VHT/VA CCI*

[c_expresso]

So COTHers...

Who's doing the Virginia Horse Trials?

Anyone doing the one star?

I will be there... training with my wild guy :)

[53]

I'll be there doing the second novice with my boy.

[piaffeprincess98]

I'll be there with my guy. He's coming back from OCD surgery so this will be his first event. We're just going to do training. I'm also going to bring my new guy to hang out for a couple of nights and get used to everything. He just did his first little dressage show and was good, but there were about 10 people there, so this will be a big step.

[BlueRidgeEventer]

I'll be there with my partner from last year (bringing him back on the the eventing scene after a stint in the hunter/jumper world). We'll be going training. I'm also bringing a greenie for his first recognized show. He's just doing novice.

[eventgroupie2]

Will be looking forward to seeing many COTHer friends there! DH and I will probably be taking care of stadium warmup as usual, may help with the jog and sometimes start the CCI* phase A, as we live close to the HC. Let's hope for good weather and a great event!!!:yes:

[pegasusmom]

1* bound with the kiddo and his boy.

Congrats 53!! on this past weekend - kept trying to get the announcer to yell Semper Fi, but he wouldn't cooperate!

[Dr. Doolittle]

I'll be there--will be trailering down with my student with the "ditchy Connemara/TB mare", who is fortunately not so ditchy anymore--I will have to think of another way to refer to her! :p (We are both doing T, she R, me H..continuing on our quest to "show the girls every possible venue at T level in Area II" before moving up to P...;))

I would love to meet some other COTHers down there, so we should revive this thread when we are closer to the date of the HT!

[octavian_jazz]

I'll be there going preliminary...again. Not complaining, I love the course, but I was hoping to do the one star this spring, but it didn't work out.

[yellow rose]

we are going!! our old advanced campaigner's qualifications ran out for a CCI** as he's just done I & A HT's for 2 years.. we want to go to bromont and the sheer lack of CIC's has forced us to run him at.. the one star!! yeeeeaaaa!! SO will be riding and having a good ol time.

I will give my mare one last run at the 1* level there and take another one in the OI (bummed no 2* this year!)

shall we plan a ruby tuesdays get ta getha?

[c_expresso]

Ruby Tuesday's would be fun!! Salad barrrrrrrrrr :cool:

Or a Competitor's Party get-together!

[ThirdCharm]

Love Ruby Tuesdays.....

Will be there doing either the CCI* or the Prelim with Livi.... leaning toward the CCI*, just gotta check the budget..... and make sure the students are okay with paying for a few extra nights of stalls for their critters.....

Jennifer

[53]

1* bound with the kiddo and his boy.

Congrats 53!! on this past weekend - kept trying to get the announcer to yell Semper Fi, but he wouldn't cooperate!

awwww - thanks so much! I was so proud of the little OTTB - I got him from Margaret Webber of Mapleshade, and I have to shamelessly promote her incredible eye for horses.

I was so thrilled that we finally got it together in dressage. its been tricky to coordinate an appropriate warm up and the transition from warm up to the dressage ring and end up trotting up the centerline with a supple, relaxed, focused pony.

Xctry was what you might expect of a first novice, but I didn't ride as well as I should have....so I was disappointed in myself

In Stadium warm up Christan aka eventrider (another shameless plug here) helped me finally put together what I've been working on all winter with Denny and I was just thrilled with how confidently Echo jumped around, taking me to the fences, nailing all the spots and generally having a blast.

And thanks to all who put Longleaf together, it was a very well run event and a perfect first novice for my boy.

See you at VA!

[GreyDun]

I'm headed down with my little Connemara mare for Training & Mom's coming up with a couple of babies for Novice. Anyone else camping? :)

I'm totally up for Ruby's! YUM - the little mini's are delish.:D

[Dr. Doolittle]

Ohh, is that the pony from the Jimmy clinic? A-dooorable.

I'll be a spectator (and "cheerer-onner") as it looks like there will be no competing on my T/P guy this year, and the new pony isn't ready for novice yet... Ah well.

I'm always up for joining in on some Ruby-Tuesdays fun... count me in.

Yes, that's her! She is *extremely* cute (and never fails to get that remark from the judge on her dressage tests, even when she's naughty :winkgrin:)

I'm hoping the two Alpha mares ride well together during their long trip--they did fine on their way to and from the Jimmy clinic (of course Erin has a head divider in her trailer, thank goodness!) We are renting a tack stall, which we can put between them while we're there to prevent "bitchy mare faces".

