Weston Park and Hambleden

 WESTON PARK with 3 intermediates, thankfully the organisers pulled out all the stops to manage to run the sunday event.

About Time Too- 2nd!

With Foxy Lady and About Time Too both heading to CCI** at Houghton they were desperate to get their run. For Undalgo De Windsor it was only his 2nd intermediate and he certainly had plenty to think about.

The 3 dressage tests went really well, in particular About Time Too, scoring a PB of 25! He has come on so much over the winter and is feeling strong and much more established in only his short career of eventing. Foxy Lady was rideable and accurate for her test, as was Undalgo De Windsor, scoring 32 and 33 respectively.

The showjumping was somewhat challenging, very deep going and an up to height track. Causing endless jumping faults throughout every section. My guys all jumped well considering, About Time too and Foxy Lady just having one unlucky pole each and Undalgo De Windsor showing his inexperience in conditions like this, adding 12 faults.

The XC was holding up well considering the amount of rain but it really wasn't ideal for fairly newly upgraded horses. Foxy Lady was actually loving the mud but came unstuck at the very influential coffin and decided she definitely was not going to play today, annoyingly as she was well placed and had stormed round the first parts of the course and combinations! Undalgo De Windsor had a few cheeky moments, with a giant spook at fence 7, not even at the fence but something in the distance! Although well away from the fence sadly given 20 penalties, he carried on flying around the course and then 3 from home, at the last combination, we over jumped in resulting in a bit of a wiggle between the A and B elements. I was certain i did not cross my tracks but we were given 20pen here also. Frustrating but I was very impressed with how he went around the course in general.

Star of the show was About Time Too, after his impressive dressage and lovely showjumping he was well in contention. He powered on round the course feeling so bold and brave and like he had been doing this for ever. Coming back with an average amount of time for the conditions. He finished 2nd in his section by only 0.1 penalties... one of those 'if only' moments but both he and i had a great time.

Hambledon

A VERY VERY busy weekend, then one day fell foul of the weather to make it a Busy Weekend!

BE100                                         NOVICE

4th One Misty Morning             2nd Trendy Captain CLover

5th Silver Lining                       3rd  Knight Escapade

9th Ace Silver Shadow

A fantastic outing for the young horses despite the deep, muddy conditions and snow!

Nevertheless Hambleden did everything possible to ensure us competitors had a run. Day One saw the BE100 horses ever improving, One Misty Morning kept up his consistent form after a lovely dressage, there is still even more improvement to come from him as he develops in his training. With a lovely attitude and great paces he has a real future ahead of him. He scored a respectable 30. He followed this up with a great double clear adding just a few time as i felt it wasn't necessary to push him to much in the going. He placed 4th, meaning he is yet to be outside of the top 10. Super star!

Silver Lining has developed so much over the last few weeks, not finding the dressage the most fun before but now really enjoying his work. Becoming much more soft and working in a round, natural outline- something he has not been used to from his show jumping career. He has taken alot of change and is very exciting for the future. Scoring a 35 dressage with a few mistakes but following this up with a fantastic double clear to finish 5th in his section.

Ace Silver Shadow went well, he did a nice test of 32, had an unlucky pole in the SJ but flew the XC to finish 9th in his section.

Day 2 with the Novice horses:

The second ever Novice run for Trendy Captain Clover and you would have thought he had plenty under his belt. He did an ever-improving dressage, really developing in his way of going with so much more to come. He scored 33 and pinged his way around the showjumping, finding it all rather easy for a great clear. And finding the XC just as easy... you would never have known about the mud! He didn't look at a thing and felt perfect all the way round for a great clear. In a troublesum section he was one of the quickest and got a well deserved 2nd.

Knights Escapade was on happy hunting ground at Hambleden, He did a slightly excitable dressage but still scoring fairly well in the section on a 35. He too couldn't have jumped better, ignoring all signs of mud, a brilliant double clear! He ran quick to be one of the fastest, this comes very naturally to him. Placing 3rd, and accumulating yet more points to now make him an intermediate horse!

About Time Too also went for an outing in the intermediate, after a lovely dressage and an unlucky pole SJ, he decided the XC wasn't really for him feeling rather sticky and not loving the ground. Meaning i did a number of circles accumulating 20's resulting in an elimination. But as far as he was concerned he completed with just a few additional circles!