GREAT DAY!
I was up at 5am to go fox hunting, and then after hunting, we left at 2:00pm to ride in the $10,000 1.40m Prix and the Quentin Fall show.
The course, as I walked it, seemed to be set to the forward distance, and the turns to the jumps left no room for error. I had to ride second, however, to my advantage I was able to watch Kevin Babbington navigate the course in the first round. After watching Kevin, I felt really confident in the plan I had made for my ride, so in I went!
The first fence was a very plain, airy vertical, and not the smallest fence on the course. From there you bent to the left to another vertical (easiest fence on the course... and I had it down) and then to a large square oxer sitting on the turn at the in gate. After the oxer was an in and out, vertical to oxer along the rail at the stands to a bit of an off stride vertical still along the rail, and then fence six was an oxer with a tight turn to the left to wrap around two fences to get to seven, which was a liver pool oxer.
Now in my opinion, fence(s) 8 a,b were apart of the toughest elements or the course, an oxer to an oxer in and out, set pretty long. I couldn't have been more pleased when Ganowe jumped in, and I could feel him know exactly were he was and he felt so confident jumping out! From here we bent around fence three to get to a swishy jump for fence nine. From nine was a bit of a long gallop to an airy, plain oxer along the rail and then a left bend to another oxer on the turn but set a little different than I thought when I got there. Either way it rode okay, just a little bit surprised.
The last elements were 12 a,b... I had to ride into the first part which was an oxer, and then a bit of a quick hold to come out clean over the vertical.
Phew... okay so you just rode the course with me. I had a blast! We didnt make it to the jump off, but I know we are on the path to success. I felt really good about everything.
Helen Goddard was the fastest, double clear in the jump off, and then Kevin Babbington was the fastest four faulter, and Michael Walton was also a four fault round to finish up the jump off in third...
Ganowe and I finished 9th, we were able to pretty much pay for the day, and go home with something more valuable... EXPERIENCE! And the drive to keep going at it.
off to Ludwigs tomorrow!
Cheers - P
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