Barbury - Friday & Saturday

Friday was Novice day and started off with Grafennacht on at sparrowfarts at 8am.  She did another very nice test to score 26, they moved the show jumping arena so we are on the side of a hill, and she jumped a superb round but was very unlucky to roll one pole.  I decided to run her for experience even though the ground was a bit hard and she gave me a super round, feeling very confident.  The ground was obviously very firm but they had aerovated the ground so there was not too much sting.

It was then onto Ludo FH, who had an excellent day finishing second.  He did a pretty decent test and we were very pleased that he got 21.  Without a couple of inconsistencies it would have been in the teens.  The show jumping round was then much more polished and it was a good clear.  In the cross country I pushed him on a bit and he came in comfortably inside the time and was very unlucky to be beaten by Christopher Burton just 0.2 of a penalty better. Chris, being an Aussie, is a bit of a speed merchant on firm ground!

It was very exciting to have Georgisaurous out again after his winter setback, Barbury was his first outing.  He was very happy to be out but he contained himself in the dressage to do a pretty decent test, he scored 22 and was in the lead.  He then show jumped clear, but we decided not to risk him cross county this time and to wait for some rain - in our dreams.

Yes I Can was doing dressage and performed a pretty decent test to score 27, he was up amongst the leaders and I was very pleased to have got over 70% as his test was not perfect, there are lots of bits to improve, but he did totally behave.  He then show jumped a beautiful clear in the main arena which was a great environment for practice, and I then decided to run him cross country very slowly to give him a nice run in preparation for his first Advanced next time out at Aston Le Walls.   He got more time faults than he did dressage penalties - 29!

Luxury FH was also on dressage duty yesterday and did a pretty decent test to also score 27.  However Catherine and I decided not to take things further so he was withdrawn.

So tomorrow is 3* and ERM day, and I am very much hoping to run Pimms as part of his Burghley campaign.  

Bay My Hero did his dressage today and was on top form.  He put in a great performance to score 27 and lie in 7th place so a big improvement on Chatsworth.  He did some really good bits but typically decided he would be a bit relaxed in the walk which is very frustrating as that is normally his pieste de resistance.  However if he rolls a pole tomorrow Catherine and I will probably decide not to run him.