After getting Pete back to full fitness, we took him to Southview on Saturday to see how he went.
I entered him in the 1m Amateur Grand Prix Qualifier, to allow us to compete in the 1m and 1.10m Grands Prix on the Sunday. The qualifer was a two phase and when I walked it I thought it looked rather large for 1m, but I reasoned that it was probably because neither of us has been out jumping for the best part of 2 months!
Anyway, he jumped a great round which was only marred by my mistake of adding one stride too many down a related distance, which made him too deep for the fence and he had it down. So despite rider error, Pete jumped very well and I was happy for us to take him back for the Sunday.
We returned to Southview on the Sunday to jump the 1m and the 1.10m Grands Prix. The 1m was actually more straightforward than yesterday, and Pete was jumping well until the double where he jumped in a little forward and had the second part down. He has such a big stride that I really must work on containing his canter into a double to stop him making up too much ground.
In the 1.10m, I was not riding at my best at all, I allowed Pete to get long and flat and he had the first fence down. I then unfortunately allowed my nerves to take over, stopping riding forwards and getting him in too deep at some of the fences. I decided to retire at fence 9 as I was not confident in the round. Hopefully, this is just a temporary blip and we will soon be back on track.
Yesterday we took Pete to Southview on a lovely sunny morning to jump the Adventurer Qualifier. It was very busy with around 70 people in the class. It was a 2 phase class being 1.05 in the first phase and 1.15 in the second phase. Pete jumped amazingly round the first section, was really keen and didn't bat an eyelid at the wavy planks or water tray. The jump off section was quite big, but Pete jumped his socks off for a lovely double clear to go into 5th at that stage. We watched the rest of the class and Pete and I got pushed down to 7th place, just one place off qualifying for Scope. I wasnt disappointed, however, as I was not intending on jumping at Scope anyway. I was very pleased with 7th place, and £15 prize money.
Well a few weeks back we took Pete to his first show at Bold Heath. I did the 95cm A4 speed class, which was one round against the clock. Pete jumped a lovely clear to win the class and pocket £40 prize money. What a fantastic result for our first outing!
Since I got Pete, I've had the Amateur 3 day show at Southview in my sights. I had planned to do the 90cm on the friday and the 90cm grand prix on the Sunday. As it happened, I decided to jump both the 90cm and 1m classes as I felt ready for doing the slightly bigger class.
On the friday, it was very busy and Pete jumped well but unfortunately hit a pole in each class for 4 faults. Saturday was rest day and we went back on the Sunday for the Grands Prix. After Friday, I had decided to skip the 90cm and jump in the deep end and jump the 1m and also the Ladies 1.10m, which was to be our biggest test to date.
First up was the 1m, Pete jumped a fantastic clear over a technical track to make it to the jump off. We were drawn 2nd to go in the jump off and I decided to gamble on a clear as I wasnt sure how he would go against the clock. Unfortunately, we hit the upright going into the double for 4 faults anto finish 12th, just out of the placings.
I walked the course for the 1.10 Ladies, and it was huge, I had not jumped 1.10 since I had Jess about 6 years ago. I was nervous but I decided to go in and give it my best shot. Pete jumped the first half of the course fantastically, making light work of the big combination. As we came to the double unfortunately shot forward and hit the fence going in then unsettled himself and argued with me to the next fence, so I circled him to regain our composure and finshed the course really well. I was very pleased with our first attempt at 1.10m there are things to work on but its still very early days.
Today we had a slight change of plan, as we were supposed to be going to Bold Heath to jump the British Novice and Discovery. For one reason or another, we re-routed to our local venue, South View, to jump the Discovery.
We arrived at 8.45am, to find we were the only ones there! Mum panicked and thought it had been cancelled!! I told her not to worry as Showjumpers are normally late! We soon realised it was still on and I went to walk the course, which was a Two Phase. It was quite a technical course having lots of related distances, tight lines and a treble combination. I thought it may be quite challenging for us as I havent jumped a Discovery for a while.
