Early Days in the dressage phase at Alcoa Fairbridge CNC
Photo: JG Photographics
After all of the rain we have had over the past month I’m convinced we have swapped weather forecasts with Melbourne. I’m not saying that Perth doesn’t need the rain…it does, however, being a total summer girl, I’m hanging out for a nice 30 degree day again. Lets see what this week brings!
The past month has seen us head to what is usually one of the wettest events on the calendar – Alcoa Fairbridge CNC. I’ll happily say it could’ve been much worse. Yes we had rain, and yes the course was wet, however I bought out the big studs and away we went.
Here I rode my own Early Days in the CNC 2** class and she certainly has stepped up to the plate and placed 2nd in this class, finishing on her dressage score of 60 penalties. I felt extremely blessed to be sitting on my ex-Tasmanian pony that weekend in the wet, she loves that weather and the slop doesn’t concern her at all. She certainly took me around the event very confidently, despite me giving her a few average rides in all phases.
Early Days jumps into the water (and the rain) at Alcoa Fairbridge CNC – finishing second in the 2**
Photo: JG Photographics
My lesson learnt that weekend is to do a last minute check of my cross country map before going out in each grade as I actually messed up my times for the 2** grade with the EvA80 class (where I was riding the Campbells’ pony Gordon Park Conquest) which resulted in me going a wee bit fast. I don’t think I’ve ever been so mad at myself after the cross country phase for being so slack however aside from being a bit puffed, Daisy was ok and deserved a few days of rest. Gordon Park Conquest behaved himself all of Saturday, winning the dressage on a 40 penalty, and show jumping clear. He was great all of the cross country and we were coming home clear and on time, until the last jump which in a split second caught us both off guard resulting in a stop and losing the rug … very frustrating. However being his first event at that height and quite a novice eventer he didn’t do too badly and still ended up 10th.
Student Eve Campbell also rode my Just Corona in the EvA95 class for some experience and ended up placing 3rd on her dressage score of 47 penalties. Not bad considering Eve had only ridden him a handful of times.
After Fairbridge we had a busy week prepping for the Interschool Nationals that was held over here. Just Corona was competing in this prestigious event with Victorian rider Jess Grant in the show jumping and the dressage phases. Jess rode him beautifully in all classes and I think he had an absolute ball cantering around the jumping with her, and even came home with a 4th place in the jumping, and a 2nd place in the dressage. He has been such a fantastic horse for me over the years and I was so happy to share him with some junior riders in these few events as he is just a genuine pleasure to do everything with and I know both Eve and Jess have become better riders out of it.
Just Corona at the Interschool Nationals during the trot up phase
with Victorian rider Jess Grant
Early Days has been keeping fit all month, and I planned on not running her at Harvey CNC event – which actually ended up being cancelled anyway due to the wet weather and post-poned until the end of November! Instead we were privileged enough to attend the Gareth Hughes squad clinic for two days of dressage which I feel did us both the world of good. Thank you to the squads and its’ connections for bringing him over so we could receive such amazing coaching.
I also hosted another Stuart Tinney clinic at home and at Brookleigh estate for some last minute prepping before Swan River @ Dryandra CIC event and on the path to Adelaide International. It was of course another great clinic with many little improvements felt over all phases. By this time my young TB Love That Blonde was back into work and so I had both mares attending the clinic. Perfect preparation before Swan River and I couldn’t wait to put everything I had learnt over the last month into practice!
Swan River CIC has been and gone last weekend and I think I am correct in saying that it now has the name of the ‘wettest event on the WA calendar’. It rained (no joke) from 2pm Saturday, pretty much non stop until about 4pm on Sunday. Continuous drizzle and a few bigger showers. Wow. Rugs wet through, no clothes left, dying for some dry socks to warm up my numb feet. What is happening with WA’s weather! Anyway; it certainly ‘softened’ up the course so to speak. To the eye it appeared to be a big pit of mud and water most of the way around however again with the help of some good studs, both of my horses seemed to handle it really well. I think it’s just about riding in an appropriate manor for the conditions. Slow around the tight corners, and balanced into the bridle along the straight to avoid flying legs and horse falls.
Early Days did it again in her ever consistent recent manner and came home with 2nd place in the CIC 2** class. Dressage of 55 penalties (our best score for 2** dressage!) and clear/clear cross country. She jumped clear in the show jumping but I had 1 rail … my last minute ‘tune up’ before Adelaide I think. So pleased with my mare and excited now that my last cross country run is complete until the big one next month. Young TB Love That Blonde in her last EvA80 class finished on her dressage score of 56 penalties for 4th place and is now entered in a fortnight for her first EvA95 at Brigadoon CNC. They were fantastic mares all weekend.
My mobile app listing a few exciting up and coming events to look forward to!
Brigadoon is on the horizon and Early Days will also go for the combined training class that they hold for those riders heading to Adelaide. It is only five days before we plan on leaving so I don’t fancy running a cross country course just in case of a last minute injury. It’s all getting very close and my phone has an app that reminds me daily of how many days left until we leave ...
I feel like I had better start packing…
