First ever One Day Event (more pics pg6)

[claire777]

What a brill day, me and Finn tackled our first ever ODE event together today at Stockland Lovell Manor.
Finn's not competed properly in XC for 3 years and I've not done any XC rounds since I was in the pony club (15 years ago :ashamed:)

We attempted the 2'6 Novice and here's how we did.

After getting no sleep through nerves we headed down to Stockland Lovell this morning on a beautiful sunny day :cool:

Dressage - Finn was being very obiediant and trying his best bless him and we ended up on a score of 35 :)

SJ - Completely different horse I had no brakes as he was in full on hooray henry mode and after having a very sticky moment at fence 2 we managed a clear round :D

XC - Warmed up ok but then the starter gave us the 20 second countdown and Finn then decided to have a napping attack and we had rearing and reversing and spinning everywhere but in the direction of the start gate. I managed to get him going forward when they were counting down from 5 and we managed to canter happily through the start box :D

After settling into a great rythem Finn was filling me full of confidence, he was so amazing bless him and just galloped up the whole course and not once did we have a problem at any of the fences.
We finished with a few time faults 21.1 but the best news was out of a class of 35 we came 5th :D:eek::D:worship::p:cool:

I'm so pleased with what we did today and here are some XC piccies :innocent: I think bless him he had his ears picked up the whole way :)

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Going
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Going
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Gone
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[banjo]

well done you, fantastic result!!! Great action shots too

[Ussiarella]

Wow!!!!
*speechless*
you are really genial! stunning!
love the water pics

[munchkin65]

amazing well done and such good pics

[CDR]

Wow that looks amazing! I want to do it too!!! OK maybe I'm a bit too much of a scaredy cat lol! Those jumps were brill.

[jodee]

he looks amazing and it looks like a nice course too!

[Evening Star]

Wow looks like you both had loads of fun!
Well done, thats a great result!

[My Crazy Clan]

fab photos, well done.

[claire777]

thanks peeps I'll get some dressage and SJ pics up as soon as I get them off my auntie.

So pleased with ourselves as I was a complete nervous wreck this morning, I couldn't even hold a peice of toast in my hand!

Just need to sort myself a new saddle out now as I hate my jumping position in those pics because my saddle isn't very forward cut I can't ride with my leathers any shorter as sometimes I end up sitting on the back of the saddle!

[Kilota]

Great set of shots, I would never be brave enough to try cross country. And 5th out of 35 is a great result.

[Dizzee]

Lovely pictures... you both look like you had a great time :)

[ness]

Wow! fantastic pics!

[Teej]

Brilliant result and lovely pics :worship:

You are very brave :)

[Kelza]

Can't wait to see the dressage and sj pics now!

[claire777]

Thanks everyone I'll do my best to get hold of the other pics this week

I'm still so pleased with what we achieved yesterday. I have been planning and practicing all summer for the ODE and it's so nice when all the hard work pays off. We've Been so lucky this year as the Riding Club i'm with have a great source of instructors for group lessons and clinics and my Jumping Instructor is a ex international event rider and Grade A showjumper and my Dressage trainer is a Grand Prix rider/trainer! I can't tell you how much invaluable advice and training I've had from these people.

[Pie_x]

Great pics! You both look brill, some good pics there x

[claire777]

Thanks Pie

[bimba]

He looks fantastic!! Well done on your result, the sleepless night was all for nothing!

[Pwincess]

a very well done to you. Looks like you both had fun and great results. it is nice when all he hard work pays off. Lovely piccies x

[Loony]

Yaayy Finn!! He's very talented, and GORGEOUS!

[jangles]

Great pics, he looks like he's loving it aswell!

Well done on your result :D

[Loosey]

Wow you both look incredible!!

[Spockky boy]

Awww makes me miss Spock even more he LOVES his XC!

Brilliant pictures, big well done too!

[claire777]

Thanks everyone I'll get the other pics put up in the latter half of this week :)

That's a great course there isn't it?

