So much has happen since my last blog!! How time flys when your having fun!
So here goes...
Firstly we headed to Milton Keynes for their annual three day event with Midget and Beemer. Beemer was running in the open (BE100/novice) and due to them not having enough entries for me to be able to ride 2 in that class, Midget ran in the Intermediae (BE100).
First day brought the team dressage, both my boys produced lovely tests, Beemer scoring 35 & Midget scoring 33.5.
Second day was trot up & individual dressage. Once again I was very happy with the tests they produced, Midget scored 32 to lie 2nd over night & Beemer scored 37 to lie 11th.
Saturday, cross country day :-D Beemer was rather full of himself on the first roads and tracks and after taking a minor detour through a ploughed field after he court sight of some cows!! We came home inside the time, he was then a total pro round the steeplechase, giving me one of the best rides I've had round there.
We also came home inside the time round the second roads and tracks so that just left the cross country.
And he didn't let me down!! He was a star and flew round, we picked up 8 time faults as I wanted to take my time and set him up at some of the trickier combinations and we went long at the water, as I felt a brush fence to skinny barrel standing at about a 1m landing in the water was quite an ask for his first taste at that level so we opted for a boat to step in taking a tighter line out over the table. I was chuffed to bits with him the time faults meant we dropped down to 14th instead of moving up-to 4th but I wouldn't have ridden the course any differently!
Next up was Midget, who decided that after last year he knew exactly what he was doing! He breezed round both lots of roads and tracks and towed me round the steeplechase, I think he thought he was actually racing!!
He gave me the most fantastic ride round the cross country, he was totally foot perfect!! The only blot was the pilot knocked her stopwatch and picked up 2.4 time faults :-( but I can't take it away from him how well he went! The time faults meant we dropped to 7th over night but the scores were so close all was not lost!
Both boys pulled out well the next morning and flew through the trot up. Beemer was first up, unfortunately his bit had rubbed him the day before so he didn't jump the best on the Sunday knocking 2 down to finish in eventual 12th.
Midget came out absolutely full of it and was very cheeky in the Showjumping, to some how only have one down which moved us down to 9th!
I was incredibly pleased with my boys performances, the Showjumping could have gone better but they had been so good for the previous 3 days I really couldn't complain!
Then came the team results. 7 of us went this year with 9 horses. Beth Worthington who unfortunately ended up in a team with strangers after some of our members had to pull out! Beth was incredibly pleased to complete not only her first 3 day event on her tricky horse Boyga but also her first event and first cross country!! So i think she deserves a big pat on the back for producing a clear xc round!!unfortunately the rest of her team didn't finish :-(.
Midget was on a team with Jordan Phelps who finished 4th individually, Niamh Warburton who finished 9th at her first attempt & Kay Willoughby who finished in 14th. Our team picked up 6th out of 15 teams :-)
Beemer was on a team with Jordan Phelps again who finished 11th indivually, Erin Angel who did fantastically to finish 2nd! And Max Warburton who only went and won the open!! Which all led to the amazing result of winning the team competition, so there were massive smiles all round :-D
We then headed to Broadway for the last event of the season. We were greeted with a sea of mud but to my amazement the cross country going was bordering on perfect and the Showjumping was only on the soft side!!
Beemer was first up and it was his first novice , he produced a nice test with just a couple of green movements to score 37.5.
He then show jumped really well just met a couple wrong and kicked them out to have 8 faults. He gave me an absolutely fantastic ride cross country!! Didn't feel like a step up at all, I took him slow as he wasn't going to be in the ribbons after the sj and I wanted it to be an educational first run, but boy I can't wait for next season with him!!!
Midget ran in the 100 as I decided I want to put more work into his Showjumping before moving him up again. He produced a lovely consistent test to score a disappointing 37. He was once again very cheeky in the Showjumping and far to keen and kicked out 3 fences! But he redeemed himself by giving me a great ride cross country just picking up a few time faults as I didn't seen the point in running for the time when he wasn't in with a chance.
