Northern Team 4
Having spent a few minutes looking through the new issue of the British Dressage magazine I came across an article about the "Pro's" taking part in the Spanish Sunshine Tour.
It made very interesting reading, from the 'loo' problems, the parking conjestion down to the overcrowded collecting ring it seems you dont get it any better been proffesional!!!
The only difference was looking at the pictures were the beautiful weather!
It was the second year at the Inter Regionals for me, coming 7th as part of Team White Rose in 2007, for the other riders, Liz,Emma and Alison it was their first experiance.
Leading up to our going were frequent text messages updating each other on our training and packing progress, I think if we were all honest we had snuck in an extra days training!
So much goes on when competiting away from home, there isnt just the tests to worry about - more the party!
For a day by day report of what happened read on - for a brief results we were 11th out of 42 teams and the highest placed Northern Team. We were really pleased.
Friday......
Our plan was to leave Wakefield with two of the team horses Chad & Sam at 12:30 Friday lunch - we were a little later leaving nearer 1pm but this allowed for more organisation in where to put the masses of food we were taking. I think my sister, Carolyn, planned to feed the whole showground.
Emma's plan were to leave at 1pmish as partner, Tom, was working until lunch. Alison was travelling with her Dad and was there and ridden when we arrived.
On our way down the weather didn't really know what it wanted to do but had definatly decided by the time we got there - it wanted to have a torrential downpour! After the rain the previous year I wouldnt have taken much persuation to go home.
Once we had unloaded the horses and got them settled into the stables, Emma and Tom were not too far behind.
All four horses were quite content, eating, by 5pm.
With the TEAM briefing set for 7pm, Liz, Emma and I decided to leave the others to establish our "TEAM village" whilst we rode our horses around the arenas ready for Saturday's competition.
The Northern RDO, Chrissie Havis, gave the TEAM briefing at 7pm - all the do's, dont's and good lucks for the weekend. Each competitior recieved a stable plaque as a memory of the weekend and our tickets for the evenings entertainment.
The Northern Team "BOYS" settled in the stables - left to right - Sam, Frazer, Chad & Tyson.
The evenings entertainment was a Hog Roast provided by the College, free for riders but sadly not for the entourage. Joseph,my nephew, was offered a free ticket when he was in the queue and refused it - we need to train him better when accepting things from strangers!
After a good wait we all sat down and tucked into the dinner - sadly there wasnt enough food for Gary and Tom. We had smuggled alcohol in Emma's "girl" bag, which Tom later took back to the lorry to refill with strict instructions to keep the "its a girl thing" logo to the inside!
Looking back smuggling in the drinks may have not been a problem as the College didnt sell it anyway - it seemed a good idea at the time.
With a belly full a pig we made our way back to the Team Village. On getting our stall set up to contiune the evenings entertainment we realised we were missing a couple of chairs. As there were plenty of vacent chairs on the veranda next to the arenas so Emma & I went off and fetched one each back. All sat round when we realised we were missing a table too....off we went again to fetch back a table. It was quite exciting trying to steal a 4 foot wide table through a 3 foot wide doorway, having had a few drinks and trying to be discreet!!
I dont think the Pro's will remove a full patio set!
Quietly we sat drinking and chatting. By midnight it was time for bed - Tom had already gone prior to this as had Joseph who amazed us all by sleeping a whole twelve hours Friday and Saturday night - Mum thought it must have been the fresh air - just a shame school wasnt taught outside!!!
We were not too warm - like Brits abroad we were sat out in the not so warm weather.
left to right - Liz, Amanda, Emma, Joanne, Carolyn - the background in the yellow coat - Linda (Mum)
Saturday......
A 6am start feeding the horses then a BBQ breakfast, Mum, Linda, did all the cooking as we wouldnt want her to forget how to do it!
Liz and I both had a warm up test to ride in the morning so we got our head around the test while the others chilled out.
Liz was the first to go in the Preliminary warm up test, armed with the tack, grooming kit and full entourage we marched towards the stable block to check the other horses and get Chad ready for the test. Overwhelmed by the attention Chad happily set out for his test.
Chad did a really pleasing test, he had a little tension in the walk at one moment but a good start for the weekend scoring a respectable result and an individual rosette.
Elizabeth Haigh and Drydun Charlie Boy - the first test of the weekend.
Chad settled back into the stable it was back to the Team Village for tack cleaning and a change of clothes before the treck back to the stable block with all the kit for Sam's warm up test.
With the same fashion as Chad, Sam was well presented to contest in his test. Trying to be kind to him with having another test in the afternoon he was only ridden in for maybe twenty minutes or so and I felt he could be a little softer in this way of going, but never the less when our number was called we had to go - pleasing ride against 49 horses.
Joanne Wainwright & Chevet Express - contesting un the Warm up test. (A bigger coat would be welcome!!!!)
Sam was taken back to his stable and left to rest for his team test in the evening. We all returned to the Team Village to be fed again.
Emma was suffering with "the need to keep busy" so after lunch Emma and Tom went across to the stables to begin plaiting Frazer.
We had a visitor "from the other side" through lunch - not an alien - my friend Steph who was riding on Northern Team 5 with her homebred horse Desafiader.
The results were ages at been up on for my class as it went on for ages but thankfully worth the wait - Sam had won with 71.1% - still going in the right direction.
With not half and hour between three of the four riders in the team it was all hands on deck - or as it really went - all hands on boots, tests, jackets, sugar, for a manic preparation before the tests. It also meant that we couldnt watch each others tests with the time between so close.
