Wowee! Brit Pack survive their first USEA 3DE in California!

That was an absolutely cracking read - I thoroughly enjoyed it! And massive well done to you and your superstar, awesome dude of a horse!
 
A brilliant read and a brilliant result, well done!! You guys did amazingly, especially considering the length of time since your last xc. Jae must have re-paid his journey over ten-fold with that rosette :)
 
Really really enjoyed reading that report! Brilliant result, glad you and Jae are going from strength to strength out there!
 
Congratulations! Sounds like an epic weekend :) So glad Jae was good to jump on the Sunday, I was so worried he wouldnt be reading your report!

Excellent result for your first ODE there, he really seems to be enjoying life over there.
 
Brought a tear to my eye as well. Fantastic report, I really enjoyed reading it. I don't know how you cope in the weather though, I moan if it's 20• here!
 
Hello everyone! Thank you for all the replies :D :D. I'm feeding my baby breakfast at the moment so sorry I haven't written individual responses. I'm glad you liked it, basically that is how I felt lol. One lady says it gets better if you do it reguarly, less nerve wracking!
Yes it was hot but I am getting used to it now, also it's a dry heat so it's not sticky like at home. My hair doesn't go frizzy ;). The heights are pretty much exactly the same as at home. They do an Intro class which is like a 2ft3 class for babies and beginners which we don't have at home, also they split juniors and seniors. Juniors I think are 12 to 18?! (Happy to be corrected on that though). Otherwise it is the same. Same sort of jumps, same length course. In my class we had a jump before and after the water which you wouldn't have BE and which caught some riders out as their horses caught sight of the water glinting in the sun last minute and stopped. Also the riding was similar, you got amazing partnerships and then some people or horses that were not prepared enough and that had trouble. horses looked fitter here especially in the Training and Preliminary class (100 and Novice) but then they would do if they are reguarly doing three days. They looked like racehorses and also lots and lots of TBs especially in the two higher level classes, more than you notice at home (either that or they look more like TB's as threy are so fit). It was really good and well organised, I enjoyed it :).
Oh also people come from far and wide for these events, there was one lady from Colorado! She got eliminated on the XC as well, felt so sorry for her. They also have a bigger atmosphere than at home, lots of people and people cheering tee hee. Jae and I didn't mind and thought it quite cool but I think some riders found it off putting, especially as it looked like the non horsie friends and family brigade who didn't know, got excited and would start whooping just as people are coming into the fence. You would never get that at home.
I thought it weird at first how people would think doing 5 or 6 events a year is a lot but now I have seen what it is like, it is a lot. That's 4 days staying at a show (the first day they run practice dressage competitions, the last day after SJ has finished they opened the XC course for schooling if anyone wanted to do that before leaving), that's potentially 24 show days and doesn't count the travelling days. I am lucky I have two three days 5 minutes from where I live, two 2 hours from where I live and one 4 hours from where I live. Some people have to travel much much further, like the lady who took several days to get there!
 
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