Making a Splash at the Pony Club Champs
It seems for the past couple of months that all of my time has been taken up with fitting in as much riding and teaching as possible.
Pooh (Perfect Timing II) has been amazing and has completed four more Novices. We had just one pole down in the show jumping at both Berkshire College of Agriculture (BCA) and Stratford Hills (3rd), but had double clears at Chilham and Smiths Lawn!
Both Pooh and Tim qualified for the Pony Club Championships, this was Tim’s 6th consecutive year and my 9th year! We had a lovely surprise when we arrived, on the entrance banner it featured a photo of me and Tim!
Tim did a nice dressage test but I felt it was harshly marked for 62% He then did 1 of 4 double clears in the Individual Open Show Jumping and he finished with a pole in the jump off for 4th/75. The next day was Team Show Jumping where we finished 5th. Tim jumped amazingly again with a clear then followed by two poles, he was starting to tire! The Horse and Pony Care Team finished in 9th place.
Pooh also did a lovely dressage test with a score of 33.4% The following day she went backwards in the showjumping and had two poles down – it was a very busy ring! Pooh soon made up for it in the cross country, where she flew round making it feel effortless, that was until we pinged into the water and slightly pinged me out of the saddle a stride later! I was completely submerged! I promptly got back on – rather wet – and Pooh carried on perfectly and flew round the rest of the course. I couldn’t be cross with Pooh as it wasn’t her fault that I perhaps had too long a stirrups, as you can see in our photos!
Googie (Gazelle Dwerse Hagen) was all prepped to go to Barbury 2* for one of the last trials for Young Riders. The Tuesday before we were due to go we went show jumping, where she was jumping amazingly but unfortunatley whacked her leg. She is having a well earned rest till we get back from the Pony Club Championships and then I will start riding her again.
Diva and Pogo had a visit from Dengie Performance Horse Nutritionist Claire Akers last week. Claire has been visiting them regularly to montior their weights and progress. Pogo has done a lot more growing and he had a bit more to say about getting on the weighbridge!
I currently have two horses on livery, Shannondale Ensign (Joey) and The Gingerbread Man (Ginge), both horses are for sale and are looking for new homes to take them on. I also took Joey to BCA and Chilham where we were placed 10th at both events. He has been a star with top ten placings in all his events! Ginge is a 6-year-old chestnut gelding, I have had him a week and he has been so good and jumped everything I have put infront of him. I took him cross country schooling to Stratford Hills where we flying round some of the BE100 fences.