Emma and Frazer entered the arena as our first Team rider to go. Frazer produced a really fluent test to gain our first team score of 66.6% and a personal 9th place.
Emma Walters & Woodcroft Frazer - the first of our team tests.
As soon as Emma had left the arena it was a quick change of arenas for Liz to take Chad for our second team rider test. Chad produced a better test in the afternoon to score 65.8% and place Chad individually in 8th place.
With two riders in the top 10 so far and one more score to count with myself and Alison to ride it was getting quite exciting as to where we would be placed overnight.
Elizabeth Haigh & Drydun Charlie Boy - The Team Test
Alison was our third rider for the team tests on Saturday. Tyson made a really great start to his test and showed some promising work with the odd blip leaving him on a final result of 61%.
Alison Frost and Arador - the third rider in the Saturday team test
At almost 7pm - just before the evenings entertainment of Line Dancing at the side of the arena was my team test. As everyone else had ridden their tests the full "Team" were able to hang over the fence to watch..aah!
Sam felt more genuine in his Elementary test and I was pleased with his 65.5% results but sadly this wasnt high enough for a place in the top ten.
Joanne Wainwright & Chevet Express - the final team test for Saturday.
Back to the Team Village to eat drink and be merry!
On checking the overnight teams when going to feed and settle the horses down for the night we were in 9th place overnight which was really great.
Time for shower and bed.
While waiting for the others outside the loo a lovely lady congratulated me on my win in the morning and remarked to my amazement how lovely my Dartmoor was!
Sunday......
Again up at 6am, the final day for the Team tests. Emma was the first to go again for our team.
Having brought the collecting ring to life the day before with his "eventing" canter he kept his dressage head on to produce yet another lovely test with 65.81%.
Emma and Frazer on their final team test.
An hour separated Emma and Liz then three minutes between Liz and I meant the team had to work to the full. Chad went into his test confident and genuine, his tension from the day before had disapeared and scored 67.27% and 6th place individually.
Liz and Chad - the final team test
Alison's Dad, Emma, Frazer, Liz, Chad.
Sam and Chad had ridden across to the collecting ring together and Sam was amazed he had a friend calling to him on the way into the arena.
A big mistake in my test caused a 62.7% score and well out of the top ten.
Sam and I in the final test
Horses away and lunch.
Alison was our last rider in the early afternoon having to go last at this stage had got to be difficult for Alison especially after my naf score. Tyson had begun really well, just as the previous day, but unluckily something outside the arena spooked Tyson causing Alison great difficulty in regaining his attention which was a real pity.
Alison and Arador on the final team test
The weather had changed to rain and wind. Mum, Carolyn and Joseph's tent had sprung a leak - subject to the weather we all gathered around for an afternoon matinee movie of Scooby Doo - four times! Joseph was quiet though.
Whilst waiting for the results Alison and her Dad set off for home. Emma and Tom also made preparations to leave straight after the prizegiving.
Liz, Amanda, Joseph, Mum, Carolyn, Gary and I were left with Scooby- Doo, in between dozing off!
Alterations were made to the dwindling Team Village before it all blew away.
We didnt know where we were placed or if placed at all when we got ready for the prize giving. 168 riders gathered together for the news.
Sadly we had dropped to 11th.
Still a really good result though and the highest placed Northern Team.
We are in there somewhere!
During the prizegiving we were asked to choose who we would like to put forward for an achievement award from the whole Northern Region teams. Out of 6 teams there were only three teams represented at the prizegiving and without all the riders forward. It was in discussion when one of the other team riders thought that she was getting left out and that her story was the most deserving of the rosette - had a bit of a rant - at the desperation shown for the rosette it wasnt worth the argument and she proudly trotted up to claim the prize.
Myself, Liz and Emma
We got together for a full team photograph to show all the hard workers who had helped behind the scenes to make the competition and the weekend run smoothly and very enjoyable - dispite the weather.
The full "Northern Team 4"
left to right - Carolyn, Joanne, Liz, Emma, Amanda, Linda.
Back - Gary & Tom
Front - Joseph
Emma and Tom set off for home and the rest of us went back to the remains of the Village, the evening movie was Herbie during tea of pizza and quiche - due to the weather not allowing BBQ cooking, followed by one of the "Ocean" films.
By the last night we had got the hang of the shower - more the lock(you had to be there!), the toilet roll dispenser that collapsed when you pulled the paper out but it only happened on a night though and Liz had marstered the art of leading Ruby with hands full of feed buckets and hay nets without getting legged up!
A quiet evening lead to feeding at 10pm and an early night.
Monday......
Home Time !!
We had decided the night before that we were going to get up when we woke - we were on our holidays after all!
I fed at 6am then went back to bed. Others got up at their leisure, pottering around packing up and having breakfast in the cafe before mucking out the stables.
We loaded up the horses and were on our way home for 1pm.
The big problem was then unloading it all at the other end - whos stuff were where!
Nearly a week later Mum found her pillow!
Sam, glad to be back settled into a net for the remainder of the day and normality were to resume........until next time!!!
Ps. we returned the table and chairs!
More pictures....
Chad
Chad
Frazer
Frazer
Frazer
Sam
Sam
Sam
Sam, Frazer, Chad
Tyson
Tyson
Tyson
Hope you enjoyed reading about our weekend away - well done to Central Team who won - want to subject yourself to our Team join us at the Regional Championships at Fry's in August or failing that the Home International in October all been well.
See you all soon, hope you weren't too bored, JO x
|
