Belton is one of my favourite events, and with Mark Phillips as course builder the XC reminded me just why I enjoy it so much up there. That and the added bonus of being able to stay with my sister only half an hour away made it a fun weekend. I had a mixed time of it competetively, Master Rowan did a lovely test, had a couple of green mistakes show jumping and then proceeded to unceremoniously eject me on the approach to an innocuous looking table at fence 5 on the cross country! Slightly embarassing mistake by me, but i hopped back on to complete a lovely round over certainly his biggest challenge to date!
Little Luc, one of team Jacksons working pupils came and jumped a fantastic double clear in the novice at her first BE event of the year and made us all very proud, well done Luc.
Willy Do really went brilliantly for 8th in a very competetive OI section adding just 3 time faults XC to his lovely dressage of 33 so I was delighted with him and feel he is well ready to make the step up to advanced at Burnham Market next week.
Animator performed his best test EVER. He was relaxed and rideable and had it not been for the hinderance of his jockey would have been right up there with the big boys. I managed to go wrong not once but TWICE. What a school girl error. I am sure someone up there has a master plan to make sure I've made every mistake in the book so i'm thoroughly prepared to win something big SOON. Well, that's what i'm hoping! Luke then didn't jump a bad round show jumping but had two rails which i was disappointed with, and Cross country we had an annoying stop, again I'm putting down to early season rustiness on my part. I am looking forward to putting it all right in the 3* at Burnham next weekend. Having had a show jumping clinic with team trainer Luis Alvarez, and a XC session with Nigel Taylor by then we should be back on track!
Sprout was horrendously naughty in the dressage at Belton and then zipped around both the SJ and XC in only his second advanced as if it were tiny. I was thrilled to bits with him, and also very grateful. Having watched a terrible fall two horses before I set out, I rode the first 6 fences like a muppett and only thanks to Sprouts athletecism managed to get away fault free. It was the wake up call I needed and we then had a fabulous round in great harmony.
Meanwhile Lyida was competing at Goring Heath on the Sunday and had a great win in the pre novice on Owt for Nowt, which is a really good achievement and Scott Ralph had a super pre badminton run in the novice on Radical Approach, so all in all a good weekend for the Team.
On Tuesday I set out for Portman with River Mill and Castle River and have to admit to wondering what on earth i was doing as i was walking the course in the pouring rain at 7am!! Anyway, the clouds cleared, both horses did pleasing tests, and Fish did a gorgeous double clear in complete control which I thoroughly enjoyed, Parker had a couple down and jumped a lovely clear XC. We had a delicious picnic with mum's cousin Jen and her husband Cliff, who were also super grooms for the day!
The final early start was yesterday for squad training in Wootton Basset with Luis Alvarez, a really productive day with Willy, Luke, Sprout and Rowan. I thoroughly enjoy his way of teaching and can't wait to jump some super rounds on them all at Burnham.
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