Ruby Tuesdays sounds great! (I will have Mr. Dr. D and little D with me, but they are both very funny and irreverent, so fit in well with eventer folks...;))

[c_expresso]

Well it's a week away, I am very excited!! Times are up... WOW what fast organizing!!!!!!

I do dressage at 11:30, SJ at 2:06 (saturday) and XC at 10:44 Sunday.

Could I have ANY more PERFECT times?!? Not early, not late. yay

[piaffeprincess98]

What level are you doing c expresso? I'm in OTA and I'm doing dressage at 11:12 on Sat and XC at 5:54 on Sat! I don't think I've ever done XC that late. SJ on Sunday at 8:54, so I'll be out of there early at least.

[LisaB]

If you guys can wing it, there's an excellent Italian joint down that main road towards lexington on the left. I highly recommend it but it's usually loaded and the parking sucks for big trucks.
Alas, I won't be there. Sigh

[pegasusmom]

We're leaving Wednesday morning - the kid even got his hair cut. Yikes! I am already getting spun up!!

[53]

the times sheet for the horse trial has "fall 2007" still at the top - are those the right times?

if so I have catch up with them, i'm not listed on there, hmmmmmm

[c_expresso]

What level are you doing c expresso? I'm in OTA and I'm doing dressage at 11:12 on Sat and XC at 5:54 on Sat! I don't think I've ever done XC that late. SJ on Sunday at 8:54, so I'll be out of there early at least.

I am in junior training! Very excited... my goal is to ride XC with a long rain and let my horse do his job. I tend to interfere. :lol:

[Dr. Doolittle]

Hey c_expresso; did you happen to get a "look-see" at the Training course yesterday? ;)

(GREAT times, BTW! Mine--for THB--are almost as good: 11:06 for dressage, stadium to follow at 12:58, and X-country at 9:20...my student's times are about 25 minutes *before* mine for all three phases :sigh:, so I won't be able to be of much help to her when it comes to warmup, unfortunately...)

When I checked the times, they said 2008; 53, did you re-check?

Anyway, should be a great time, and the extended forecast (SHHH!) looks good so far! :)

[SLR]

Hey Dana, I've been whining about a haircut, too. No results. We'll be in Thur. Hope the ride times allow us to help you guys on Sat.

[c_expresso]

I didn't want to look TOO much... prior knowledge... but I was told the huge ramp/brush is not on course!!

Hey c_expresso; did you happen to get a "look-see" at the Training course yesterday? ;)

(GREAT times, BTW! Mine--for THB--are almost as good: 11:06 for dressage, stadium to follow at 12:58, and X-country at 9:20...my student's times are about 25 minutes *before* mine for all three phases :sigh:, so I won't be able to be of much help to her when it comes to warmup, unfortunately...)

When I checked the times, they said 2008; 53, did you re-check?

Anyway, should be a great time, and the extended forecast (SHHH!) looks good so far! :)

[colliemom]

I'm in OTA, and my showjumping time Sunday morning (8:44) is exactly the same time as Mr. Colliemom will be doing the jog for the CCI*... what's a groombabe to do???? :(

I just hope my dressage time on Saturday (10:42) is not smack in the middle of his cross country ...

I hate competing at the same events. Too many different kinds of nerves, and way too much organization required!

(And be careful about the times... use the link under "News" and not the link under "Upcoming Events". The "Upcoming Events" link does indeed have 2007 times!! cjmicro, can you fix that?)

[Pross]

Susan, In fact NOT. Sunday's jog is at 10:30am

[yellow rose]

10:30!?!?? wa hooo! lie in!!

[colliemom]

Susan, In fact NOT. Sunday's jog is at 10:30am

Oh!!! You have made my day... here I was trying to figure out what to do, who to send where, and now ... I don't have to!

THANK YOU!!!!! You are the best :D Now, as long as he rides XC before my dressage time on Saturday, we should be just dandy!

[GreyDun]

10:54!! Heck yes! :D Although I hate it if they're any later than that, because I spend half the morning thinking I have all the time in the world to get ready, and then somehow I end up nearly late to the ring. Go figure.

[eventgroupie2]

So hoping I'll be able to see you all there!!! I'm doing my best to recouperate from broken ankle surgery this past Wednesday so that I can be the outdoor stadium warmup steward as usual, but don't know if I am going to be able to do it. :( I am also trying like heck to get the stained glass awards finished for the 3 CCI* divisions. That will teach me to let them go until the last couple weeks before the event, huh?

[colliemom]

.....because I spend half the morning thinking I have all the time in the world to get ready, and then somehow I end up nearly late to the ring. Go figure.