So we finished the season on a high!! It's evident that work needs to be done on our Showjumping, it has cost us too many prizes this year!! Haha. So we will be trekking down to Joss Gray for lessons over the winter and to Onley regularly for SJ. As well as going to Rebecca to sharpen up the dressage :-D then hopefully our new school will be in by next season so I can jump more regularly at home!
All in all considering we have moved yards and only have young horses I think we have had a pretty successful season. Midget ran 8 times completing his first 2 novices one clear and one elimination (but he finished haha) and retiring in his 3rd after leaving a leg and unseating me and produced 4 cross country clears on the bounce at 100.
Beemer did amazingly in his first season, he ran 9 times, producing 9 clears cross country!! 2 double clears at 90, 5 xc clears at 100, 1 at 100/novice and 1 at novice!
Hovis also did well in his first season! He was a late starter after running in his last point to point in February, he amazingly ran in his first event in April!! He ran 6 times producing consistently encouraging dressage's. 2 showjumping clears and 2 cross country clears.
I had 4 rides on Monty for the Angels, 2 at 90 picking up a 2nd and took him round his first 2 100s before handing his reins back over to Erin.
I had 5 rides on Pearl for the Greig's before she was sold on. She produced 3 clear Xc rounds at 80 picking up 2 placings and completed her first 2 90s.
I had 1 ride each on Amber & Gordon before they were sold on. Amber completed her first 100 and Gordon completed his first 90 finishing 6th.
Beemer, Hovis and Midget are now in from their end of season holidays and are starting work again. They will be Showjumping and doing dressage over the winter ahead of next season :-D
Mojo has now been sold and Shane has sent me Timmy, a 14.2hh 5year old connie :-). Sam and Jack are now ready to be put on the market and Evie is back in work after having a little holiday :-).
I have also started riding out for Alex Hales 2 days a week which is great fun and keeps my speed gauge working over the winter months haha.
So all that leaves to say is roll on next season :-D
So here goes...
Firstly we headed to Milton Keynes for their annual three day event with Midget and Beemer. Beemer was running in the open (BE100/novice) and due to them not having enough entries for me to be able to ride 2 in that class, Midget ran in the Intermediae (BE100).
First day brought the team dressage, both my boys produced lovely tests, Beemer scoring 35 & Midget scoring 33.5.
Second day was trot up & individual dressage. Once again I was very happy with the tests they produced, Midget scored 32 to lie 2nd over night & Beemer scored 37 to lie 11th.
Saturday, cross country day :-D Beemer was rather full of himself on the first roads and tracks and after taking a minor detour through a ploughed field after he court sight of some cows!! We came home inside the time, he was then a total pro round the steeplechase, giving me one of the best rides I've had round there.
We also came home inside the time round the second roads and tracks so that just left the cross country.
And he didn't let me down!! He was a star and flew round, we picked up 8 time faults as I wanted to take my time and set him up at some of the trickier combinations and we went long at the water, as I felt a brush fence to skinny barrel standing at about a 1m landing in the water was quite an ask for his first taste at that level so we opted for a boat to step in taking a tighter line out over the table. I was chuffed to bits with him the time faults meant we dropped down to 14th instead of moving up-to 4th but I wouldn't have ridden the course any differently!
Next up was Midget, who decided that after last year he knew exactly what he was doing! He breezed round both lots of roads and tracks and towed me round the steeplechase, I think he thought he was actually racing!!
He gave me the most fantastic ride round the cross country, he was totally foot perfect!! The only blot was the pilot knocked her stopwatch and picked up 2.4 time faults :-( but I can't take it away from him how well he went! The time faults meant we dropped to 7th over night but the scores were so close all was not lost!
Both boys pulled out well the next morning and flew through the trot up. Beemer was first up, unfortunately his bit had rubbed him the day before so he didn't jump the best on the Sunday knocking 2 down to finish in eventual 12th.
