NEWS 22/04/08
Powderham
The lorry left at 0530 for the trip to Powderham for a very busy day – it was very cold but we were very lucky with the weather as the rain mainly stayed away.
Cool Mountain had a very good win in the OI which hopefully will have set up him for Ireland next week. The ground was pretty much perfect and the course was a galloping one and he went comfortably within himself to add just 3 time penalties to his dressage score of 27.
Chuckelberry kept up his incredibly consistent run with a 5th place – he really feels ready for an advanced run and tomorrow’s course is tempting in hind sight.
Neuf des Coeurs had a very good day and gave me a great feeling cross country, his dressage was pretty good with just a couple of blips, he had a rail down so I took him quietly particularly as it was the most demanding track he has done to date.
Seacookie also had a good day; he did a 30 dressage which I was very happy with, he had an unlucky pole and felt much more on my wavelength cross country but I still feel that he is benefiting from running quietly.
Kaleidoscope for Jessica Thomas was a catch ride – Jessica having recently had a baby; and he finished 2nd in the other OI. I have never ridden him before so did not know what to expect but he felt very confident and unfazed about the change of jockey – fortunately his pole down did not make any difference to the final result and he gave me a very enjoyable ride cross country.
The track was brand new built by Eric Winter and rode very well.
There was a respite in the weather for the most of Sunday which was a great relief. The novice horses all went very well.
Bay Tokay won what is his last novice class and his next outing will be the intermediate at Aston le Walls. Once again he did a good dressage and finished on 30 doing very little wrong. He has now become very consistent and I will be hoping he goes well at Houghton in the 1*
Corofin Flyer also won his section; he led the dressage on 29 and then finished very satisfyingly on that score which also meant he won the trophy for the best novice performance through all the sections. It is only his third novice run but he is coming together very quickly and is off to do the CIC * in Ballygraffan for a bit more experience.
Lionheart finished 8th in his section; he got 31 in the dressage which was the best mark, jumped double clear so I could not expect more of him at this stage. His jumping is exceptional and nothing seems to challenge him cross country yet.
Gaucho was competing in his first novice and I was delighted with him; he did the best test in his arena by 4 marks, scoring 25. With one fence down I took him quietly cross country but he took it very much in his stride.
I was having my first outing on Bartley Mill and he finished 5th. He put in an all round satisfying performance. He completed what was a good day in the dressage leading his arena on 30. One fence down and he gave me a super ride cross country. It is great to be off the mark with him and he will do another novice at Aston le Walls.
Powderham team did an amazing job all weekend, battling with the weather but morale remained high and I think everyone realises how lucky we were that it all went ahead. Powderham is the perfect setting and let’s hope it is a venue that is here to stay.
Well done to Sinead Halpin who finished a very good 3rd in the ON section; she has been with us all season working very hard and that is her first BE result riding Symetric for the Battens. She has had her fair share of bad luck so it was much deserved and hopefully means she has now turned the corner.
Macchiato did another good dressage for a score of 33, he show jumped clear and I decided not to run him cross country.
Navigator did a very dressage test for 27, one down show jumping and did not cope at all well with the wet; I pulled him after he struggled with the distance between 2 narrow logs. In general there were a few long distances which did not work out well in the wet conditions.
Tamarillo, Parkmore Ed and Ballincoola all did the 4* dressage test which was a very useful.
Ed led on 75%, Tam was third on 70% and Ballincoola scored 67% which was a vast improvement on last weekend. I decided in the conditions not to show jump which was a shame.
Belton
The lorry headed north to Belton today - it left about 1130 and arrived at Belton at 430. William walked the course and the horses worked before heading off to the stabling for the night. It was hailing during the afternoon so fingers crossed for a dry day Saturday.
Belton happily was a successful trip all round with Macchiato wining his advanced section. He did a really nice test in one of the hail storms and jumped a double clear winning despite his 20 time faults. Tam did not run xc but did a very pleasing test and jumped clear while Ballincoola, apart from his good xc round had a weekend to forget.
Navigator show jumped very well too but sadly had an unlucky pole down but he did benefit from having a slightly easier run cross country.
Mac drew the short straw by having to do his dressage in a hail storm but despite that he went well to score 30 and lie 2nd.
Tam did a pretty good test for a score of 25.
Chuck finished 4th in the OI, sadly he rolled a pole which proved expensive.
Max had a blip in the dressage, although he did some good work it disintegrated in the rein back. The only consolation was that Mary King was doing the same in the next arena!
