Deben Riding Club
BRC
Senior Indoor Showjumping Championships 2008
Having
qualified for Hartpury back in November, it seemed a long time before
the championships came round. With
all that time, you’d have thought there’d be no panics before the
big day, but as is often the way, there were a number of crises just
before. The Footman
(substitute for Abbey Oaks Burnadebt who died just after helping the
team to qualify) had a disastrous last outing at Easter, resulting in
the vet, back man, trainer and saddler being summoned to “sort us
out”, whilst Abi’s planned transport fell through with less than 24
hours before the departure time. Fortunately,
after Abi had used up contingency plans B, C and D, Abi Ryder-Davies
very kindly came to the rescue and lent her recently purchased lorry to
the club and so the team was able to get there albeit with one half
getting to grips with an unfamiliar lorry!
Jill
and I arrived at Hartpury a little after 5pm having had a mostly easy
drive in warm sunshine to deepest Gloucestershire, and found our
stables. As Abi and Pip did
not arrive until a bit later, we were not able to park next to each
other as the parking is very tight there, and everyone has to squeeze in
pretty much in the order of arrival.
The stables were lovely Loddon boxes in a big airy American barn
and very close to our horsebox. Both
Sean and Jerri quickly made themselves at home, and welcomed Drake and
Cookie when they finally arrived. Amazingly,
for early April, we were able to eat Jill’s delicious chilli outside
as it was still warm until about 10pm.
We
were able to walk the showjumping course on the Friday and found it was
a true championship course, including both a double and treble.
Not enormous fences, as the course builder is constrained by the
rules which state the overall dimensions have to be the same as the
qualifier to avoid over-facing recently qualified horses, but very
technical. Even getting to
the first fence was a challenge, and every jump was either off a turn or
had a dog leg approach. We
were disappointed not to be in the international arena which would have
provided more room but it was in use on the Sunday for another
competition. However,
we’re told that it will be used next year so big incentive to qualify
again!
Abi
was first to go from the Deben, and despite professing to major nerves,
jumped an immaculate clear which made the course look much easier than
it was. First one in the
bag! Pip went next and
although Cookie’s eyes were huge at the sight of so many people
sitting in the gallery, posted another clear. Second
one in the bag! Jill went
next on a very forward thinking Sean, and gave us our third clear.
Phew – no pressure on the inexperienced Jerri who was totally
thrown by the crowd, to the extent that he couldn’t even canter to
start with. After a slightly
wobbly start when he tapped a couple of fences out, he settled down and
jumped the rest fine.
We
then had a short break whilst the fences were raised, and course plan
changed. What?
We had to remember a different route round the jumps??
Although the course seemed to flow better this way, the jumps
still came up very quickly and the questions were still being asked of
the horse’s training and obedience.
Abi
was again our first member to jump, and oh so nearly took the wrong
course at fence 3 – luckily she realised in the nick of time before
going on to jump another lovely clear.
I think the rest of the team aged about 10 years in those few
seconds though! Pip was next
to go, but unfortunately, Cookie was spooked by something as she landed
over the planks and jinked hard to the right, Pip doing well not to fall
off. Although she did not
cross her tracks, the judges gave her 4 penalties.
With it all to play for still, and with other spectators in the
gallery agreeing that she hadn’t done anything wrong, an objection was
lodged.
Sean
was next to go, and decided that as Jill had missed out on going to the
Grand National that day, he was going to give her a taste of what racing
over fences feels like. Sadly,
going that speed came at a cost, and two fences fell as he steeplechased
his way round. Last horse to
go was Jerri, and with no decision from the judges over the objection,
there was still everything to play for – so no pressure then!
After a couple of hairy moments when he got a bit deep to the
first two fences, Jerri settled down, though he too managed to give our
supporters some heart attacks when he broke into trot coming to a big
square oxer at fence 8. However,
with his back and hocks sorted out, and a new saddle to boot, he flew it
with plenty of room to spare and gave us an all important clear round.
So,
did we or didn’t we have the necessary three clear rounds to get in
the jump off? Tired of
waiting on tenter hooks to hear whether we had to get the horses tacked
up again, we went down as a posse to the secretary’s office.
However, our objection was over-ruled as the judges decided that,
in their opinion, Pip had come to a very momentary standstill as she
gathered herself together after Cookie’s spook.
A harsh decision, but at this level, the rules are applied
strictly, and with no video evidence to the contrary, there was nothing
else we could do than accept the judges’ decision as final.
Despite
this disappointment, the club still finished the competition on a very
creditable total of 4 faults, and came 6th out of 25 teams.
Unlike
All in all though, everyone had a brilliant weekend (and weren’t the seniors lucky with the weather!!). Thanks must go again to Abi Ryder-Davies whose last minute generosity saved the day, and also to Ellie Marsh who helped on the arena doors (each club has to provide one person to enable the competition to run), as well as our unofficial team gofer, groom, photographer, jump assistant, and rider calmer.
