Not at Melbourne 3DE but this is the super horse that started it all! Bandman aka Dennis the menace! Photo: Matt Bennett
In my last blog I mentioned that I was having quite a bit of difficulty getting on the Spirit of Tasmania boat in time for Woady Yallock Horse Trials ... Welllll thanks to some amazing people I am now going to have the practice run before Melbourne I dearly wanted!! Cue happy dance!! So in less than a week’s time I will be en route to Victoria and keen to get to Werribee!!
As I was entering for Melbourne, I started thinking about the incredible horses I have had the privilege to ride around that iconic course.
In 2012 I rode the cheekiest chestnut TB in the world around my first CCI event! Bandman, or Dennis the Menace, as he is known at home was bought three years earlier from Kylie Hall (a family friend who was also a successful eventer before she turned to the dark side of dressage!). He had previously competed to 1* with Sandy Lucas and was also one of the horses that the Asian riders rode at the Sydney 3DE a few years ago. He took me from a Grade Three Pony Club rider to jumping around 1 star and Show Jumping 1.25m. We did two Interschool Nationals trips (Sydney in 2010 and Melbourne in 2011) and went to the Pony Club Nationals in the Junior eventing also in 2011.
Our biggest win was the Tasmanian State Pony Club Trials in 2013 but unfortunately due to soundness issues he had to retire from the higher level eventing not long after that. He was never flashy on the flat but had a spectacular shape over a fence and loved to jump. I was very inexperienced at 1* level when I entered for Melbourne and looking back I probably should have had a few more events under my belt before tackling that course... But you live and you learn! It was a shocker trip with everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong... from Dennis going down in the truck on the way there and taking skin off everywhere, only just getting through first trot up, dressage test being shocking (he ACTUALLY cantered backwards...) due to not riding him as he was sore, two stops on cross country due to a panicked rider and a quite likely sore horse in knee deep mud (those who rode in 2012 will know what I mean!!) then a swelling on the tendon after XC and despite efforts from many people throughout the night we pulled him out after being spun in the trot up and then finally only just squeezing on the boat (due to tactful tears on my behalf!!) as mum had booked us on the wrong night!! The definition of a horror trip!! But I did learn so much from that and was able to put it into action for the next year as I rode Mighty William (Will) around the 1*!
This was a far more successful trip but not perfect still! My great uncle, esteemed show and show jumping rider in his day bought Will for me a year and a bit earlier from Simon Tainsh who had ridden him to 3star level previously. I had done a two star with great success in the lead up and had also competed at Sydney 3DE and came third in the Junior 1*.
Luckily, my dressage has improved! Sizzle and I at Tasmanian State Eventing Championships Photo: Mellisa Lee Stone
Our dressage wasn't great (thankfully I have learnt how to ride a dressage test since then!!) and that left us playing catch up for the rest of the event... but we had the most incredible XC round for a double clear! We then pulled four rails (however that was the average and I actually rose I place even with those!!) and we ended up 8th (I think) but I was still pretty disappointed! That set a fire going and I have thrown myself into improving my riding and my horses in the whole two years since that last event! Now this year I am riding my third horse around my third Melbourne 1* and I can't wait to see the results of my efforts. Even if we have issues and problems (it is almost expected to happen in this industry) I am so happy with this little horse and so proud to have got him to this level from what he was (however Sizzle, that gives you no excuse to be naughty at the scary ditch and brush). So wish me luck and feel free to watch how I go via the FB page 'Hirst Equestrian'
Sizzle and I at Tasmanian State Eventing Championships Photos: Karen Pearce
A quick update on the happenings since my last blog... Sizzle and I competed at the Tasmanian State Eventing champs down at the Tasmanian Equestrian Centre and had a brilliant event. We won the 1* dressage with 65%, then had a CRACKING XC and was the second fastest horse around the course over the hardest XC he has ever faced! He jumped the best he has ever jumped - bold but yet very responsive and he made my job easy. We went into show jumping with a rail in hand and unfortunately we dropped two due to the course riding far shorter than it walked... but I was still thrilled with him and we still came home with a red ribbon against some very experienced horses. We certainly made them sweat a little!! And Ruby also competed that weekend winning the inter school combined training 65cm - however she did come a cropper on the XC... It was a spectacular one as you can see from the photo!!
Thanks and until next time, wish me luck!!
Alice 
