Team NW Bedrock Show July 2019: Day 1

This past weekend we went back to our favorite show, the USHJA Outreach show held during the rated show.  This time we were going in the 0.70m jumpers.  In years past they've had one of the hunter rings dedicated to the Outreach show, hosting both the hunter/eq and jumper classes.  This year they moved the Outreach jumpers to the rated jumper ring.

It's very important to practice, practice, practice before a show

Originally in the prize list they had the jumpers still going in the hunter ring.  Which was perfectly fine by me.  That's our ring; Peebs and I know it well, and I'm perfectly comfortable in it.  I've never been in the Grand Prix ring, or even been on that side of the property much.  The lunging area is next to the jumper warm up and Peebs has been lunged there. We've also hand walked around the GP ring. But never been inside it. There's a bit more atmosphere by the GP ring, flags and banners waving around, and the spectator parking is right next to it as well. I was 99% certain Peebs wouldn't care about the change in venue, but I cared.

Our first round course.  Our second round was a speed round and it was the exact same course minus the jump off

During the rated and outreach shows the week prior, show management had been posting the back gate boards and courses on their FB and IG pages.  The rated 0.70m and the outreach 0.70m classes were exactly the same. I figured that would be the case for our show and it was. 

The show photographer had some medical issues so they weren't sure she'd be there for the show.  But don't worry I have more than blurry screenshots

I hauled up mid morning and hung out for a while before my classes went.  Both Peebs and I had lunch and I was able to watch some of the rated classes go.  My trainer got there about a half hour before we could walk so we hung out and chatted.  I was at the bottom of the order so the plan was to walk, tack up, warm up and show. I was super glad to have trainer there to walk with me because I was a little intimidated walking into the GP ring and trying to figure out which jump was where. It's been a very long time since I did a jumper class like this (ie not a quasi hunter course with a jump off). 

Fence seven, looking toward eight on the left. PC and bought from: Julie Ward Photography

We made a solid plan for riding the course and I tried to remember everything while tacking up and warming up. Peebs felt ready to go and we only did a few warm up fences before heading to the back gate. Of course people weren't ready and I was able to slip in early.  Our first round was me mostly trying to get over my nerves.  I took a longer line in the first bending line and rode a little backward to 3 and 4. The plan for the turn to fence 5 was to not let his shoulder drop and to wait to turn till after the timers.  I waited till we past the timer to turn, but his shoulder dropped and we ended up aiming for the inside standard of 5.  I circled and re-approached it better. Six to sever went ok and my instructions to 8 were to sit up since it was a slight downhill and I didn't do that but it still rode well.  I didn't get him quite straight to 9 and we added a stride in the line to 10. But we survived! Which was really my goal.

If you look closely you can see the rail coming out of the cups. But at least I kept his shoulder up in the turn to 5. Also bought from Julie Ward Photography

We had a couple of people go before my second round so I could catch my breath and talk about the plan for our second trip. It was really about making sure to get him balanced for the turn to 5 and straighter into the 9-10 line. And I'm proud to say we did that (and got the correct strides). But unfortunately Peebs and I were tired and feeling the heat so we had a rail down at 4. With 14 in both classes we didn't pin but that's ok.  We made it around, fixed some issues, and had solid trips.