We went to get Lucy, as I warmed her up it began to get busier. I didn't need to warm her up for long as she was listening from the word go today, yesterdays lesson must have done her some good. I did a bit of trot work before moving to canter, getting her going off my leg and lengthening and shortening her stride. I then jumped the small cross pole a couple of times, an upright and a couple of oxers, finishing with a bigger, square oxer. She was jumping well, listening to me and going nice and forward so I decided to go in.
Fences 1 - 8 was the first phase, with the fences at 1m. She jumped the first section brilliantly, especially through the combination which I was very pleased about. We were clear in the first phase so moved straight onto the jump off, which was fences 9 - 14 with the fences at 1.10m.
She had fence 9 down, which I blame myself for as I let her run on a little so she got a bit long and flat, and I think it took her by surprise that the fence was bigger. Onto 10 and 11, too airy uprights on a three stride line on an angle, I felt her slightly hesitate at ten so I rode her strongly, and she hit fence 11, for another fence down. Then round to a big double, quite tight off the corner, which she jumped beautifully. I got her a bit deep to fence 13 but she really tried for me, and onto the final fence, I couldn't see a stride (which would of panicked me in the past and I am working hard to not worry and fiddle and to just keep riding forwards and positively), but I kept my leg on, and thought Lucy would add an extra stride, but she didn't, she took off a bit early, but jumped it clear.
She is getting much better at not relying on me and I know now as long as I sit quiet but keep my leg on she can jump from a deep stride or from a bit far off the fence. I am so pleased with the way she jumped today as it was a technical course and I realise 8 faults may not be a great result on paper, but Lucy jumped the best she has ever gone and I really feel we are now understanding each other and becoming a partnership.
Next weekend Mum and I are going to Chatsworth to watch the Pro's at work and to see what I can learn from them! Lucy will have a rest on Saturday, and on Sunday we are taking her to an 'Eventers Challenge' which involves jumping a course of show jumps followed by cross country fences, which should be fun!
On Saturday we took Lucy to our local venue, South View, to do the 90cm Combined Training Qualifier. I wasn't expecting too much as the dressage test was Novice 27, which was quite complicated with some tricky movements in it.
I had a very reasonable time of 13.07, so we got up with plenty of time to give Lucy a clean and do her plaits. We got to South View with lots of time to work her in, this was because I had ridden her on Thursday and she was in season (and with that being a bit cheeky and difficult!). I expected her to be the same so I gave us a good hour and a quarter to get settled onto the job. As it happened, she was a lot quieter and I got some lovely work from her in the warm up which was encouraging. I was a bit worried about remembering the test as I only had 3 days to learn it and I hadn't really managed to have a run through on Lucy before the day.
Lucy was lovely, really relaxed and listening to me, but when it was our turn to go into the arena she had a naughty little spook and spun around. She refused to go into the arena without a telling off from me, which wasn't a good start as it meant she went tense. I managed to get her settled a bit before we began the test, but the first half wasnt as fluent as I hoped.
She began to relax for the second half, and just as I started to think 'great, this is going well' I had a horrible blank moment in my mind, and realised I had gone wrong! The judge kindly re-directed me and I finished the test but knew I would get 2 penalties for my error.
Turns out I was right to be worried about forgetting the test, that teaches me a lesson for next time, 3 days is not long enough for me to learn a test 100%! I came out a bit upset as I thought I had messed it up for the horse, as she did try for me.
I went onto the showjumping and was determined to enjoy it as I thought I'd blown all chances of a placing. We went in and Lucy jumped well, a little hesitation at the second fence when she took her eye off it, but jumped a clear. She is getting extremely consistent at 90cms which is brilliant news.
We untacked her, gave her some hay, and went to look at the score board. I couldn't believe my eyes that I was in the top 6 after the dressage even with my error - what a great surprise! I was also shocked to see from 18 competitors that there was only 4 show jumping clears.
Lucy and I finished a brilliant 5th, with a couple of Pro riders ahead of us. The top 6 qualify for the Championships, so me and Lucy are off to the Final in September!
This horse is being amazing at the moment!!
Next Sunday we are off to Bold Heath BSJA to do the British Novice and the Scope Festival Novice qualifier as a bit of jumping practice and to jump a bit bigger as we havent jumped all that much since our break over winter.
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