Larkhill - BVRC Open Hunter Trials - 03-11-13

Got down to Larkhill about 1pm on Sunday and went off to walk the course.  It was basically the same as the BE100 from the week before except they were using the BE90 brush combination at 5 which was slightly disappointing as was looking forwards to tackling the huge steeplechase shaped fences in the BE100 but also slightly relieved as they were huuuuge!  They had also taken out the table before the corner which again was half disappointment and half relief as that was pretty big too.  They were also using the BE90 rail at the top of the hill at 9 and had taken out the first brush at 10abc. Strangely though they'd used the Novice rolltop at 6 and the huge Novice chair at 8.  I didn't walk up to those ones!

Wasn't really sure how best to warm him up for a hunter trials as only ever go XC after dressage/SJ and just do minimal warmup.  Decided to lunge him in trot for 10mins as I knew he'd be silly once we got up to the proper XC warmup.  As predicted he napped his way up there and was a complete pleb in the warmup - prancing and leaping around and charging over the warmup fences.  I knew we'd come home only 4secs off BE100 time at the BE90 2weeks previously so assumed if I just let him flow on and try to kick on for the last fence we'd be pretty close to the optimum.

Got a lead straight into the start box with 5 secs to go and he was off like a rocket.  Over the nice hanging log at one, he was a bit looky at the house at 2

 and again at the parallel at 3.

Onto the palisade at 4 (still looking), got in close to the brush at 5a and then managed to put in 6 strides before part b when we'd done it nice on 5 strides 2wks previously.  Onto the Novice rolltop at 6 which made sure to kick on at and he jumped it well.  Up to the corner at 7, got my line but ended up rather deep to it.  He wasn't thinking about running out though which was something as it was twice as wide as any other corner we've done and only the 2nd open corner we've ever done. He did have to work to clear the back bar from that spot though.

On down the hill to the huge chair at 8 which he was looky at but jumped well.  Fence 9 the rails he popped.  Then downhill and back up again, spooking wildly at what was 10a but managed to get him off to the left again to get straight for our 10a the step up to 10b the brush.

On up the hill to the easy square topped thing and then onto the sunken road.  This walked 2 strides in the bottom then 2 long strides to a skinny rails.  I predicted he would land short up the step and struggle to make 2 strides so elected to hold him for 3 short ones rather than risk 2 and a half strides.  This worked perfectly :)  Then on down the hill and round to the skinny hanging log which he got a little close to.  Then onto the water.  As usual he was backing off - really need to practice jumping into water more as any jump before water where he cant quite see where his feet are landing he backs off and at Badders we will have to jump right into the water so need to make sure he's ok with that.  He tucked in an impossibly small stride before the brush in and then trotted through the water, put in one canter stride and he was a little way off the wide skinny part c but popped it sweetly no probs - wish he'd go off a long one more often!  Then up the hill to the carved fence which we met perfectly.

On down the hill to the ditch brush - I saw a longish one, he started backing off so I growled at him and he went on the long one and flew it.

Re-composed myself to try and set up nicely for the sharp right hand turn, lined up with gap in the trees on the horizon but typically got in way too close to first hanging log on the angle and so again was forced to just sit quietly and let him pop in 3 strides and pop over the skinny brush at part b.  Kicked on for final fence and we were home.

Chuffed to go clear as lots of skinnies and the couple of Novice fences.  Not so chuffed with how looky he was but I guess it was our first course at that height for 2yrs and definitely more technical than anything he's seen in the last couple of yrs.  The ground was pretty holding and I underestimated how much of an effect that and his lookiness would have on his speed.  We ended up 13secs off the time which was worked out on BE100 speed of 475m/min.  Bit disappointed as hoped we'd be closer to the optimum but still came 5th out of 30 odd so not bad for a step up.

On the back of that decided to try and get a place in the Intermediate Army Hunter Trials which is BE90 height and speed as only other option was the Open which was Novice height and speed and I know we can't make the speed and don't want to push him to try Novice level XC just yet.  Looked at BE calender for early year and realistically likely to only have about 4 runs before Badminton so need to get as much practice judging speed XC as possible as important to get as close to the optimum at Badders as possible as likely to be close scores.

Course pics