Eastern Bay Showjumping Championships

Last weekend was my new local show, the Eastern Bay Showjumping Championships and it was nice having a show that was only 5 minutes down the road, though of course by the time I swung round to get Malinki it was more like half and hour. Bloody Malinki living far away. The first day Connie was in the 1.15-1.2m welcome stakes and I had pretty high hopes considering our recent run of form. However, horses are horses and horses keep you humble.

At Rotorua, an issue was starting to develop where Coonie was starting to hesitate off the ground a little to the bigger oxers, and so far this season I haven't felt like I really had my canter sorted like it was last season when I could feel right away we were in the right gear so a problem was due and here it was. It didn't help that the ground was very deep and cut up and started to shift a lot.

Had a long distance to the first oxer, landed on the back rail, fine over the next but I didn't ride up enough to the oxer at three and pow a stop cleared that round to the double on an ok distance and a stop again. Reapproach and she struggled through and we finished though it wasn't fun and it wasn't pretty. I sort of froze in front of my new home crowd. At first I was all aww poor pony doesn't like the ground and then I went ahh stuff it and late entered her into the 1.10m class. I wanted to find out if it was her or me and shock horror it was me, of course it was me. In the warm up she was quite naughty and hesitated at the oxer and I hit her and gave her a growl and she wasn't happy having a punge and protest. Next time round she flew over, and wonder of wonders I found my canter. I remember now exactly how it should feel.

She rocked around that 1.10 like it was so easy and I just had a rail in the jump-off when
I interfered with her too much. It was day and night, how different she was. Started to warm up Malinki for her practice round and couldn't hold her, she just blew through the bridle and we even had some small bucks and rears. Goat! So I took her home still saddled up and rode the snot of her and got some quite nice work out of her. I have been worried about he because I have put a lot of pressure on her and thought maybe I had her a little cooked but she just is feeling so good now she is up to weight and fit, and possibly hadn't had enough work. I like to think I'm not one of those ladies that over feeds and under works but I probably am!

The next day Connie was up in the amateur. I'm next to go into the ring all warmed up and bam the horse jumping in the ring collects fence 7 taking rider and horse to the ground in a massive heap. Not cool! Twenty minutes of sitting there stewing later the ring is clear and I'm up. Gulp. Got may canter organised, focues on that and the fences and hello Connie is the bomb and we jump a clear. Meanwhile, I missed Malinkis rounds jumping off. In the jump-off Connie was clear and I thought we were really quick but not so much haha and she came in fourth. I was really pleased with her, though that hesitation does still exist a little.

On the last day of the show it was time for my first 1.25m class of the season and it was a good track, some really big fences and some smaller ones. Before that though I jumped Malinki for a foot perfect clear in the 90cm. Then I wanted to get my 1m in but I didn't have time because the 1.25m was walking and I ended up being late to that class and the announcer telling me off and having a rushed jump off which worked ok because no time to panic. Got my canter organised had this mentality like we were doing this and away she went. She was amazing and I was pretty accurate and we came home with a clear round. Went back and had a shocking 1m round on malinki for only two rails but it just didn't feel good. My eye adapts ok from Malinki to Connie but struggles to go the other way. I also have only just last friday figured her jump big and clean button which I didn't have then.

In the jump off which was rather large we took rails at the first and second fence. Rode up too much to the first fence because it looked hugemungous and had the rail into the double which I think I could have avoided if I had walked it better. Then a little hesitation again at the wall from the longer spot but finished well for only two rails in the jump-off in a relatively smart time. She didn't feel like she was struggling with the height , but I need to be more carefull to avoid the longer distance and get her there a little more, especially in deep ground. Still I was estatic to have a clear over that height- my first ever!

Now I just want one show to get decent photos of me competing and we will be away. Fingers crossed for that because posts are better with pictures.