I thought it was just me who did that :lol:

[HiJumpGrrl]

Oh I SO wish I was coming for Jeannette and Larry (Last Train Home)'s move up to P!!! I will be grooming in absentia, and leaving the real job to Jane, Lisa and Allie. His mane is pulled, his face, bridlepath, rouge butt hairs and feathers are clipped. Please give both of them a kiss on the nose for me!

(Larry ran his first BN in Feb 2007 after coming off the track in June 2006. I am so proud of both horse and trainer/owner/rider and I get all weepy thinking about them :))

[53]

ok, phew, found the correct times....had a glass of wine and things were so much clearer....or maybe it was that I was rushing this morning and now I'm sitting down at the end of the day and actually paying attention to what i'm doing.....hard to say....either way....2pm xctry on sunday and then a 6 hour drive home....gulp....I'd never make it on the west coast....

[pegasusmom]

Hey Dana, I've been whining about a haircut, too. No results. We'll be in Thur. Hope the ride times allow us to help you guys on Sat.


Well. . . when I threatened to start braiding it, and putting pink ribbons in the ends, he marched himself into the hairdresser's! :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Dr. Doolittle]

pegasusmom :lol:

53; that "glass of wine for clarity" stategy always works for me! :D

I had two questions for those who are local to Lexington, and/or "in the know":

1) How much rain has that area gotten over the past week or so? I know it's supposed to dry out after today (so the ground has 4 days to soak it all in), and they have good turf there--but I know that up here we have gotten SO much rain that the ground is beyond saturated! :(

2) The competitor's party on Saturday night...casual dress? A good time?

Any info/insights would be appreciated!

[c_expresso]

I think with all this rain the ground will be nothing short of perfect, even on steeplechase! Last weekend the ground was beautiful, perhaps still a little hard, but not bad, so after this rain today I think the ground will be amazing! Even if it poured the day of (which it has when I have gone XC up there) the ground is totally fine, because it is so elevated there is never any slop or standing water, and they do a fantastic job of putting stone dust in front of the jumps so the ground isn't torn up, etc.

Competitor's party... casual... for sure!!

Insights... bring a bike so you aren't hiking UP and DOWN that hill... hehe

pegasusmom :lol:

53; that "glass of wine for clarity" stategy always works for me! :D

I had two questions for those who are local to Lexington, and/or "in the know":

1) How much rain has that area gotten over the past week or so? I know it's supposed to dry out after today (so the ground has 4 days to soak it all in), and they have good turf there--but I know that up here we have gotten SO much rain that the ground is beyond saturated! :(

2) The competitor's party on Saturday night...casual dress? A good time?

Any info/insights would be appreciated!

[Dr. Doolittle]

Thanks, c_expresso--this is *very* good to hear! :)

Ugh, hillls to hike! :sigh:

(A bike--haven't ridden one of those in years :p I do work out on the elliptical starimaster every day, but still...I'm old! I hope I survive the course walk(s) ;))

[c_expresso]

I am going to be sure to walk my course Friday, so I have two nights to rest up before I have to ride it... :lol:

[eventgroupie2]

We had a good rain overnight, and are expecting a bit more early this afternoon. So it is a bit mushy today, but the ground should be darn near perfect for XC by Saturday and Sunday.!!!!!! Weather forecast (so far) is very positive for the weekend. Dressage rings have decent footing and drainage, so should be fine. And it's always dry in the indoor for stadium:yes:
Say Hi when in stadium outdoor warm-up, ankle is healing so I should be at my usual post. :D
Competitor's party is very casual.

[Jeannette, formerly ponygyrl]

Yup, I'll be there with Last Train Home - dressage early Sat, lots of time to walk and rewalk XC before riding it sometime after 3, and still in well before dark. :) Umm, yes, I am pretty much expecting to wrack up time faults this first time out, though Larry has recently discovered a couple awesome new canter gears which scream class. Looking forward to it!

Hoping everyone has seen the Ozzy Philosophy thread - Lisa and Fairweather have put together a fabulous award honoring the spirit of partnership and fun Lisa and Ozzy embodied - but pairs have to send in their nominations to be considered!

[piaffeprincess98]

Ack, so my guy is still recovering from his bruise/hematoma and he's getting his shoe back on today, but I've missed a week of riding. I guess I'm going to go and do the best I can. We've had two xc schools, but no stadium lessons since last September before his surgery and we've missed his two prep shows. I keep telling myself it's only training. I hope he's sound, he seems a little off, but I think it's just because he doesn't have the shoe. I've never asked before, but jingles please! We've been through so much this fall with his OCD surgery and we have everything going for us now that he's feeling better except for this little hiccup.

