I have to start with an apology for being a few months late on any news or blogs … it’s been a busy few months despite WA having our eventing winter break. Melbourne 3DE is long gone and I had a very intense 2 week trip away from home to compete in the CCI 2** with Early Days. Although not coming home with any ribbons we completed the event and I was happy for how Daisy went considering it was only her 3rd event at that level, and first event with such a big crowd! The course was amazing, it always is however there were quite a few changes this year that I had noticed in the 2*. This was great, although not what I was expecting (or hoping for…!) for my very green horse. My initial course walk ended with me thinking ‘maybe I should have done the 1*’ however the second walk always makes it look a little more rideable. Daisy was fantastic, although we did have a run out very early on at jump 5A – the arrowhead before the first water jump. Having a run out so early on always makes me panic a little, there’s still a long way to go before the finish! However Daisy settled straight back into a rhythm, and completed the course quite well, despite a small mishap at the Bates Hollows, which resulted in some pretty entertaining trick riding on my behalf. All for the crowd’s entertainment I think!
Early Days at Melbourne CCI 2**
Photo: Tazzie's photos
Dressage needs work, and the show jumping was just green and we had a very uncharacteristic stop in the treble, however I left Werribee as a happy rider, with a sound and happy horse, so that was great. As I said above, it was a very intense two weeks – literally we left WA on Friday morning, and in the next two weeks spent eight days travelling across Australia and competed in one of our biggest 3DE’s – so not a bad effort really! This obviously resulted in some very well deserved time off for Daisy once we had arrived home. No rest for the wicked though, and I was straight back into it once we had unpacked the gooseneck.
I’ve had various horses in work over the last few months, minimum four at once, maximum seven (which was just crazy and I couldn’t quite manage to fit everything in each day by myself.) At this stage I had seriously considered hiring someone to just tack and untack horses for me, instead I have minimized numbers to make things a little easier on the riding front, particularly with the weather taking a turn for the worse over the last three weeks.
Early Days show jumping at Southside
Photo by HorsePlayPhotos
Since Melbourne we haven’t had too many events, I have been to Gidgegannup CNC, twice. Gidgegannup have 1 event a year which is split over two weekends, they do the EvA95 – 2* on the first weekend, and the EvA80 – below the following weekend. They always seem to attract very large numbers, which is fantastic for WA eventing, although a pain to have to go up two weekends in a row! This year the 2** class had a record 26 starters, which was very exciting as the competition over here now is starting to look on par with some states over east. By this time I had Daisy back in work to just have a confidence run around the 1*, which she did – finishing on her dressage score to just miss out on the placings.
I also had Just Corona in the 1* class and decided after this event that my long seven year journey with Trumpet had achieved all it could possibly do, and that he was to be retired from high level eventing. From where I am sitting, this was an emotionally difficult thing for me to do as Trumpet has not only been ‘just a horse’ for me. He is that special horse that has really defined myself as a rider and also a person. Trumpet took me from a very raw preliminary event rider and gave me a taste of what it was like to ride at 3* level. He taught me a lot about every aspect of riding, but particularly commitment, and for that I am forever thankful to this horse. As to be expected in the horse world, rumours fly around, however I would like to put a stamp on those rumours right now by saying that the reason for this decision is that my horse is too good a horse to keep running him around 2*’s and eventually run him into the ground. I do not want this horse to have to keep running his legs off and break down. A few people have asked about his future. We have not really put anything into concrete yet, however currently he is enjoying being ridden three times a week by my mum and she is planning on some adult riding debuts! Whatever Trumpet ends up doing, he will end up living his days out at home with us. So thank you Trumpet for the last 7 years, for never making it easy, but he definitely made it worth it.
Getting back on track – the following weekend I took my young TB ‘Love That Blonde’ up to do her first event at Gidgegannup in the EvA65. She was fantastic, achieved a 57 penalty in her first dressage test, finished on this score and gained 3rd place. Very happy with the little mare by ‘Cape North’. I had Blonde in the 65cm as sometimes, these days, the 80cm can be a little too tough for a young horse. However with how well she went around the course I have now upgraded her for her next start.
Love That Blonde at Gidgegannup EvA65
Photo by Redfoto
Our next start in WA is our annual 3DE – Perth Horse Trials Wooroloo CCI. Always a fantastic event, and I truly believe that this course is of serious international quality. Some of those eastern states riders should make the journey over!!! *Hint Hint*
Here I will have Early Days in the CIC 2**, new ride Fusion On Q (owned by Jan Middleton) in the EvA95, and Love That Blonde in the EvA80. It should be a busy few days but I am excited to be sitting on some great horses.
Fusion On Q getting in some show jumping at Southside in August
Photo by HorsePlay Photos
That is all for now – ive given myself a slap on the wrist and hopefully should have my next blog ready to go on time next month!
Til Then
