Thursday 18 August 2011

March /April 2011

Clever Delboy attended his first competition and gosh his front legs really can fill the air in his trot and canter work! Very excited boy in the first test of Novice 22, but settled in Novice 35 for a very respectable 67.13%. I only entered the Affiliated Training Section but am pleased to say we would have won the class by 4%. The test was full of lots of little baby mistakes and wobbles like cantering a few strides at the beginning of the medium trots, not yet really relaxed in the free walk, working canter too onward bound, therefore the medium canters were on the forehand, but i am still over the moon with him. I am a great believer in working at least one level above the level you are competing at, and Delboy is really not there yet! But i believe he needs to go out and about so he can start to gain his confidence in the big wide world, whilst we also improve the quality and consistency of the work at home.
Claire Roissetter and Harvey Hooves have had a fantastic start to the season winning both her BE90's. Coming first after the dressage definitely does help! At Munstead her score of 17.5 contained two marks of 10, with her nearest competitor after the dressage on 23!
Emily Farrar and Inca
Siobhan Coultrip and Solly brought home their first red rosette at this level winning Novice 36 at Merrist Wood!

Laura Normand and Zac won Novice 22 at Oldencraig with a whopping 74.48%! To make this even more special this was under a List 5 judge who gave her a 9 for her riding and a 9 for her final centre line and halt!
My clever Lloyd Jones girls are the Surrey Schools Champions! Grace and Classic won the Prelim Championship and then Ellie and Lad won the Novice Championship with Grace coming second on Jack! Emily Howard and Inca won the Prelim at WEC with 73% and Emily Farrar and another lovely Inca won the Affiliated Prelim at Merrist Wood with 69.55%.
Sue Jones and Southerly Roberts had a super successful day at Priory and came home with red rosettes and over 70% tests.
Delboy and I campaigned our first official affiliated Novice. First test was rather fresh with a buck, 3 neighs and a flying change! Second test was much nearer how he felt in the warm up and we won it with it with 68.46%, even though I lost us so many marks for forgetting the test ........TWICE!!  I'm a middle aged lady now and need to revise my tests much much more than I did when I stopped competing 6 years ago!