Yeah I love stockland and Pontipools lovely aswell. Quite lucky really living where i do as all these nice schooling and comp places are all in an hours drive :D

Where abouts in Bristol are you from have you been to Leyland court (I think thats what it is called)

[CityLights]

Congrats some really nice pictures too, 5th out of 35 is a pretty damn good result and a very good dressage score too

[K8E]

well done. Great pics. Looks like you had loads of fun! :)

[Savvy]

well done and great result!

[claire777]

I haven't read the other replies but just wanted to say thanks for posting the photos, they are excellent and how beautifully turned out Finn is. What a fantastic result.

You did EW proud!!

Thanks everyone and Jane thats really lovely of you to say that :) Finn loves being pampered at home he's a proper little attention seeker so he gets lots of grooming and pampering. Although when the fields are muddy you wouldn't recognise him as he normally finds the wettest patch to roll in :ashamed::eek:

[casper_cb]

That's super - have you got the eventing bug now?!
Congratualtions.

[claire777]

Yeah I deffo have the eventing bug back. XC was always my fav when I was in my teens.

I think I might have given a few of the jump judges a bit of a giggle on Saturday as I was doing a few woo hoo's over some of the XC fences around the course lol and half way round the course I started to think I was Mark King hahahahaha

So pleased with Finn, he's a very special horse, but I'm chuffed with myself as i've come so far!
I lost my nerve with my last horse. It was so bad I put my horse, Jake, in a field and didn't ride him for 2 years cause I couldn't cope withy my nerves out riding and eventually a morning spent in A&E with a severly sprained wrist was the last nail in the coffin! So I managed to sell Jake in the Spring of 2008 and I bought Finn in July 2008 and this time a year ago I wouldn't even comtemplate doing a dressage test let alone any jumping. But i've pushed myself so much this last 6 - 9 months and its been so worth while.

Can't wait for next years comps and I might have a bash at a few hunter trials over the winter months

[Cobby Keri]

claire so sorry forgot all about this event, would have defo come and supported you if i had remembered. You did fantastically well, what a great result. Theres a hunter trial at frampton on the 11th of october, not sure if that is too far for you to come though. x

[claire777]

No worries Keri :o) If I'm honest I forgot to PM you about it anyway cause I was in such a nervous panic about it all last week

Don't think I can afford to do that Hunter Trial. We've got a few issues with Finn at the mo as he's a bit unlevel in his flat work and its costing me a Fortune in Vets and Physiotherapists bills at the mo, as he's baffeling them both at the moment!
(Dressage judge also picked up on it on Saturday and she said she had to mark me down on our trot work because of it.)
And just in case anyone asks why I rode him in a ODE knowing about his problems my vet gave me the clear and he's the GB Team Vet for the European Pony Three Day Event Championships so he's pretty good at his job and knows his stuff :o)

[My Crazy Clan]

fab photos

[Cobby Keri]

its always harder finding out what the cause is when its something so small, lets hope they get to the bottom of it soon. x

[claire777]

Ok So here are the rest of the piccies

Dressage

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs258.snc1/10519_140071107530_651317530_3146638_8388159_n.jpg

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Showjumping (With no brakes!) :o

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Last few from the XC

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Eat my dust :lol:
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[Loony]

He is stunning Claire, one of my faves on here :)

[claire777]

He is stunning Claire, one of my faves on here :)

Aww thanks Hun :)

[gem]

Beautiful!! We definitely don't see enough of him!

[Loosey]

You can't post enough pictures of him - he looks wonderful!!

[Evening Star]

Great photos it looks like a fun day!
He is yummy and agree with loony, I keep looking back at the front page pics going ooooh I want! :lol:

[fell lover]

He is gorgeous!! Brilliant photos, and what a great result to help build your confidence up. Looking forward to seeing loads more pic of him in the future.
He looks like he is having the time of his life!!

[claire777]

aww thanks peeps yeah he loves to jump, he doesnt do to bad for an old boy at 17 bless him. I love him to bits and he gets proper spoilt rotten!

[beks the artist]

You two look so great together - a fantastic team! Well done on your result! xx