Eventing with Elise- Forgandenny BE100
Another successful event on Scottish soil, here we go!
It was another early start, but I was lucky enough to have a driver AND a groom this time! An extra set of helping hands always takes a bit of pressure off of competition day. Although I am confident enough to compete on my own, it's always lovely to have the company and chat of good friends. These moments are what I cherish most in our Eventing memories.
I was super appreciative of the 8 am dressage for once, as the forecast predicted a scorching day. However, we were all thankful when we arrived to find a light breeze and the sun beginning to peek over the clouds. What a gorgeous morning to be out eventing!
We headed over to the dressage and started our warm-up routine. For me, it's essential to stick to a rough plan whilst warming up as it allows both Cara and me to get in the zone and work properly before heading down the centre line.
The test itself went really well. The judge was trialling using a green card to start, and upon waving it out the window, Cara found an extra gear in our trot around the whiteboards. Maybe that additional forward momentum helped? We stayed pretty accurate with just the odd moment where she could have been slightly more supple and scored a 30.0, which I was happy with.
After a few weeks away from eventing post-Warwick Hall, I was a little shocked that Cara approached the SJ warm up in a cool and calm manner. It appeared she needed a bit of waking up in the ring as we, unfortunately, tapped the first part of the double (sack the jockey, as I sat too quietly). As the rest of the course awaited, I tried not to dwell on it, and I didn't want any more mistakes, so I refocused and finished the round on just the four faults.
Our times were pretty close together, so I walked the XC course the day before. The team at Kick on Events prepared the ground perfectly, and the course looked amazing as always!
Cara approached the xc start box with an entirely different attitude to the showjumping, and as the starter said, "5, 4, 3, 2, 1..." we were off! I focused on her rhythm, but she often likes to take charge after the first few fences. We flew 4 A/B, and although I had walked the faster route, I didn't think I could make the turn, so we opted for the slightly longer way. Sometimes, I swear she is almost human as she seems to pick these lines herself, and we were off again.
She made the 'Rail, Ditch, Rail' combination feel easy, and my confidence grew as we flew around. She was pulling my arms out as we headed towards the drop, and before I could regain my reins, she had her eyes set on the Novice brush at the other side! No, Cara! However, some quick thinking and a short detour around the trees (a line I hadn't walked!) and we managed to find our 100 part B.
We finished in a respectable 6th place after a lovely clear XC inside the time. All done and dusted by 10:30 am! We washed her off, applied her Cryochaps to cool her legs, then walked her around before loading her back into the trailer, which provided a little shade in the scorching heat. We finished the morning watching some friends competing and tucking into a couple of hotdogs from one of the fabulous food stands.
Thank you again to the team and volunteers that worked so hard all weekend so that we could enjoy ourselves! We truly couldn't do it without you.
Our next stop is Blair International at the end of August- the countdown is on!!!!!
Elise & Cara x
Photos by Dave Cameron Photography
