Today we had another attempt at a One Day event this time at Nutwell Court.
Started with the dressage, a much improved dressage in comparison to our Stockland Lovell test other than the walk where she tried to halt to scratch her leg so I pushed her forward and she jogged. Well unfortunately the judge was awarding 6s for everything whether it be good bad or indifferent so even though there was a BIG difference in standards of tests in the section the marks did not reflect this with almost every combination being within a 5% margin from 1st to last. My test was awarded 58% which really shocked a lot of us as it deserved far more. Unfortunately that is the subjective nature of dressage and an unaffiliated judge! Oh well although annoying I didn’t let that ruin what was a good performance from her.
After my dressage I ran off to walk my showjumping and Cross Country tracks but not before a wasp took the oppourtunity to sting my hand ouch ouch OUCH! Cue me running to the paramedic men for spray to prevent my hand swelling to size of a small melon! Walked the XC track and it was honestly small with a few perhaps odd questions in that for the 2ft3 the riders had to pull their riders out from jumping two separate points on the course to avoid jumps from the 2ft9. I actually asked if I could jump the larger jumps (not wanting to encourage Fleur to run out) but was informed if I did I would have been eliminated, in hindsight maybe I should have done so anyway!!
The showjumping course was causing problems as lots of people were going too slowly and getting time faults or going too fast and knocking fences left right and centre. Fleur though was pinging, went in cut a few corners didn’t rush and jumped a lovely clear happily within the time allowed.
Then on to the XC she left the start and jumped the first few like a pro then we had the water where we unfortunately had a stop. Basically she was green took a good long look steeped back then launched in (nearly sending me swimming in the process!!), we then continued and jumped round the rest like a pro and would have loved to have taken her round again round the bigger course. I would have happily taken her round the 3ft3 as it seemed positively small compared to Stockland Lovell!
So we finished with 20 penalties for the stop leaving us in 10th. without the stop would have been 3rd and with the dressage mark she deserved who knows!
Was really really pleased with her and the only major point we came away with needing to work on was water, she needs to see far more and next time need to take her schooling through water before a competition!! really really pleased with her though and she is definitely maturing at last, but so she should be at 9!!
