Bicton

We have just had an enjoyable but not very exciting weekend at Bicton, on friday I was there with a couple of Intermediates;

 

Secret Night did a decent test for 29, rolled a pole show jumping and I took him very quietly around the cross country to give him an easy run.  The ground was well worked on but it was still firm enough to need to go slowly.

 

I moved Little Fire into the 2*CIC and his dressage was OK, he scored 49 and hopefully there are lots of areas that will improve, but it was great to do the test in the main arena with a bit of atmosphere.  

 

I also had The Graduate doing the 1* and he scored 52 with a tense test, making a few mistakes.  However I then show jumped and ran him cross country and he did a nice double clear, getting his 1* CIC qualification quite easily.

 

On Sunday we were back and I rode Volcan du Barquet in the Novice, having a nice run before the 1* at Blair.  He did a  much better dressage of 26, he rolled a pole show jumping but jumped a good round, and he gave me a super ride cross country feeling very happy and confident.

 

Hector rode Yes I Can and Red Kite in the Novice.  Yes I Can was a bit disappointing in the dressage and scored 38, had one show jump down and then gave Hector a nice ride and a clear round cross country.  Red Kite went much better on the flat to score 31, she is very much on the brink of being comfortably in the 20’s.  She had a couple of poles down in the show jumping but we were not at all disappointed with how she jumped, and then she put in a nice solid clear round cross country.  

 

Andrew was riding Daddy’s Quest in the Novice, and produced a good dressage test which was very smart, scoring 26.  She rolled a couple of poles show jumping but she jumped well and we were happy with her round.  She then went very well and clear cross country.  

 

There was plenty of rain in the forecast so it was a shame that Bicton missed most of it, however Helen West and her team did a great job doing their best with the ground, with some watering and spiking and they produced the best conditions that were possible.  The team there were as always very helpful and friendly, and they kindly allowed me to make all the changes I needed to make at the last minute.