Taihape SJ Champs

Man what a hectic lead up to a show. Job interview on the Wednesday, travelling back on the Thursday and the garage calls and says truckie wont be ready. I text a friend on the off chance she was going past and she was but after a 6 hr drive home I had 10 mins to pack for the show and get back in a vehicle and travel 3 hours. Lame! I had left so much gear in the truck so I had to borrow studs, grooming gear, chaff, breastplate, bit, jacket, long boots (Sorry Kim I raided your wardrobe, thank goodness we have the same size feet) ear bonnet, number, and roller spurs. I'm lucky I have good friends.

Anyway, it seemed like a lot of effort but it was an awesome show and I'm so glad I went. The first day was a 1.20m class in ring 1 and i was a bit nervous. It went pretty well but I was a bit picky and didn't really flow as much as I would have liked. Took the last rail though, mostly because I was looking beyond it at the first part of the speed phase I think. I was 7th to ride in the first class of the day but was kept pretty busy by my friend helping her warm-up and working in some of her horses because she had 10 classes to ride in one day.

Saturday was the amateur class and it was the last class of the day so it was a fairly boring wait. My goodness only one horse makes for slow show days. Still rode better- more forward and committed and my lovely wee pony jumped an excellent clear round. She is just jumping through her combinations so well this show, no hesitation and just confident as. It was a call back jump off and there were five of us so I knew I would get a ribbon haha. Went pretty quick, direct down the dogleg, but needed to get off her back and let her really travel more really. Still she went clear again and I ended up third which was a great result. Good pony. Lots of kisses and food for her.

The final day she had the 1.20m class. It was a good sized track, definitely built to size with a very tall upright into the double. I wish I had videoed this round, I would love to have seen it. Anyway had my canter very organised and away I went. She was jumping awesome, giving everything lots of height and feeling confident and happy off the ground. Straight through the double and then to fence six which was towards the gate I ran out of brakes. I went wait and she just blew through my aid. She ended up very deep and did this insanely awkward jump but cleared it and then finished the round really well. In the jump-off I let her travel more but she was awesome. She is starting to enjoy her jump-offs. She always bounces on the wrong lead before we start them. I was able to turn her up tightish to the double and an oxer later in the course I turned so tight we only had a stride in front of it and she was just like yup sweet as.

Then I had to leave because my friend wanted to get home but my other friend got in touch with the good news that I had won the 1.20m class out of 21 starters. How mean is that! My best placing at that height by a long way. Last year Connie got a 6th and 10 yrs ago I got an 8t on Bob, so I'm really improving now. It feels great to have my hard work pay off, I just hope it lasts. Horses can be very humbling.