Monday, September 21, 2009

Wellington Dressage Fall Classic results for IRIDE



On August 17, I posted that I was renewing memberships and planning to enter a dressage show down in Wellington this month.


Well, we showed at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in Wellington over the weekend at the Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge Series' Wellington Fall Classic. This is the first show of the series each year.

September in Florida is really iffy weather--on occasion it can be wonderful, or more often it can be blistering hot; feel like you are drowning when it is not even raining; lightning and thundering, or all three....it is also the most active month for hurricanes. So I sent off my entries for the show....this is what we Floridians do. LOL

We had a bit of lightning early on Saturday, and they called a lightning postponment for 20 minutes. Most of us took it in stride, and by the time the break was over, even the riders who had their horses all warmed up and ready to go literally "20 minutes ago", sucked it up and made their classes. A few of the horses were disturbed by the hiccup, but unfortunately that is part of the chance you take when you choose to show (not to be callous to the plight of those riders)....actually, the timing of the warmup is probably the most frustrating part of the whole show experience for everyone (if they are being honest), because you can be as prepared as you can possibly be at home, and then you get to the show and everything is going super, and you get to the warmup, and if things don't fall into place, you may either not have enough time to warmup, too long to warmup, etc. and the performance isn't as good as it could be. Depending on your particular horse's nerves and/or prior show experience, too, it may be a disaster to not have good timing for the warmup.

Luckily, Bogart is patient and resilient. He is also used to the heat (as much as any horse can be), and is a real steady-eddie, not needing too much of the warmup to settle his mind. I also had some wonderful help in the grooming department from one of my young rider students, and his mother (who is also my student). They were a huge help, and I am so glad that they were there! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

So, the results are:

Saturday--

Training Level, Test Two-- 67.500% which tied for 1st place, but we lost the tie breaker and ended up second. Funny thing is, at the first turn in the M corner, something caught his eye, we lost the power-steering momentarily and he actually stepped out of the ring with one foot--LOL. He recovered immediately, but that one small bobble (which was as much my fault for not being more prepared for it as it was his for losing concentration) cost us first place....but that is quite all right. Remember, this is his first rated dressage show EVER, as far as I know. He was an open jumper before he was imported.

First Level, Test Two--65.000% which put him second...if I hadn't gone off-course (went the wrong way in the first leg yield, DUH), again, we would have scored well enough to be first. Those 2 little error points--totally my fault (and it was a great leg yield, too! LOL). But also, I have to say here, that that ride felt SO good...he was lively in his trot work, lighter on the forehand in his canter work than usual, and totally on my aids...I believe this was actually the best test (for us) of the show.

Sunday--

Training Level, Test Four--66.000% for fourth place out of 18 rides! I was really proud of him, but I could tell he was starting to get tired, and it was supported by the comments in the test, too. This class also had the most entries of the whole show, since it was the qualifying class for the Regionals, so I was very proud of both the score and the placing!

First Level, Test One--65.000% for second place. I almost scratched this class, because he was tired, but we had a long break (3 hours) between TLT4 and this class, and he still looked perky and interested when he was resting in his stall, and in the warmup he was still willing, although not quite as lively. Basically, the warmup consisted of 10 minutes of walk on long rein and then 2 transitions from halt to trot to halt, and 2 transitions walk/canter/walk. I am glad that I made the decision to go, because Bogart proved just what a special horse he is. He gave everything he had, even though I know he was honestly tired. I could not ask for a more willing, giving, special horse. I was ecstatic!!!

Also, I really like the new Jim Brandon Equestrian Center facility! The stalls are wonderful, the footing is good, even when it is soggy, the rings are convenient to the barns, the show staff and the facility staff are very nice and helpful; they are very well-organized, entries are a breeze (online!), and I will definitely show there again.

Regional Championships are there October 22-25, 2009. It promises to be a great time! I will be there, will you?

2 comments:

  1. Terrific results! Congratulations. Break a leg in October--or does one say that in Dressage? In any case, you get the thought...

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  2. Thank you, Arsen! LOL Well, I guess it transitions....

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