Monday, May 16, 2011

Canberra ODE 14th-15th May 2011

WOW! What a weekend!

It was great to finally have some Team ESB support for a change! Due to me being the only ESB competitor along the NSW east coast, I am normally the only one to be out and representing the ESB name!
However, this competition saw me surrounded by other ESB's :)
I had the pleasure of meeting Jill Lockhart and the beautiful Gamble and also Hinnerk Hueppe with Spell and Day. Spell is a full sister to Paris, and they look very similar! It was interesting having so many people asking who the man is riding Paris!! Was also interesting to watch how similar, and different she is to Paris in the way that she moves and jumps! She seems to be more like Strum (also a full sister, owned by a very good friend)

Anywho, Paris went soo well in all phases! Her dressage was amazing in parts, we just need to work on consistancy! Time to start looking for a new coach I think!
Our showjumping was super! We are now jumping in the snaffle full time, and its making the world of diffrence! I find her dropping less in the front end, and less in the shoulder on turns. Weird I know, but its working well, so I'll just leave it alone! We Went clear both jumping and time in the Showjumping which was great!

Our cross country was also just amazing! I just love my horse to bits!
Unfortunately, we were stuck behind a very novice horse, who continued to have numerous stops in front of me, without judge interferance.. Finally, after a yelled "horse coming through", she decided to move out of my line! The only good part about this, was that I got to let Paris have a really nice gallop to make up time! Which normally you dont get to do in the intro, especially with a big striding horse. We ended up going a little to fast, incurring 1.2 time penalties!

We ended up placing 7th, which was just super! Hopefully, next comp will be top 5!

Anywho, I couldn't be prouder of her anyway! Hopefully we will be ready to go onto our first Preliminary course by September's Canberra International Event.

We have a big Showjumping competition on the weekend of the 11th-12th June with Pony Club, so it will be interesting to see how she goes with a whole weekend of jumping B grade (Grade 2, Prelim height)