Mari Durward-Akhurst

Para Dressage National Championships

I headed of to the National Championships today with Woody. They were going to be held there at Hickstead we had been there before.

We arrived there with plenty of time. Unfortunately there had been a big accident on the m25 and my coach Sacha Hamilton was stuck in all the traffic, so she couldn’t get there for the warm up for my first test, but she made it just it time to see my first test.

The venue was buzzing and Woody warmed up well. We left the warm up arena and it was quite a long walk to the main arena he felt good. The test went well and we only had one mistake so I was very pleased with him. We finished 4th which I was pleased with as it was so hot and he doesn’t like the heat.

Sacha was there to help me to warm up for the team test. The warm up went well and he was going the best he had gone. He was forward going, thanks to the Dengie food as it has really helped him to have a lot more energy. We went into the arena and he felt amazing. But they had turned the music on very loud and the one thing Woody doesn’t like is loud music! We both coped well and did a good test, one spook cost us second place as he decided that the speakers were to close. It was a good test though and I was really pleased with him. We finished 3rd and as it was so hot I was pleased as it was the best he had gone out at a competition, just a shame about my mistakes and the spook.

I have just finished my GCSE’s now and July is one of my busiest competition months because I now have the RDA National Championships, Inter Regional Competition and my Junior International. I am looking forward to all of them and am pleased that now my exams are over I can concentrate on my riding again!

Mari