In the mid 1990’s it was always called Ston Easton when it ran as an advanced track in late March and was very much a pre Badminton run as Badminton was held in April back then. Now it has acquired the Mendip Plains prequel but it always was a lovely venue and Tim and Jonelle were very impressed with their first visit there with the young horses.
As a venue it has everything they love, nice flat dressage areas, lovely volunteers, a smart all weather for the show jumping and a genuine old fashioned cross country course with a little bit of everything that you would expect to meet all the way through the levels.
Tim had an 08.12 dressage on Mercurial (Meryl) which is what happens when you ask for early times and you have 2 in the 90 Open! Meryl didn’t mind the early start for a 34 but Supplejack (Jack) is really used to early morning work and he held equal first on a 30.3 three which is pretty impressive for his second start in eventing having switched paths from racing.
Meryl had a rail and Jack actually picked up 2 but it was a bright and spooky track which he is still getting used to and he does all the right things. Things swapped around cross country though when Meryl spooked at a little drop for a 20 before popping the tricky enough skinny afterwards without a bother! Jack is a ‘pure natural’ cross country according to Tim and he duly posted a clear with 1.6 time for second place, his first rosette and some prize money!
Tim was pretty much done by 11.10 and Jonelle started at 10.30 with her two 100 rides. LSF The Boss thinks he knows all about eventing now whilst Osz Lo (Tommas) did a couple of 90’s last summer and was having his first start for the year. Contrary to popular opinion Jonelle really doesn’t like first timers and she is always glad to get the first one out of the way but she was delighted with Tommas today, he really did attempt every phase with a sweet attitude and a genuine and honest approach to the job in hand. He posted a 30.8 test, left all the poles in place in his showjumping and popped around the cross country for 3.2 time to finish 11th.
Boss meanwhile had done a lovely test which Jonelle thought should mark around a 22 but the judge deemed a 32. There were definitely no 8’s and 9’s being gifted out in that 100 arena! Boss did catch a rail which is not his style at all in the showjumping and whilst he jumped everything he was asked to immaculately cross country there was a reason he accumulated 20 time.
There was a little bank which the 100 had to jump up onto as the A part of fence 8. Since this event is also a cross country schooling ground many of the fences have gravel take off’s and landings and en route to the jump up were some gravel strips….see photo below from the XC App on eventingscores. Boss has no problem whatsoever with banks but it would appear he has a deep suspicion of gravel tracks as he ground to a halt yards away from the bank and Jonelle said she was in Park for a good minute whilst she had a conversation with Boss regarding the gravel and his safe passage should he decided to trust the footing. Eventually either boredom or good sense prevailed and Boss sailed on up the bank and put the incident behind him.
You just never know how a baby day is going to work out!
Ferry bound now as they sail Portsmouth-Caen overnight with the Royal Jump horses and another big week in the calendar.
