are running them. Quite fancy dressage and maybe showing if I can be bothered with all the cleaning!

I'm a member of a RC and done a few events. The BRC website isn't v helpful explaining what an area festival is though. Can anyone enlighten?

Sunshine tour - we did that 2 years ago after qualifying our first time out. Loved it and placed well in both classes, would def recommend. Also remembered there is a Chiltern Thames champs which we qualified for but didn't go due to wanting to do Hickstead instead, so that's another option for us.

TGM - really good point about not doing jumping, I think that's wise. We do more flatwork than anything so it makes sense to try that route.
 
Try some arena eventing , my daughter has been doing this and it’s definitely helping them towards their goal of a BE80 . They started doing 60’s and are now doing 70s and 80s
 
How about UK riders? You don't have to join anything there are just qualifiers scattered around at local venues, which are essentially just normal classes where you qualify if you get over 58% for dressage or clear in showjumping. Dressage from Intro and jumping from 70cm, (although there are usually 50cm & 60cm non-qualifying build-up classes at same comps). All leads to a fantastic National Championships at Arena UK, my friends did it in both dressage and jumping and had the time of their lives.

Website currently sucks: http://www.ukriders.co.uk/National_Championships
 
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