Bicton - Friday

What a difference a week makes, from a baltic Burnham to a boiling Bicton.  

Not such a busy day today with three; Under Oath was in the Novice again and had a very productive day.  He got 28 in the dressage, which was pretty decent considering it was the most difficult novice test with much more complicated movements than he is established with.  He then jumped really well and unfortunately had two parts of the treble down at the last fence.  It was by no means worrying but I think at the end of a long course he was getting tired.  The cross country was the toughest he has met and I was delighted with how he coped.  

I then had Atlantic Vital Spark in the Intermediate and he is definitely on a roll as he finished second.  His dressage was the best test he has done so far and he was lying second on 25.3.  He jumped another super clear show jumping, didn’t touch a pole. And then gave me a terrific ride cross country, incurring no time faults. It doesn’t happen very often but I finished on my dressage score in an intermediate class, so I am writing this one down in the book!

Grafennacht also did a very decent test to be lying just behind on 25.8, she did nothing wrong.  Show jumping was a little bit of a low point today, I managed to miss a fence going the wrong way so we got 4 for that, then she had a massive spook in the double and I dropped my reigns, and she had a pole down.  So she ended up with 8 jumping and 10 time, pretty hopeless.  However she jumped really well and felt good, so I am happy with where she is at.  She then bowled around the cross country making it feel very easy, and it was good to have another Intermediate under her belt.

Helen West has done a very impressive job with her courses.  They were very inviting and educational, and I look forward to going back tomorrow with Centurian Bay in the 100.  Adam will be riding Secret Night and Angus will be riding Emma Macnamara’s Greenfort Gorgeous George.

Lexi also had a very happy day, finishing second in the OI, just behind Mark Todd and the 5* campaigner Campino.  She was second after dressage on.  She led the dressage on 23, jumped a good clear, and then 0.8 of a time fault meant she went just behind Mark, but she was very happy with where Chico is at and feels he is ready for the Advanced at Withington next weekend.