Midget came out absolutely full of it and was very cheeky in the Showjumping, to some how only have one down which moved us down to 9th!
I was incredibly pleased with my boys performances, the Showjumping could have gone better but they had been so good for the previous 3 days I really couldn't complain!
Then came the team results. 7 of us went this year with 9 horses. Beth Worthington who unfortunately ended up in a team with strangers after some of our members had to pull out! Beth was incredibly pleased to complete not only her first 3 day event on her tricky horse Boyga but also her first event and first cross country!! So i think she deserves a big pat on the back for producing a clear xc round!!unfortunately the rest of her team didn't finish :-(.
Midget was on a team with Jordan Phelps who finished 4th individually, Niamh Warburton who finished 9th at her first attempt & Kay Willoughby who finished in 14th. Our team picked up 6th out of 15 teams :-)
Beemer was on a team with Jordan Phelps again who finished 11th indivually, Erin Angel who did fantastically to finish 2nd! And Max Warburton who only went and won the open!! Which all led to the amazing result of winning the team competition, so there were massive smiles all round :-D
We then headed to Broadway for the last event of the season. We were greeted with a sea of mud but to my amazement the cross country going was bordering on perfect and the Showjumping was only on the soft side!!
Beemer was first up and it was his first novice , he produced a nice test with just a couple of green movements to score 37.5.
He then show jumped really well just met a couple wrong and kicked them out to have 8 faults. He gave me an absolutely fantastic ride cross country!! Didn't feel like a step up at all, I took him slow as he wasn't going to be in the ribbons after the sj and I wanted it to be an educational first run, but boy I can't wait for next season with him!!!
Midget ran in the 100 as I decided I want to put more work into his Showjumping before moving him up again. He produced a lovely consistent test to score a disappointing 37. He was once again very cheeky in the Showjumping and far to keen and kicked out 3 fences! But he redeemed himself by giving me a great ride cross country just picking up a few time faults as I didn't seen the point in running for the time when he wasn't in with a chance.
So we finished the season on a high!! It's evident that work needs to be done on our Showjumping, it has cost us too many prizes this year!! Haha. So we will be trekking down to Joss Gray for lessons over the winter and to Onley regularly for SJ. As well as going to Rebecca to sharpen up the dressage :-D then hopefully our new school will be in by next season so I can jump more regularly at home!
All in all considering we have moved yards and only have young horses I think we have had a pretty successful season. Midget ran 8 times completing his first 2 novices one clear and one elimination (but he finished haha) and retiring in his 3rd after leaving a leg and unseating me and produced 4 cross country clears on the bounce at 100.
Beemer did amazingly in his first season, he ran 9 times, producing 9 clears cross country!! 2 double clears at 90, 5 xc clears at 100, 1 at 100/novice and 1 at novice!
Hovis also did well in his first season! He was a late starter after running in his last point to point in February, he amazingly ran in his first event in April!! He ran 6 times producing consistently encouraging dressage's. 2 showjumping clears and 2 cross country clears.
I had 4 rides on Monty for the Angels, 2 at 90 picking up a 2nd and took him round his first 2 100s before handing his reins back over to Erin.
I had 5 rides on Pearl for the Greig's before she was sold on. She produced 3 clear Xc rounds at 80 picking up 2 placings and completed her first 2 90s.
I had 1 ride each on Amber & Gordon before they were sold on. Amber completed her first 100 and Gordon completed his first 90 finishing 6th.
Beemer, Hovis and Midget are now in from their end of season holidays and are starting work again. They will be Showjumping and doing dressage over the winter ahead of next season :-D
Mojo has now been sold and Shane has sent me Timmy, a 14.2hh 5year old connie :-). Sam and Jack are now ready to be put on the market and Evie is back in work after having a little holiday :-).
I have also started riding out for Alex Hales 2 days a week which is great fun and keeps my speed gauge working over the winter months haha.
So all that leaves to say is roll on next season :-D