Had a mixed start to the year competiton wise. First competition was show jumping too, and it started so badly. We did the clear round class and had one down and 3 refusals, I then went back to the warm up area and some how fell off while cantering a 20m circle, neither I nor the people watching, could work out how we did this. Then in to the 55cm class, which we went clear in, in fact we were the only clear so we won , then 65cm and we had one down, there was only one clear so it was in to the jump off, I took it slowly and carefully and cleared everything in the slowest time, but I ended up second because the other 5 in the jump off all had at least 1 down in their rush to get good times. Next the 75cm and the fillers came out resulting in elimination at jump 5. So a mixed result.
Next competition was dressage, I entered 2 prelim classes. Bea felt calm but maybe a bit lacking in forward propulsion, first class was P1 and at the end I was really not sure how we had done so back to the lorry for food, drink and a regroup. I then decided to change several things, out with the spurs, change stirrup length, and back to warm up. Then someone walked passed and said "well done on your win", didn't know who they were so assumed they were not talking to me, next thing someone from my yard appeared with a 1st rosette and told me I had won! I was very happy, this is our first dressage win, and we had only come 5th in our next best result. I quickly put my stirrups back to where they had been and was about to ditch the spurs when I was told I was in now for my second test. The second test went well, until I picked up a wrong canter lead, sadly it was a close competition and this 1 mistake put us from 2nd to 5th, and I also suspect if I hadn’t had the spurs on we would not have made this mistake. But, overall a good competition.
Next was jump cross, and it was a total disaster. We got there a bit late, to find I had forgotten my bridle. I went to withdraw, but the yard owner said she would lend me one. Sadly by the time I had sorted things out I was very late, ended up having virtually no warm up and got eliminated at jump 3 for 3 refusals. We headed home in not the best mood.
On Sunday I entered a show cross pairs competition. I had two pairs to go with so should be fun. Sadly my first pair fell, so we were eliminated near the beginning of the course. My second pair went much better, I had 1 refusal, sadly in the timed section, but we ended well with 6th place. We then were allowed to do the whole course again non-competitively which was great, a real confidence boost for us. It was a pairs class, so I was following someone, but it was the first time to make it round an XC course with out elimination which did feel very good.
Next competition was dressage, I entered 2 prelim classes. Bea felt calm but maybe a bit lacking in forward propulsion, first class was P1 and at the end I was really not sure how we had done so back to the lorry for food, drink and a regroup. I then decided to change several things, out with the spurs, change stirrup length, and back to warm up. Then someone walked passed and said "well done on your win", didn't know who they were so assumed they were not talking to me, next thing someone from my yard appeared with a 1st rosette and told me I had won! I was very happy, this is our first dressage win, and we had only come 5th in our next best result. I quickly put my stirrups back to where they had been and was about to ditch the spurs when I was told I was in now for my second test. The second test went well, until I picked up a wrong canter lead, sadly it was a close competition and this 1 mistake put us from 2nd to 5th, and I also suspect if I hadn’t had the spurs on we would not have made this mistake. But, overall a good competition.
Next was jump cross, and it was a total disaster. We got there a bit late, to find I had forgotten my bridle. I went to withdraw, but the yard owner said she would lend me one. Sadly by the time I had sorted things out I was very late, ended up having virtually no warm up and got eliminated at jump 3 for 3 refusals. We headed home in not the best mood.
On Sunday I entered a show cross pairs competition. I had two pairs to go with so should be fun. Sadly my first pair fell, so we were eliminated near the beginning of the course. My second pair went much better, I had 1 refusal, sadly in the timed section, but we ended well with 6th place. We then were allowed to do the whole course again non-competitively which was great, a real confidence boost for us. It was a pairs class, so I was following someone, but it was the first time to make it round an XC course with out elimination which did feel very good.