[GreyDun]

I am going to be sure to walk my course Friday, so I have two nights to rest up before I have to ride it... :lol:

Me tooooo... hey, what division are you in? Was it Training? It'd be fun to walk it with some other people! I'll be the one being dragged around by my Jack Russell & Corgi :D

[c_expresso]

Me tooooo... hey, what division are you in? Was it Training? It'd be fun to walk it with some other people! I'll be the one being dragged around by my Jack Russell & Corgi :D

Yeah I am in Junior training!! We should walk together. I am going to try to do the free course walk w/ Emily Beshear and need to walk it one other time too...

Anyone want to do a COTHers course walk friday evening??

[GreyDun]

When are you walking the course with Emily? I'd LOVE to tag along :) Emily was in my group at a Jim Wofford clinic (best clinic EVER) and I'd love to hear what she had to say. I've been meaning to get down and get some lessons with her, too...

I'll be getting there on Friday early afternoon (hopefully), so yeah, I'd definitely be down for a fun course walk :D

[c_expresso]

When are you walking the course with Emily? I'd LOVE to tag along :) Emily was in my group at a Jim Wofford clinic (best clinic EVER) and I'd love to hear what she had to say. I've been meaning to get down and get some lessons with her, too...

I'll be getting there on Friday early afternoon (hopefully), so yeah, I'd definitely be down for a fun course walk :D

Not sure about the time... LisaB made a post about it, but I am riding w/ Emily tomorrow and plan to ask her then! I have no idea if it is by levels or what... will PM you when I know more details!!

I will be getting there midday Friday in time for a nice hack and flat work session, that's my hope anyway. Would love to get my nutcase of a horse by the dressage rings Friday if possible so he doesn't go loony on me when we ride in it on Saturday... hehe:cool:

[GreyDun]

Not sure about the time... LisaB made a post about it, but I am riding w/ Emily tomorrow and plan to ask her then! I have no idea if it is by levels or what... will PM you when I know more details!!

I will be getting there midday Friday in time for a nice hack and flat work session, that's my hope anyway. Would love to get my nutcase of a horse by the dressage rings Friday if possible so he doesn't go loony on me when we ride in it on Saturday... hehe:cool:

SAME here... she has a phobia of corners (egh...) in the dressage rings. Stinker!

I'll probably see you hacking around on Friday then - I'll be on the squatty little grey Connemara who'll be spooking at nothing. :winkgrin:

Have fun with your lesson...luckyyy!

[Dr. Doolittle]

I would LOVE to both meet up with some COTHers to walk the T course, *and* (with luck!) get to do a coursewalk with Emily :yes:

I'm planning to walk the course sometime Friday evening (we will most likely not be arriving until around 4ish, so I'm thinking 5ish? With beer in hand, since I will need it by then ;)), but my first T coursewalk (done with my student who is also doing T--God willing that her mare recovers in time from her "unfortunate encounter" with the barbed wire :sigh:) is usually done with me videotaping the course as we walk it, as Erin wheels it...I would *love* to get a chance to walk the Prelim course with Emily--is she doing any Prelim course walks on Saturday afternoon??

(Perhaps I should ask Lisa B, since she had offered an e-mail contact on another thread :))

I only have so many course walks in me, since I am old (and borderline crippled--though you probably wouldn't guess this from meeting me :D), so I need to use them wisely...(hence the videotaping strategy! ;))

[yellow rose]

anyone walking cci/intermediate want to tag along? the more the merrier!

[Dr. Doolittle]

Ack, so my guy is still recovering from his bruise/hematoma and he's getting his shoe back on today, but I've missed a week of riding. I guess I'm going to go and do the best I can. We've had two xc schools, but no stadium lessons since last September before his surgery and we've missed his two prep shows. I keep telling myself it's only training. I hope he's sound, he seems a little off, but I think it's just because he doesn't have the shoe. I've never asked before, but jingles please! We've been through so much this fall with his OCD surgery and we have everything going for us now that he's feeling better except for this little hiccup.


Forgot to add last night--Jingles for piaffeprincess's boy! (I am already jingling for my student's mare; her legs were still swollen as of yesterday :()

yellow rose; we all had a good time at your show yesterday, even though I didn't get back to the barn and unload until almost dark! (I hope that one girl was okay...)

