Long overdue blog! I will try to fill you in with as less words as possible! The beginning of May was quiet on the eventing front. I was working at Badminton and then Chatsworth which was a fantastic experience and I loved every minute, although I did feel sorry for my ponies who I barely got to see or ride. Thank god for my amazing mum & friend Leigh for keeping them ticking over!!
The week after Chatsworth I had booked both girls in at Somerford Park BE, its such a lovely venue and fantastic courses using the terrain brilliantly which certainly makes the lower levels feel somewhat challenging. It was Goldie's first event and when I was warming up for dressage it really dawned on me how much she has grown up this year. She did her best test to date scoring a 32.5 which I was so so pleased with, we stayed inside the white boards!! Then she jumped a beautiful clear round show jumping giving them lots of air!! It was getting really warm going XC and she hasn't done much if any canter fitness work, however she flew round the XC making it feel light work just picking up 5.2 time pens to finish in 9th place! To see she would of been 3rd without them makes the future look very exciting! She is now entered into the BE90 at Brand hall next weekend.
Annie came out the day after to carry me around the 90! My ankle is still a little sore especially under pressure from the fences, drops, galloping etc so I have decided to give us a couple of easier runs. The dressage was nice but had a little few tense moments, probably more coming from me to score a 31.5 in a few close section. This left her in 7th place, she jumped another fab show jumping round, she just loves this phase! Cross country was so much fun, she is such a whippet and just floated round a little fast actually to pick up 0.8 time pens which dropped us 2 places to finish 9th! So I had both my girls in the top 10, finishing in the same position! What are the odds! Unfortunately I was one place of a regional AGAIN with Annie, and then to top it off when I went to collect my most sought after ribbons, to find out they were only giving to 8th!!!!!! Can you believe it with sections over 40 in them. What a shame, but a very positive day non the less!!
The week after Chatsworth I had booked both girls in at Somerford Park BE, its such a lovely venue and fantastic courses using the terrain brilliantly which certainly makes the lower levels feel somewhat challenging. It was Goldie's first event and when I was warming up for dressage it really dawned on me how much she has grown up this year. She did her best test to date scoring a 32.5 which I was so so pleased with, we stayed inside the white boards!! Then she jumped a beautiful clear round show jumping giving them lots of air!! It was getting really warm going XC and she hasn't done much if any canter fitness work, however she flew round the XC making it feel light work just picking up 5.2 time pens to finish in 9th place! To see she would of been 3rd without them makes the future look very exciting! She is now entered into the BE90 at Brand hall next weekend.
Annie came out the day after to carry me around the 90! My ankle is still a little sore especially under pressure from the fences, drops, galloping etc so I have decided to give us a couple of easier runs. The dressage was nice but had a little few tense moments, probably more coming from me to score a 31.5 in a few close section. This left her in 7th place, she jumped another fab show jumping round, she just loves this phase! Cross country was so much fun, she is such a whippet and just floated round a little fast actually to pick up 0.8 time pens which dropped us 2 places to finish 9th! So I had both my girls in the top 10, finishing in the same position! What are the odds! Unfortunately I was one place of a regional AGAIN with Annie, and then to top it off when I went to collect my most sought after ribbons, to find out they were only giving to 8th!!!!!! Can you believe it with sections over 40 in them. What a shame, but a very positive day non the less!!
The week after I booked Annie into the 90 at Bishop Burton, as I knew this wasn't a typical 90 and known for being rather challenging. Annie did such a lovely dressage, getting better each time out. Our first attempt in our new voltaire dressage saddle as I was finding it more difficult to ride in it with my ankle. We scored a 31.5 which kept us a the top for ages! She ended up 4th in the section after they had all done their tests. Show jumping was proving difficult for some, but Annie Miss confident did another super clear round. I was feeling a few tweaks from my ankle before I went XC, it probably didn't help I had to run round half the course as it was a 4.30am start, 2 hour drive and an 8.30am dressage test! Cross country was a great course, really technical and using the terrain again which proved influential for many. I was enjoying the ride and sailing along, I had to double take at fence 9ab and doubted myself last minute only seeing a pink number I went past it! Only to look back and see the orange number had spun round to the other side!!!!! Devastated I circled back to jump it so we wasn't eliminated and to tell the jump judge to turn it round!! Unfortunately we picked up 20pens for the circle however Annie finished the course so strongly and inside the time. Luckily she doesn't know I messed up and cost us a 3rd place!!! I don't think early starts or top of leader boards suit me!!
Anyway we don't have long to put things right, with an outing next weekend to Brand with both my girls. I am so excited and hoping to get back into the swing of things a lot more!
Anyway we don't have long to put things right, with an outing next weekend to Brand with both my girls. I am so excited and hoping to get back into the swing of things a lot more!
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