Wellington Area Festivals 3rd/5th Sept 2013

Tuesday was the first day of the Area Festivals at Wellington.  We started off with warming up for our Area Festival test.  Did some walk lateral work, a little trot/canter on each rein letting him stretch.  Then did some sitting trot-walk-halt-trot work and some trot lateral work with a bit of canter work.  Finished with some trot shoulder in.  Took him into the International Arena and he was trying to gawp at the stands so stuck him straight into canter, inside flexion and away we went, nice medium canter down the side, bell went so back into a lovely trot and he did a super test, probably one of the best I've ever had from him.  The attempts at spooking gave him some presence and elevation but he remained obedient and accurate.  Just boiled over in the medium walk and jogged for a stride which could have been expensive but we were far enough behind 2nd place for it not to matter.  Was really chuffed to get 67.74% and come 3rd out of 24.  Judge at E (Alison Duck) gave him straight 7's until his 2nd medium trot when he just dropped to a 6, then a 5 for medium walk and 6 for final halt with straight 7's in collectives.  Judge at C (Mary Robley) gave a couple of 8's (for counter canter to trot and first centre line) but a few more 6's, a 5 for his 2nd medium trot and a 4 for the medium walk.

Photos here:
http://www.nicolaelliottphotography.co.uk/holehouserussellunderhillsykeswood

 

So, we got to do another mounted prize giving which basically counted as our warmup for our music test due to timings.  Whizzed him back into warmup to have a quick trot round and then into the Novice Freestyle.  He was a bit heavy on my hands but was just about forwards enough and the floorplan finally worked!  Really chuffed to score 70.36% and come 2nd so get our Regionals qualification.  Got mostly 7's, 8 for his trot circle left, 6 for medium trot, 7.5 for music.  Judge said needed more suppleness which given his lack of warmup wasn't surprising but super score for him.  He was 3rd overall in a big class, just beaten by the Open and Restricted winners.

Day off in the field on Wednesday then back again on Thursday for the Prelim Area Festival class.  Adopted the same warmup as on Tuesday and he did another lovely test barring a massive stop and stick head in air spook as he turned off the centre line because someone decided to walk behind the judges boxes - shows how much attention he was paying to me - doh!  Sadly he is not really a plus 70% horse as he's just not quite wow enough and you needed 70% plus to come 8th or higher.  We ended up 11th which is daft as we were 12th in 2011 and he was shite then!  Standard has improved loads.  We got 68.64% which is still a really good score for him.  Judge at C was Alison Duck again - she gave him straight 7's and an 8 for his FWLR but sadly only 6's for his first 2 movements due to spooking and then what she said was a large 15m circle although going on the video I'd beg to differ!  Judge at B was Jo Black who wasn't quite so generous.  One more mark and he'd have been 10th.  Time to move on with Novice/Elementary though - he comes into his own when the movements are harder and he can show off his obedience and accuracy.

Long wait in the heat until time for our Elem Freestyle.  Warmed up outside this time.  He did some lovely rein back to canter and simple changes but his leg yields were lacking sideways movement and suppleness.  Test was in the indoor arena again - it was ok, but he was anticipating moves and not really in front of my leg.  The leg yields definitely lacked suppleness and he fell out through his shoulder quite impressively both ways.  15m canter circles at A wouldn't be his strong point so I'll move back to putting them at the side of the arena.  His simple changes were lovely - probably need to shorten the amount of time I walk for but at the moment he needs that time to relax and if I rush them they will decrease in quality - definitely still a work in progress.  Floorplan didn't work at all.  Tried to do canter into circle into simple change and then wanted to do counter canter to medium canter across the diagonal but music changed as I was going into counter canter so need to tweak that again!  Not entirely sure medium canter to counter canter is something he'd do well at the moment so need to have bit of a rethink on the entire canter floorplan.  Will see what judges comments were as well.  We got 67.1% and came somewhere like 5th in the Restricted which is ok given it wasn't the best test he can do.  Waiting for sheet to arrive in post so can see marks.  Judge was Mary Robley again.