Personally, I don't like to look at Intermediate jumps up close :eek:, though I'm sure you would have some good insights to share on how to ride them ;)

[ThirdCharm]

We are leaving earlyish Friday to try to avoid race traffic (this is the worst time of year to be on the road in Charlotte, NC!), so will probably be getting to VAHC around 5? Walking Novice, Training, and Prelim courses (I had hoped to do the CCI*, but the almost $300 difference in entry fees was a bit much at the moment--just have to wait til fall!). I wouldn't mind walking Intermediate just to see how it looks, too..... for future reference.

Jennifer

[pegasusmom]

We will be in this evening - getting a later start due to a minor issue with the teenage kid, my old '95 Honda and care and feeding of the radiator!! :lol::lol::lol:

a welcome diversion!

[Invested1]

yellow rose; we all had a good time at your show yesterday, even though I didn't get back to the barn and unload until almost dark! (I hope that one girl was okay...)

Yellow Rose--any chance you'll have shows on any weekends? :D

[fooler]

Traveling with Thirdcharm and should be ready for 1st pass at the T course around 5ish. Moving up on Thirdcharm's homebred! This should be fun. . .

[bosox]

Good luck to your son PM....I know you are excited for him. I thought we were going to come down and see a few friends ride on Saturday--but life got in the way.

We shall see you both though next weekend.

Everyone have fun and a safe ride....Cheers!

[GreyDun]

Yellow Rose - Me and the BF would love to come walk the Big Kid course with you guys...beer in hand, and pups in tow. :D

[Dr. Doolittle]

So if several of us will be decending on the T course at around 5 PM Friday, how will we recognize each other if we want to say howdy? (No one has yet come up with a "COTHer secret handshake", or any sort of item of wearing apparel that distinguishes us from the rest of the scruffy, hunched over eventer types with "farmer's tans" wandering around out there...:D)

Any suggestions?

[fooler]

So if several of us will be decending on the T course at around 5 PM Friday, how will we recognize each other if we want to say howdy? (No one has yet come up with a "COTHer secret handshake", or any sort of item of wearing apparel that distinguishes us from the rest of the scruffy, hunched over eventer types with "farmer's tans" wandering around out there...:D)

Any suggestions?

Smurf blue shirts???? :)

[Lose That]

I'll be there with Third Charm and Fooler on the little buckskin sale pony at Novice, Calamity Jane.

[piaffeprincess98]

So if several of us will be decending on the T course at around 5 PM Friday, how will we recognize each other if we want to say howdy? (No one has yet come up with a "COTHer secret handshake", or any sort of item of wearing apparel that distinguishes us from the rest of the scruffy, hunched over eventer types with "farmer's tans" wandering around out there...:D)

Any suggestions?

I might be walking the training course around that time. My trainer is short and blonde, everyone knows her! I should be getting there by early afternoon with my two guys, a chestnut and a skinny, funky looking black (his coat is not shedded quite yet). If anyone wants to see us, here we were at the Sandstone CT this past weekend http://www.equineactionphotography.exposuremanager.com/g/280_-_oh_so.

Anyways, Sam was a bit off today, but we still have a couple of days. If anything we'll go to give my OTTB some show experience and at least do our dressage test.

[c_expresso]

So if several of us will be decending on the T course at around 5 PM Friday, how will we recognize each other if we want to say howdy? (No one has yet come up with a "COTHer secret handshake", or any sort of item of wearing apparel that distinguishes us from the rest of the scruffy, hunched over eventer types with "farmer's tans" wandering around out there...:D)

Any suggestions?

How about meet in the start box at 5? Hehe!

Emily's training course walk will be evening ish on Saturday, she's going to post a thing about it on the scoreboard at the event. I am excited!!

[Dr. Doolittle]

"Smurf Blue Shirts"...I love it! :D

piaffeprincess--would your trainer's initials be L.R.?? ;)

(Here's hoping your guy is okay by the weekend...)

c_expresso--this sounds like a plan! :yes: It will also compel me to get my ass ready, packed and out the door at my own barn (have to then drive to Nokesville and transfer ALL my horse crap to my student's truck/trailer--including my own luggage!--and then finally hit the road to Lexington! :)) in time to get down there by 4 or so, settle the horses in and bed their stalls, grab a beer, and get out to the start box by 5:00 :D

[piaffeprincess98]

"Smurf Blue Shirts"...I love it! :D

piaffeprincess--would your trainer's initials be L.R.?? ;)

(Here's hoping your guy is okay by the weekend...)

Sure is! Now I'm off to go start packing up the trailer.

