Wow, what a busy bank holiday weekend we’ve had!
Year ago, when Georgie and I were just little dots, we first attended Ashwell Show, just outside of Royston. We continued to attend up until our early teens, taking lot’s of our ponies there showing. So what a fitting place for Georgie to compete in her first show since having Fenella?
With not a massive variety of showing classes for a horse like Beanie, we decided to stick to something we know Beanie is, and that’s a working hunter. With the last class being the open working hunter Georgie decided to enter that, although the jumps weren't B’s norm height (to say the least!). But they were lovely rustic fences with fillers, brushes, spreads and planks, all in a ring much too small for a big horse like B but being a star he is, he went clear!
Poor Georgie (and the other competitors of course), it was absolutely roasting yesterday, with temperatures peaking at approximately 26-28 degrees C with very little wind, so dressed for Autumn hunting in a tweed jacket was a bit of a killer! Everyone looked very smart though and turned out their horses beautifully!
All riders went back into the ring for their ‘go around’, for which big B was foot perfect and we were pleased to get pulled in to second place behind a smart small show hunter horse. In a bizarre twist a girl pulled herself in between Georgie and the horse in first place, for some unknown reason. Maybe she thought she heard her number, who knows?!
Anyway, B went out and did his show, in the best he could in the small space provided, and went beautifully, even when the Cambridgeshire and Enfield Chase huntsman blowing his horn to gather his hounds out of the main arena. The judge even commented she enjoyed seeing him prick his ears and perk up at the sound of it, it showed he was indeed a hunter! After a quick strip off of tack he was presented for his trot up and moved beautifully. It was then time for the judge to make her decision and Georgie was very pleased to be pulled in to keep her second place with the judge commenting there was just 0.5 of a mark between the first and second placings. Not bad for a lady who’d had a baby 11 weeks ago! B hadn’t forgotten his show ring presence either!
After exiting the ring we were quickly ushered over to Mum as Fenella was ready to be fed again, she’s been such an angel waiting patiently for her mum to come back! So off jumps Georgie to feed while I walk him off and get him ready to go back in for the championship! It does make me giggle really, what horsey girl lives Georgie’s little girls are growing up to have. Fenella is does enjoy her outings to competitions or to the yard and happy to be fed just about anywhere and Georgie is so practical about it all! And what a good Mummy we have that she is such a good grandma to G's girls and she can pass Fenella over and jump back on.
Show rider and Mummy!
In no time at all little one was fed and Georgie was legged back on board as the judges were making their way over to the ring and other competitors were waiting for the championship. We were of course delighted that Georgie held off competition from previous class winners to be pulled in Reserve Champion and got a beautiful sash and rosette!
Reserve Champion!
It was a long hot day but absolutely worth it. It was lovely to see Georgie back competing B and them regaining their winning partnership! They’re such cool cats under pressure. I am incredibly proud of Georgie with how she just juggles everything and never seems to let anything stand in her way!
We had a lovely barbecue this evening and got everything ready for Frankie’s jumping rally at Horseheath tomorrow! We’ll be sure to let you know how she gets on!
How did you spend your bank holiday weekend with your horses? Did you compete at Aintree National ROR Finals? Let us know how you got on!
Sophie x
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