An extraordinary weekend at Scone, which certainly made up for the disappointment of missing Gatcombe, and this time we were blessed with extraordinary weather. Having seen heavy rain in August for prior events James and his excellent team were due a good weather weekend and they certainly got that. The ground was firmer than we might have expected given rain in the week but rode extremely well and contributed to some very good times cross country. The competition was excellent all weekend and as ever at Scone each of the disciplines brought their own challenges. We also were staying up in the hills above Dunkeld with family overnight on the Saturday so didn’t have far to travel to return on the Sunday. Given the number of entries Nicky was stabled at Howe Equestrian centre but that still meant an early start on Sunday for dressage just after 8.
The cross country was back to being done the conventional way after being reversed early in the year, and as one would expect from an Ian Stark course set a number of challenges for the higher classes. The showjumping as always was a firm challenge and we were fortunate that Mark Smith, who had given a rigorous training session earlier in the week was able to come on the Sunday. He did take quite a long time walking the course and came back fairly thoughtful noting the number of questions that Colin Hexley had asked. But more of that later..
Also on Tuesday evening at Westerhouses three Scottish Young Rider European medalists put on a display compered by Les Smith for MS Racing and event coordinated by Rhona Elliott
Nicky Roncoroni, Emily Galbraith and Sarra Mayberry all put on a terrific display in front of more than 100 people.
but again more of that later...
Back to the main event..
NBR entries
Wattsburn – BE100
Arctic Soul- Saturday Novice
Freddy Curtis – Intermediate Novice
Stonedge – Scottish Novice Championship
Cherry Law – Intermediate
Trig Point – CIC2*
Wattsburn started the ball rolling on Saturday, but was a little disappointing in the dressage and somewhat distracted. It was an improvement on his dressage here earlier in the year but left him too far off the pace to catch up. He jumped beautifully in the Showjumping going clear and he only incurred 0.8 time faults cross country again putting in a good performance which moved him up to 11th just outside the placings. He did pick up 2 foundation points to increase his total for the year to 24.
Arctic Soul was next up, and was slightly tense but again produced a sound test to score 32.5 his fourth novice test between 30 and 35. He was really unlucky in the showjumping to roll a pole, this being a much better round than at Aston, and he picked up 2 time penalties cross country, whith the technical nature of the course not quite allowing him to flow. Nevertheless he was able to move into fifth and picked up two points, to take his score to three. Next for him looks to be the One star at Gatcombe.
On the Sunday there were four competing and were interspersed amongst each other with a relentless period in the middle of the day.
Freddy, who hadn’t been out since Eglington and hadn’t done cross country since Burgie clearly showed his excitement at his return to competition after a gap
His dressage score of 43.2 was followed uncharacteristically by three down in the showjumping. As it turned out noone at all went clear in his class. He then had a controlled cross country round with Nicky choosing to pace him steadily . nevertheless it was enough to earn him seventh place and a welcome return to the placings.
The Scottish Novice Championship was also run as an Intermediate Novice and was over the same showjumping track , but that was done in reverse order with the showjumping to finish.
Stonedge had started with an impressive dressage to lead, and then had looked very impressive cross country but had actually managed to incur 1.2 reverse time faults cross country which meant he was lying second coming into the final discipline. As in the previous class clear rounds were almost impossible to find. Jacaranda Prince ridden by Suzannah Brownlie produced a simply amazing clear round, with the rider having the sense to let him make any adjustments necessary. He had done exactly the same at Hendersyde the week before, and it was seriously impressive to see him lay down the gauntlet. He marched his way up the field as rider after rider had fences down, and ended up in third. Stonedge came into the ring second last to go and produced an imperious clear round, which meant that the final rider had to go clear to win. The first and second fences both went, leaving Stonedge as the winner of the class and ready to go to Blair in the CCI*.He also picks up 6 points.
The CIC2* was Trig point’s challenge after the disappointment of missing Gatcombe and he set out to impress. His dressage was very good scoring a 44.7 which was enough to put him in the lead by a couple of marks ahead of Matthew Wright’s Well Spotted. The showjumping proved no less tricky for this class but Trig Point was able to produce a fabulous clear round to maintain his advantage going into the Cross Country phase. Having heard comment that Matthew might be trying to save Well Spotted for Burghley, a quick look at the tail of the horse after the first indicated that this was going to be some round, and 17 seconds inside the time allowed duly followed. Trig Point wasn’t going to miss out and responded simply fantastic cross country round inside the time was enough to hold onto first place. The FEI steward (following from the top of the course ) actually managed to see more of the round than I did, telling me to run faster.
He picked up 16 points, Prize Money and the rider gets a weekend at Kinloch House which I am sure she will take up.
The day wasn’t quite over though and Cherry Law was yet to complete her competition. Her dressage of 38.2 had left her in around 7th, but yet again another excellent showjumping round followed, one of only three in the class. She then produced the only cross country round inside the time which was enough to move her to third place. Her eight points is enough to move her to 62 points and a Grade 1 classification.
A pretty spectacular weekend whichever way one looks at it.
Producing four clear rounds out of six jumped in Colin Hexley courses is pretty unusual, and thanks again must go to Mark Smith who clearly has made a difference again.
Three cross country rounds were inside the time and only Freddy who was deliberately taken slower was off the pace and in the dressage arena, four of the six produced very good tests.
Five of the six came back with ribbons.
Stonedge the Young Pretender was crowned at Scone, but there is no way that Trig Point wasn’t going to give him a good run for his money for the NBR Horse of the Event
Two professional pictures to show them in their glory.
Points 32..
Trig Point 16, Cherry law 8, Stonedge 6, Arctic Soul 2
Foundation Points
Watts Burn 2
Total For the year
The total for the year has now moved onto 96 from 64
Trig Point has 36, Stonedge 31, Cherry Law 18, Fiddlewood 6, Arctic Soul 3, Rare Hero 2
Foundation points 65
Arctic Soul 31, WattsBurn 24, Inishmhor 8, Stonedge 2
Update since the last Blog
Inishmhor had won his BE4yo qualifier picking up 8 foundation points, and rare hero had come 17th in an Intermediate Novice with WattsBurn 8th in a 5Year old class
Diary
Blair – Trig point and Cherry Law – CCI2* Stonedge-CCI*
Burghley Young Event Horse Final InishMhor 4year old, Wattsburn 5Year old
Blenheim Trig Point 8/9 year old Championships CIC3*
Gatcombe- ballot day looms so entries tbc
Next blog – Blair
MS Charity Eventing Evening
Westerhouses was delighted to host a MS Racing charity fundraiser on Tuesday evening, an event organized by Rhona Elliott.
We were blessed by good weather and a huge effort had been put in to make it successful.
Over 100 people turned up to watch Sarra Mayberry on Tommy Pink and Emily Galbraith on Timing being put through jumping paces by Les Smith, with Nicky Roncoroni and Trig point then being worked through a 3* star dressage test. The Hog Roast to finish capped an excellent evening. Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make it a success with a significant amount being raised.. The three participants are pictured below..
Semper Porro, (always onwards), the NBR motto, seems an apt way to bring this to a close..