Edited to say: He is still lame today, if not worse than yesterday, so we won't be bringing Sam unfortunately. I am so disappointed, he had all of the fall, winter and most of this spring off from his OCD surgery, this was going to be out first one back. I guess Seneca will be our first one instead. I will still be heading up there tomorrow to spectate and bring my greenie for an outing. Good luck to everyone.

[Caroline Weber]

Does anyone know who the photographers are? I'm not down there this time around but I have a number of friends in both the CCI* and the HT, and I'd love to see pics whenever they are posted. Thanks!

[ponyjumper4]

Hoofpix is one and I can't remember the name of the other one.

[Joan from Flatlands]

Brant Gamma http://www.brantgamma.com/ and Hoof Pix http://www.hoofpix.com/ are the photographers I believe.

Joan from Flatlands

[HomesteadSportHorses]

Good luck to all of you riding this weekend. I'm hoping to come and watch on Saturday some of the crosscountry. Unfortuantly i'm on the sidelines for a few years gertting to watch everyone ride until my 2 legged kids grow up.:( oh well. Looks like you will have WONDERFUL weather!! Everyone have a good ride and report in how you did!

[Firefox]

I have many friends completing this weekend one in the CCI* any news would be great!!!

[Lori B]

Ditto! Any updates on dressage scores, for example, would be very welcome!

Best of luck to all competitors.

[piaffeprincess98]

Yep, I watched the CCI* Xc and nothing too scary. One YR got flagged down by the GJ for going too fast and was eliminated, but I'm not sure there were even any falls. All in all, a good day.

[ThirdCharm]

We're at the event, my Prelim horse had a marvelous go xc! Things seemed to go well xc overall. My 6 yo did her Training stadium with her student rider, had one rail and was a bit slow but overall not bad for her first run at the level. XC tomorrow for them, stadium for me.

The trip up, on the other hand... ugh. My truck's rear end, with about 250K miles mostly hauling, disintegrated coming up through Fancy Gap. We had to pull over on the side of I-77 with semis whizzing by, chock the wheels, and call a wrecker. My hubby (best hubby of the year award!) drove his dually up from the other side of Charlotte (130 miles), hooked us up and then rode back to Charlotte with the wrecker..... The horses ended up spending 10 hours on the trailer for a 5 hour trip.....

Jennifer

[Candle]

I'm out here grooming for a friend. We really do need a COTH secret identifier :D

[HomesteadSportHorses]

The horses ended up spending 10 hours on the trailer for a 5 hour trip.....


How frustrating!!! Glad everyone is ok! :eek:
congrads in a good XC! that is awsome! I didn't get a chance to run down today to watch anything. Got too busy here at teh farm. but please keep the updates coming!!!

[Lori B]

Any way to learn the one star scores? I'm cheering for Sassy JR, hoping he had a great go w/ Laura.

[SLR]

Results are posted for the CCI* thru XC. They are hidden. Click "Events calendar" on the left hand side of the VA Horse Trials webpage. Then click on the date for the horse trials. Good luck.

[piaffeprincess98]

On the CCI results, what does DR mean? I assume NP means not presented?

[closetoperfectionfarm]

DR means dangerous riding, apparently in another thread, someone there said she was going too fast. Too bad, she was in 1st after Dressage .

[ThirdCharm]

Well, got back home okay... phew! Livi behaved for the first half of stadium, then got a little snarky and instead of setting her on her butt I let her get away with it (trying to find the fine, fine line between not interfering too much and enabling naughtiness!), which cost us three rails.... Still, our rhythm was a lot better and (for the first half of the course) she was jumping in much improved form as a result. No stadium pix alas.... I am DYING to see my xc pix b/c all of those felt great!

Goals for Lumber River: Wheel the course so I don't end up with time faults (getting there after midnight Friday kind of wrecked my course walking plans), and don't have stadium rails!

My 6 yo homebred ISH finished xc with no jump faults, bunch of time but that's okay for her first time out at Training with a student riding! Her next outing is doing Lumber River at Novice (as another student, who has not competed her before, will be riding).

Jennifer

[flyingchange]

YAY Third Charm! Sounds like a great weekend! I think just getting through SJ there is a feat in and of itself, so yay!

What did you think of the courses overall? On the average side/harder side/easier???

