Trig Point Advances to victory -- and the sun shone...
A belated start to the Blog this season for a variety of reasons, and there is a little bit of scene setting before we get to the main event.
Again like many eventing yards activity was curtailed through the early winter with heavy snow, thwarting winter showjumping just as it had got going.
There was an opportunity after the wintery interlude to get going again through march but the Eventing season this year kicked off for the team at Belton.
Setting the Scene..
In terms of horses it also was time to decide on Mistral’s future. After his injury two years ago he had been rehabilitating and had made an impressive performance in his winter showjumping with a string of double clears. He does have tremendous power and after a long discussion with the vets and perusing scans we made the decision to send him to a showjumping yard. Having seen the power on offer during events, where he doesn’t exactly save himself, this seemed to us to be the best option for him and we know he is in extremely good hands. Arctic Soul also embarked on the winter showjumping season, but having incurred a slight niggle looks set to reappear on the circuit in the late spring.
Belton
So in terms of opening the batting Trig Point was my representative as NBR went down to Belton to dust off the cobwebs. Normally I would have gone too, but a trip to Paris for my 50th meant that I had to wait for a match report. Stonedge was going HC in the Novice and a Double clear ensued with the same for Fiddlewood who picked up a point, and Trig Point, who picked up two. His dressage seemed to lack a little concentration but was impressive otherwise.
Trig Point 2 points : Fiddlewood 1 point
Eden Valley
I did attend Eden valley to see Wattsburn opening his account the following week. This was a new event and the ground was actually quite soft in places (almost a novelty). The cross country offered very good viewing, and the showjumping was on an all weather surface. The dressage did become a little sticky in places which probably didn’t help Wattsburn on his first outing. He did go clear in the showjumping, and was unlucky to incur 20 penalties on a downhill fence in what was otherwise an encouraging round .
So we moved to Burnham Market..
I returned to the excellent Titchwell Manor for a couple of nights, driving down on the Friday.
Wattsburn was in the BE100, Fiddlewood the Novice, and Trig Point was entered in his second Advanced.
The sky was blue and the dust plumes from the farm tracks gave an indication of the tricky conditions that the organisers had to face, and almost entirely different from the norm. (no blizzards this year.) The team had probably done as much as they could given the lack of rain, and there was a little overnight rain on the Friday which certainly helped. The trade stands seemed well visited, and there were several positive comments about the way the loos were being maintained. A good effort all round.
There was also a pre Badminton buzz in the air, even if it was too close to the event this year to allow the horses their final outing, one could sense the expectation.
Wattsburn and Fiddlewood
I arrived too late to see Wattsburn compete but early enough to see Fiddlewood do dressage brought forward from the Saturday. Wattsburn had done a reasonable dressage, had been unlucky to roll a pole at the last in the showjumping, and then locked onto the wrong fence by the leaf pit (not an intermediate yet). He did perform better than at Eden valley and should be well primed for his next outing at Scone. Fiddlewood produced a very impressive dressage of 31 to lead the field, but concentration was less evident is the showjumping where he had two poles down, but that still left him in the running. He is due to have pads put in this week, as he doesn’t like the hard ground, and so wasn’t considered for the cross country this time.
I also had the chance to walk the cross country on both the Friday and the Saturday, and the rain did help a little.
Trig Point
Trig Point’s dressage looked very accomplished and he flowed nicely. Still some scope for improvement but a 33.4 was so much better than his Belton outing and left him well in contention. His showjumping looked imperious and he produced an excellent clear. With the state of the ground there had been a debate depending on how we were lying as to whether to run. Top three didn’t leave much debate and when asked for advice Christopher Bartle simply said “go out and win it.”.
Nicky didn’t wear a watch and let Trig Point gradually crank up the pace and he cruised home with 12.8 time faults, one of the quicker rounds. There is considerably more in the tank on that showing. That had been enough to set a reasonably commanding target, but the 10 time faults incurred by Jodie Amos with a frustrating stop very close to the end, showed that it could be beaten. Because there had been delays to a previous classes because of frangible pin issues it meant that we had to wait for a while for both William Fox Pitt and Pippa Funnell who had dressage tests on the other side of the hill. William had been leading on Bay My Hero in his first advanced , but 15.6 time penalties was enough to edge him into second by 1 mark. Then Pippa was in the running on Billy Shannon right up to the final combination until he was slightly hampered by one of the obstacles. Surprise and relief all round at the victory, and certainly was unexpected.
The quality riders in the top ten made the occasion worth appreciating and many have been very generous in their comments.
Points - 24 , and qualification to the Advanced Championship Finals the tangible result.
Around the Lorry Park
After the excellent drinks on the Saturday Nicky and the team headed north on the Sunday morning. Jaanike had groomed extremely well at her first competition, but was also found revising business law for an exam on Tuesday at any spare moment. I returned to catch up with some of the other competitions. On arrival I was greeted by the sight of a loose horse getting some exercise in the lorry park field. One person trying to catch it wasn’t going to prove successful. I joined the numbers which gradually swelled over the next 25 minutes to around 15 when the horse eventually allowed itself to be caught, when the numbers had been boosted by BE’s chief executive. It might have been hankering after the old long format, but it subsequently racked up 24 faults in the showjumping (12 jumping and 12 time) but did manage a clear in the cross country.
It was good to see Peter laidlaw and family having made the long journey south get a podium on Sergeant Kiki, following the win at great Witchingham, and Charlotte Agnew getting into the points with Miss pavonita. Gemma Tattersall had two excellent double clears lining her up for her trip to badminton.
I also had an extremely pleasant dinner on the Saturday evening with the Amos family table at Titchwell. A great bunch. I was also encouraged to hear from Francis Whittington that the Event Riders Association has broken through 1000 members. Extremely good news .
Two views of the table below with Matt and Jodie Amos silhouetted , and Charlotte Agnew and Longwood in the two star clearing impressively.
Thanks to all for their very kind comments over the weekend and thereafter.. much appreciated…
Great to be back though the blog may not be out again until Floors when Trig Point is next slated to be out.
NBR’s next outings
Central Scotland
Wattsburn – BE100, Fiddlewood-Novice, Cherry law and Stonedge – Open Novice,
Auchinleck
Wattsburn , Fiddlewood – Novice, Stonedge- Intermediate, Cherry Law – Open Intermediate,
Trig Point was entered for the Advanced, but after his success at Burnham market on the harder ground and given the issues of minor tie ups during may in the last couple of years, understandably we are taking it a little cautiously. Currently the Open Intermediate at Floors will be followed by a trip to bramham. Our current thoughts are towards to the CIC3*, but we will see how he is healthwise as we approach early may.
Points
The yards total now marches on to 27 with Trig Point on 26 and Fiddlewood 1.
Last years other major contributors, Stonedge and Cherry law are waiting in the wings…and hopefully joined soon after by Arctic Soul..
And this picture could be interpreted as Alec starting to show the strain,, …but it all went very well..
Many thanks to the team of organisers and volunteers who helped out over the three days.
“Semper Porro” and “Sero sed Serio” …two mottoes to keep us going…
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