Back to Aston for Jonelle with two novices and two 100 horses and thankfully whilst it wasn’t exactly balmy the weather played nice compared to Wednesday’s mix of storms and weak sunshine.
The novices were first up with LSF The Boss now into intermediate points so running in the Open section. Boss is a proper hard working boy who has a great attitude to work and he nailed his task at Aston with a 27.8 dressage and he added nothing to that to finish in second place and some more points to add to his tally. Boss is not aware yet but he has a brand new FEI Passport with his name on it and his next outing will involve a ferry and an overnight trip out to Royal Jump in France for his first international.
Brookfield Royale Love (Edward) also has a genuine working class personality and is actually so determined to do a good job that he overthinks it sometimes. He posted a 31.3 dressage, did a grown up clear round in Aston’s large and daunting showjumping arena and a very confident clear cross country. He was a very satisfied chap as he munched his hay next to Boss back at the truck and he’s definitely cracking this novice eventing.
Osz Lo (Tommas) did some eventing last summer but hasn’t been out for a while so was quite bright on the flat for a 36 but jumped a solid double clear to prove that last years experience was well and truly worth it. Fernhill Happy Hour (Hugo) was Jonelle’s baby of the day having his first ever outing and whilst his talent is in no doubt he certainly hid it under a bushel as far as the score board is concerned! I’m pretty sure a finishing score of 157.5 is something of a record at that level for Jonelle but as she said, it was a completion which was the aim of the day for a 6 year old on his first ever away day.
And green he was! Jonelle described him as being “delightfully innocent” and having negotiated the dressage boards for a 34.5 he then had his eyes wide open in the showjumping warm up and was so busy looking around at the myriad of horses, show jumps, people and booming loudspeakers when he went into the ring that he basically crashed through the first fence as he was looking at everything else but that. He manfully regrouped and jumped a really good round and then, to his utter shock, found himself heading out to the cross country for his third phase of the day.
Lots of tracks at Aston this week laid out and Jonelle said all Hugo could see were lines and lines of fences in every direction. He went sky high over every fence he jumped and he spooked his way round earning three separate 20’s on the way. Jonelle had to check with the fence judge that she was allowed to continue as she really did want to bring Hugo home and it was one proud pony that eventually crossed the finish line! It was years ago at Dauntsey that Jonelle last had to ask a fence judge that on a little mare called Zena, and that time she was hoping she could walk home I seem to remember.
It’s no secret that Jonelle wouldn’t rate riding the youngsters amongst her favourite things but it is clear that Hugo has impressed her enough to make her laugh at his naive and wondrous outlook on his day. I would imagine that Hugo will sleep for a week now. And Jonelle’s best comment of the day? “4 geldings! How dreamy!”.