[ThirdCharm]

Novice looked pretty easy, Training seemed fair enough and Prelim was average--some good questions, but options at some. There was a skinny with a 4/5 stride turn to a bank/bounce/drop (with an option), a skinny house after a downhill (with an option), a bench with a turn to a nifty A/B complex (you really had to jump the very left side of a decent-sized bench, at an angle, to make a two-stride line to a cabin fence and jump out at an angle). The next fun one was a simple barrel fence, landing going down into the hollow kind of in the middle of the course (pretty steep downhill), with a corner at the bottom with a couple of strides right before it level/ascending (can you say WHOA!). Then several easy fences, then a barnyard complex where you could either jump straight across the first and hang a hard left (around a windmill) and jump straight over the second, or you could hold a line inside the windmill and jump both of them at an angle in three strides, which rode really well with only a little squint at the windmill as it spun! The water was just a log type jump, through the water, and a slightly skinny chevron. Quite fun!

Jennifer

[Dr. Doolittle]

I will post a report tomorrow--WAY too tired right now! :p

(It's tough being old and decrepid, while doing this very labor-intensive sport--and needing the help of my husband and child, but feeling guilty for sucking them into my world...:sigh: They spent their Memorial Day helping me, and now we are *all* recovering: while other families spent the weekend at the beach, relaxing! Sometimes I wonder why I keep doing this :lol: But my family does support me, and I love the challenge...probably the reason that Harrrison Ford wants to keep playing Indiana Jones ;) Except he gets to do many re-takes, and makes MILLIONS in the process :D...)

Sorry, I will take a presciption pain-killer tomorrow morning (right now I am using alchohol), and will give a full report before I leave to teach lessons...Great weekend, great venue :)

[steves]

NP means Not Passed
If not presented that would be the same as not showing at all and would not even be on the score sheets

[EventerAJ]

There was one really bad fall around 11:00 on the intermediate course. A small-ish grey horse had a terrible go at 8A and stepped badly on the rider... Rider taken away in ambulance, horse seemed okay... anyone know how horse/rider are doing? It was pretty bad.


That was Dorothy Crowell and Pikadilly. They are both ok, Dorothy's a little bruised and sore but no serious injuries. I didn't see what happened, I went about 4 horses after her so I was warming up at the time. I was a little nervous coming to that combination, not knowing what went wrong, but I had a beautiful ride there. :) I thought it was a nice course, loved the open galloping it offered.

[pegasusmom]

Just got home from a long weekend and have lots of thoughts to share about why I think the long format needs to be reinstated (a total turnaround from my previous thinking. . .) but. . . .

I am very proud of my son and his big baby horse who completed their very first CCI* with only a few time penalites XC and a gorgeous show jumping round for third place. Way to go Andrew and Bo!!

[eventgroupie2]

pegasusmom-
It was nice talking to you yesterday. I thought I recognized you from when we helped with the AEC's at Southern Pines the last time they were there. Andrew is such a great kid- I was so happy to see him do so well!! :yes:
(PS I'm the outdoor warmup steward with the broken annkle)

[53]

First off - eventgroupie2 - thank you to you and all the volunteers, you all did an incredible job this weekend, you especially did a great job keeping stadium warm up safe and under control

We had a good weekend - good learning/experience weekend for a second novice for the OTTB. Dressage was tough for him in the arena half way up the hill - I have to keep his focus from warm up into the ring and wasn't able to do it with all the new things to look at. Stadium was tough, first time in an indoor, lol. Cross country was outstanding - great course.

The facillity is incredible, and it was a great weekend, got to meet lots of COTHers, and did some shopping at VTO and thinline.

Pegasusmom - watching the job was the first time I've seen the big baby horse up close, and WOW - what an incredible horse - he just oozes class. And congrats to the YP on a great weekend. Can't wait to hear your thoughts on the long format.

[UNCeventer]

I noticed there were a lot of technical eliminations- anyone know why?

[Candle]

Any way to learn the one star scores? I'm cheering for Sassy JR, hoping he had a great go w/ Laura.

I got to see their stadium round, it was one of the few CCI stadium rides I saw. It looked like he saw the liverpool and just freaked about two strides out. She did a good job pushing him on, but he chipped, tried to jump, threw her WAY up in the air, and she just came off the side. I thought it was VERY sportsmanlike that she retired, she looked really shaken up and I think it was good to save it for another day. She put her foot up to the stirrup, thought about getting back on, shook her head, and walked away. I was impressed and I hope she's doing okay.

If, on the other hand, anyone else happened to see a certain incident Sunday morning involving a chestnut mare, a mounting block, and an UL rider behind the barn that was all the way in the back left corner, PM me :mad:

[Dr. Doolittle]

Holy Cow! :eek:

Candle, your tagline (is that what it was--from a post by Another Round?) had me laughing my a$$ off!

