Fresh Start to the Season- Sporting Days and Full Gallop
The show season has officially begun here in Aiken, SC!
We spent the first couple weeks settling in, getting the ponies out for gallops and cross country schooling and sharpening ourselves up. It’s always nice to have a bit of time to ride and get back out on the hills down here after being stuck in an indoor for most of the winter.
We’ve had quite a lot of “firsts” these past few weeks: Theo (A Real Cooley) went for his first two cross country schoolings – becoming bolder and braver each time out- and then followed those up with his first two Events! I took Logan (OS Dassett Player) to our first Training level event together, Benita made her debut with her two mares on US soil, and Sammy Jo is back jumping again after an extended vacation (and she couldn’t be more thrilled- however she still hates the liverpool….and poles on the ground….and blue boxes….and shadows….).
Sporting Days Farm HT:
A Real Cooley looking really sharp at Sporting Days.
It’s always nice to start off at Sporting Days. We’ve been going there for years and years and years and years and they put on a great event with great courses to start the season off right. I took Roy and Logan in the Training level, Roy was a bit exuberant and had 1 rail in stadium but finished cross country double clear and raring to go again. Logan was a complete star and finished on his dressage score for 4th place! He’s really trusting me and I’m so happy how far our partnership has come since last fall- love my redhead! I also had Theo in his first event ever- he had 1 stop cross country at a very spooky downhill jump but finished up very bravely and I was so pleased with him! Piper also had a run in the Novice and was very good going clean cross country and only had one drive by in the show jumping when I didn’t really present her well to a spooky oxer…first show of the season and I was kicking myself but she jumped super after that.
Logan and Aoife show off their ribbons from Sporting Days
Benita and her new mare Aoife (Cooley All Out) had a perfect weekend finishing second on their dressage score. She’s a super cool mare, from Richard Sheane in Ireland, and Benita had competed her Training level in England last Fall but this was a great way to start their season together!
Full Gallop HT:
Early, chilly morning with Minnie at Full Gallop
We made a quick turnaround and were back out at Full Gallop the wednesday after Sporting Days. Theo completed his second event with a 5th place finish on his dressage score in his Novice class. He was so brave cross country and it was a tough novice! Benita and her other mare Minnie (LVS Dassett Charisma) had a good outing in their Training class- Minnie is a beast cross country and it was awesome to get to watch them go around together!
Logan in his jump lesson with Kim!
I’m sitting at Atlanta Bread Co. typing this up after my first jump lesson with Kim. I’m pleased that I didn’t feel like a complete lunatic and it seems that I’ve kept myself on point over the winter on my own but it’s great to get back with my coach and I’m excited to go back over for many more lessons while down here. I took Logan and he was a perfect gentleman- and Kim was very pleased with him (first time she’s gotten to really meet him). The girls are all doing great and we are so happy to have them all down here with us. We are prepping for our first trip to Pine Top this weekend and I’m excited to see the new course designs, should be a great event!
Thank you to our supporters and sponsors- couldn’t be doing this without you all!
Till next time- Lucia