Just two for Jonelle today and a late start for Tim with Dromgurrihy Gold ( Dara) so he did some jobs at home before driving up for his afternoon dressage. As he arrived ((admittedly a little later than planned due to unforeseen traffic on the M5, I mean who knew it would be busy on the last Friday of summer in the UK?) Kiera had Dara literally waiting at the steps for him to hop on and Dara’s warm up was a brisk 10 minute trot up to the dressage through the Deer Park.
Jonelle meanwhile was heading out to cross country having left home at, for Dorset, a leisurely 7.30 am with Senor Crocodillo ( Diego) running HC in an Intermediate section ( the only way we could fit 7 advanced horses into 2 days!) and Full Monty de Lacense in a true intermediate. FM did a nice test for a 28.9, Diego a tad better for a 27.1. We headed down to the showjumping hoping for a quick turnaround but it was a day for sticking to the running order so FM had a few warm ups before he finally secured a slot in the ring and they had changed the track from yesterday which was a bit of a surprise. Still three jumps at the bottom of the slope before running up to the old main arena but they had sanded the track at the bottom to lessen the effect of the rocks and changed the top track a fair bit. FM jumped a super round but just tipped the last which Jonelle blamed herself for and then Diego jumped an even better round for a solid safe clear.
Good going out on the cross country saw FM pick up just 3.2 time whilst Diego, Blenheim bound, was anchored for an 8.8. FM looks truly magnificent and it’s a shame he has missed so much this year but as we all know, it will elongate his eventual career. He looks mazing, is calm and assured again and will be the total package to crack on in 2024.
Diego looks like he has matured into a partnership with Jonelle and today he show jumped in a snaffle and was so cool. They look at one now and it may have taken nearly a year to cement but those foundations will go a long way.
Meanwhile Tim the dressage diva banged out a 25.7 on Dara despite his unusual warm up ( to be fair it was 32 degrees and Dara only has a limited battery life after plus 28) so he returned to the truck quite triumphant. The somewhat unusual showjumping layout was not ever really going to feed into Dara’s mindset and although, all ways, he tried his hardest, his giraffe legs just got in a muddle at two of the fences for 8 faults. Plus it was hot and he’s a redhead so he was doubly hot! He was a star cross country though around a tough track with plenty to do for a solid clear and 15 time.
So that is actually the last of the ‘three-day-massive-one-days’ for the 2023 season. The few that are left are pretty much one truck only days ( or 2 at the most) and the 5 year olds just have one left before they hit the fields of holiday. The autumn three day season is bang around the corner with Blenheim, Lignieres, Boekelo, Fairhill and Pau on the cards and allot of fun still to come.
If this really was the last week of summer then despite two months of rain its been a cracker. Lets hope Blenheim is bathed in sunshine as well.