Well it seems summer has arrived and whilst everyone headed south to the beach, we went north to Brigstock with Tickeridge, Lite My Fire and Coevers Diamond Clover. We kicked off on Friday morning with Tigga in the BE100 Lycetts 5yo qualifier. His dressage was lovely gaining a mark of 27.5, but whether due to the heat or that the showjumping was a little small, his jumping was rather idle and he added 4 penalties. The xc was a really good test with plenty to see and jump, the water especially caused a lot of problems, so I was very pleased that he jumped a lovely clear with no time faults and despite his showjump down he still came out on top so has qualified for the Championships at Osberton in October. Also out on Friday was Flynn, he had the dressage phase of his first attempt at a CIC*. Considering the issues that we have had on the flat, I was very pleased with his test, he was rideable and behaved well for a mark of 56.1, to lie 21st overnight.
We returned early the next morning for the xc phase with Flynn, which he thought was a far more interesting way to start the day! He put in a storming round taking everything in his stride and adding just 0.4 time faults which helped to pull him up to 12th place going into showjumping. This part caused real trouble across the class, especially fence 3, a large parallel off a very tight turn by the collecting ring. Flynn was absolutely super and jumped his socks off for one of the few clear rounds and as the horses placed above us continued to hit poles we crept up the leader board to finish the day 5th.
Last to go for the weekend was Lulu, also having her first try at a step up in class, in a BE100 section. Having discovered at the very last moment that I had completely mis-judged the time, I nearly missed the dressage, having to canter across the lorry park and go straight into the ring with no warm up at all, however this actually seemed to suit Lulu very well as she had no chance to get uptight and stressed out as she tends to do, and we scored a very acceptable 30.5. Unfortunately we added 8 faults to this in the showjumping, but she was super across country coping well with several things she has not seen before, and only just finishing outside the ribbons.
Houghton Hall & Borde Hill
We have spent the last week in Norfolk at one of my favourite events, Houghton Hall. This is the 4th year I have attended and it' s great to see it growing into such a popular event. We took three ponies, Boundalong for the CCI**, Captain Christy for the CIC*** and Pusiden for the BYEH 4yo class. I really like to take the youngsters away to an event such as this right at the start of their career as they learn a huge amount in a short time and that going away like this is not a big deal. Sid was the first of our ponies to compete, on Thursday. Although we knew that his flatwork is not yet quite up to scratch, his jumping was super, gaing the second highest mark in the class (35/40). This was followed by a conformation mark of 12/15. This was good enough to earn him a place in the final 10 which then return into the ring to be judged on 'star quality'. He behaved eautifully, coping with the atmosphere of the main ring really well and being placed 4th by judge Nick Turner. After all the adding up was done we finished up 6th, so not high enough to qualify for the final, but nonetheless a reaally good result and an educational experience for him. Although we were not the only ones to wonder how the winner came out on top after refussing in the showjumping and ditching its rider twice......
Also on Thursday was Muffin's turn for dressage. We know that this is a work in progress and it will probably take most of this coming winter to really get things as I want them, however we are making progress and the first part of the test was much more relaxed, it did become more tense after the medium canter work and then the mistakes started to creep in, but she does now allow herself to be corrected in these without a temper tantrum so we are (slowly) getting there. We came out with a disapointing but deserved mark of 67.5.
Friday morning was Smurf's turn for dressage in the CIC***, a new class at Houghton this year. I was really pleased with our test, I felt it was the best feel that he has so far given me, although having since watched the video I can see where the judges marked us down however I was still disapointed with a mark of 61.7.
By Saturday morning it seemed that summer was over and the rain was returning, although we were fortunate enough to get the 3* showjumping out of the way before it did. Smurf really rose to the occasion, but he is such a crafty old sod I think he knew it was something a bit special, jumping a brilliant clear, round what was a very decent track. He then followed this with a lovely clear across country. We took a last minute detour through the double of brush corners at fennce 17 after I felt him jump skew-wiffed over the first part, and after the duck outs we had at Burnham Market and Withinton over similar fences I didnt quite trust him. Perhaps I was being unfair to him though as over the rest of the course he was a saint, including through the quarry where the (very) skinny barrel at the top of the steps was missing its flags. We added 16.4 time penalties to our mark of 61.7, finishing up in 15th place, only just outside of the prizes, perhaps without our detour through the corners we may have just got placed but I cannot complain I am thrilled with how it went, for my first 3* and Smurfs first double clear at this level in nearly 7years.
Saturday was also Muffins turn for xc, after a lot of early problems at fence 8 a skinny log after a double on the mound, the majority of people took the longer alternative. Being as how we had nothing to lose, being in 59th place after dressage, and as I trust her totally to go where directed I chose to take all the straight routes and Muffy didn't let me down. She jumped a fantastic round, coming home just 1 second over the optimum time of 9 minutes.
The trot up on Sunday morning was fortunately just a formality as Muffin was none the worse for her exertions, we then had a long wait until 3pm for our turn to jump, as by virtue of her super xc round we had pulled up from 59th to 25th place. The biggest problem faced by everyone trying to showjump was not getting over the fences but getting to them before they blew over, as the weather deteriorated throughout the day. Muffin finished the week off beautifully, and never even looked like touching a pole to finish up a credible 19th place, and even managed to get back into her stable before the thunderstorm hit! Once we get her flatwork really sorted I think she is gong to be a very special little lady.
And so we trundled the 4 1/2 hours home for a quick turnaround and back out the next morning for 8am dressage at Borde Hill.
Tickeridge was first to go and did a very nice dressage test for a mark of 26.5. A lack of being schooled for a week however caught us out in the showjumping when Tigga got a little argumentative and had an uncharacteristic 8 faults. A super clear xc, and being one of just 2 inside the optimum time in BE100 sec k, was his saving grace, and we finished up in second place.
Next to go wa Brockley Star, and I have to give full marks to his owner Vicky Whiteman for preparing him as I only ever meet him at events. Broccoli really is the most genuine, honest chracter and in only his second ever BE100 got a dressage mark of 27.5 followed by a double clear and the fastest xc time of the day, (almost too fast, oops) to be a deserving winner of sec j, it was third time lucky atfter being second in both of his previous outings.
Lite My Fire was next to go and again we approached the dressage after a minimal warm up. Although things didnt go quite as well as at Brigstock, it is definitely the right appproach for her and will work well in a 'normal' week when I am at home to prepare her. Lulu then followed with a lovely clear showjumping, over a course that caused huge numbers of faults, in fact she was one of just 3 clears in her entire section. After being told I was nearly too fast on Broccoli, I then eased up a little too much across country and although clear, picked up 0.8 time faults and so had to settle for 2nd place.
Last to go for the daywas Coevers Diamond Clover, having an easy Novice run after his CIC* outing last time. Again I knew his lack of preparation would tell on him as he is a character who really needs to be kept 'under the thumb', however he achieved a reasonable dressage mark of 34, but added 8 to this in the showjumping. He added nothing further to this across country however and finished up a very credible 8th place. So all ponies came home safe and all in the ribbons it could not have been a better ending to a lovely week.
We have got a quiet week now, our next event will be Berkshire College and we have got some showjumping to do at South of England and then Royal International.
