The good news is that Kellys Lad has been selected for the Northern Team at Weston Park in October. This is what we hoped would be a good round off to the season for him, so fingers crossed for a good result.
The bad news is that my last two events with him didn't exactly go as planned. Let me fill you in. Firstly, Milton Keynes. We set off the day before we were due to compete with 3 horses, Louis, George and mums horse Ramera. First to go on the Saturday was Louis in the Novice. He performed a good dressage test with a very good score on the board of 32.5. He jumped a lovely clear round in the showjumping to put him in pole position before going cross country. He set off his usual brave and confident self on the cross country and everything was going amazingly well until ..... I fell off!! Yes, he jumped into the coffin, on a downward slope under some trees and span out from underneath me in a microsecond! He saw the ditch was not just full of water, but very noisy water, a bit like a waterfall gushing through it and was having none of it, not even any negotiating with him as when I stood up he was gone, galloping up the cross country to be caught be some kind person in the showjumping warm up! So that was the end of that, oh dear! George was good, just suffering a little tension in the dressage test to score 33.0 but a lovely double clear within the time left him in 11th place in the 5yo class, and just to cap it off mums horse would have been 2nd but had a run out at the corner, so all in all a very unlucky weekend!
Louis - Milton Keynes
Next to go was Hutton in the Forest with Louis. He had been over to Heidi Woodheads during the week just to remind him that ditches were not frightening and he had been very annoying by hopping over them all without a care in the world! Anyway, Hutton. Great dressage, an amazing score of 24.0, nice to prove the last one was not a fluke! Good round in the showjumping again putting him in pole position before going cross country, sound familiar? Set off great, really going for it and jumping confidently, had a fence downhill towards a water splash which he took a stride out at and then I lost my brakes and he ran straight past the narrow fence into the water, the cheeky monkey could still probably have been placed but he ran out at it again, this time being a bit naughty and picking up 60 penalties. He popped it lovely 3rd time, wondering what all the fuss was about and finishing confidently with no red rosette and a million time faults! Good job we love him.
Anyway, just to finish on a good note, Allerton Park, always one of the nicest events of the season was last weekend and Louis and George were both entered. Louis was in the Intermediate Novice and the U18 selectors were coming, so we had better do well. He performed a great dressage to score 32.3, not the best on the board, but competative. One down in the showjumping, which I thought was good as it was very airy and not many fillers, and a great clear cross country with a fairly fast time, despite having to cope with torrential rain, he finished 9th in a very strong class. George was 32.5 dressage, one down in the showjumping and I got lost so got 4 time faults, I really should have looked at that course before I went in, and a great clear cross country within the time. Good boy!
George - Allerton Park
Next events are Aske 1* for Louis next week end to have a practice for Weston Park, he will only run cross country if the ground is good and George is doing his first Novice class at Kelsall Hill on the Sunday and I am also riding mums horse in the Novice as well. So wish me luck, I think I may need it!!
Until next time ....
Phoebe Powell and the Eventing Team
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