Duckhurst BS - 29-10-2016

We were out competing last weekend with both Roxie and Milli! We went to Duckhurst Farm for a bit of show jumping and they both jumped very well. Roxie was first to jump and we were doing the Horse Quest UK Novice Championship Qualifier, as well as 50 plus other competitors! This was clearly a popular class with everybody waning to qualify! Roxie jumped  a super clear round for me getting us through to the jump. 24 riders in total made it through to the jump off. I was drawn quite early in the jump off and people were going for it so we went for it too, handbrakes off! After all I had nothing to loose! Roxie responded very well and went well into the lead after jumping a super fact clear for me. We held this lead right up until the last competitor who was fractionally faster than us resulting in us finishing in 2nd place. I was very pleased as with this placing we have qualified for the Blue Chip Winter Championship Finals held at the fantastic Hartpury Arena in April 2017!
Please Click Here to view more pictures and videos of our rounds. on Roxie's Gallery page!

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After a few hours on the box due to big entries, it was Milli's turn to jump. We did the Discovery class aiming to pick up our last double clears at this height. I didn't go silly in the jump off part of the course as didn't want to risk a silly 4 faults. Milli continued to jump a lovely round picking up our 3rd double clear....just one more to go before  April for second rounds  I was planning on jumping in the Newcomers on Milli but due to being there from the start and by the time the Discovery finished it was gone 3pm and as we had been there all day I swapped Milli's entry to the 1.05m open. We put on our 'meaning business boots' and Milli jumped a super speedy double clear to set a speedy time. After un-tacking Milli and loading up to go home I headed over to hear the results. We finished in 2nd place, 0.3 or a second behind the winner!
Please Click Here to view more pictures and videos of our rounds. on Roxie's Gallery page!

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I was very pleased with how they both jumped considering Roxie had a bit of time off a few weeks back due to 'playing' a bit too close to the electric fence and Milli is jumping in not much more tack than a headcollar! Milli is being ridden in an English hackamore at the moment and she is loving it, the extra freedom she gets has really improved her way of going and her jumping. The steering took a bit of practicing but after a few weeks of work she responds so much more to how I'm sitting and my position, so much so if I move a little too much she turns very quickly! Very beneficial in jump off turns and it clearly showed at Duckhurst!

I am hoping to be back out this weekend with Milli, again at Duckhurst probably. Then Roxie will be out next weekend competing in the intermediate winter SJ qualifier for the riding club along with other members of the Royal Oak riding club.

SG Equestrian
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