I just wish I could have seen more of the UL rides, and met more COTHers...:sigh:

(I did have the good luck to be stabled in the same barn aisle as the delightful yellow rose--so got a chance to yak with her a bit :))

Big bummer, but then again I was there with put-upon last-minute grrom of a hubby and daughter (teenage non-horse child, who was a pretty good sport about being dragged along, under the circumstances...but still--it was kind of a stressful weekend for the "D clan"...:p)

It's interesting to hear the reports of what happened to various riders: I have an insider's second-hand account of why the horse who was NPed was NPed, but I am not going to put it on the board, since it is second-hand info...(If you want to PM me, feel free..)

GREAT venue, but I do wish there had been more places to walk the horses and graze them!

Wer got there at around 4:20 (and I was hoping to get to the startbox by 5:00--HA! Dream on!) Since this was my first time competing at the HC, I had to run around and figure out where to go to find my stall assignment; where to get shavings; how to hang buckets; where to park the trailer, etc., etc...and of course by the time I got my horse squared away with full water buckets and a bedded stall (first priority :)), and got the essential stuff unpacked--and tried to get a X-country map (which I had to request from a kindly volunteer, since the show office was officially closed, and so no packet to be had)--it was 5:20, and we didn't get up to the X-country course until 5:25! Gah! Anyway, sorry to miss COTHers, and I had been looking forward to it...:sigh:

Otherwise, it was a great experience (though exhausting--a lot of travel in a 48 hours period), and I especially loved the X-country course: challenging but very inviting (my horse is pretty confirmed at T level, so I was eyeing the P course ;)), and the terrain was great--hilly, but not to the point where it would be asn unfair test of stamina for any reasonably well-prepared horse. I was surprised by how dry the footing was; it seems that southern VA didn't get NEARLY the amount of precip that the northern part of the state did over the past 3 weeks! (No worries for my barefoot girl, who digs in with great traction--but I saw a horse or two slip a bit on the grass in warmup, and wondered whether they had put in grass tips beforehand.)

In fact, the dressage warmups could have used some more watering! The stadium footing in the Coliseum was wonderful, though--and freshly dragged. :)

My dressage experience was less-than-optimal (my horse was tense and spooky and anticipatory :rolleyes:--but then again, she knows this dang Training A test so well that she figures she can just "take over and do it herself", dammit--between hypervigilant preoccupation with the imaginary predators lurking in the unused judges stands...:sigh:)

Luckily we had a judge who is famous for her "generosity" toward horses whom she likes, and she was in a generous mood on Saturday morning: we got a 31.5 (undeserved ;)), and she gave FIVE people in our division (or was it 6??) scores in the 20's! :eek: So we were in a tie for 7th after dressage, and stadium was pretty challenging (lots of rails coming down for people), and though The Princess uncharacteristically hit one of the verticals (it stayed up, there is a God ;)), and had an "EEK!" moment at the first vertical in the one stride in and out (she tends to want to "stop N stare" at yellow jumps), I kicked her through, and she was clean. (And didn't even spook at anything in there! What a shocker! Mr. Dr. D was convinced that she would have a mini-mental meltdown in there, and that we wouldn't be able to get around the course; he of little faith :D)

Cross country was glorious, and a great experience--despite HRH's gratuitous Drama Queen behavior in warmup (the "Dreaded Other Horses around her Syndrome" :rolleyes:), she was a total pro once she got out on course. I was trying to get as *close* to OT as possible (since I was now tied for 5th), and was cranking her into a collected canter between the final jump and the finish line, but was 10 seconds under; when I checked the scoreboard at the end, I found that I had been tied for 4th after X-country (the first 3 horses all finished on scores in the 20's!), and the horse who was tied with me had been NINE seconds under OT, so beat me out for 4th by one second :p (However, as always, it's nice to come away with anything!)

We very much enjoyed the whole experience (and very gratifying that my mare was great), and we continue in our quest to "Prepare for Prelim" in every way possible...

MANY thanks to all the volunteers (who were wonderful and helpful and cheerful), and my only regret was A) not meeting COTHers, and B) that we were too tired to go to the exhibitor's party on Saturday night (we went to Ruby Tuesday's instead...) Oh, and C) that my student's mare was still lame, and that she had to scratch...She missed a great time!:sigh:

[Dr. Doolittle]

Thanks, JRey!

From my perspective, it seemed to work better as two and one (and that's how I rode it on my 15'3 1/2" horse ;)), but I did see a number of people (including some UL pros) get three in there at T level--in almost every case where that happened, the second one came down!

They definitely walked longish (especially indoors), but you just had to put your leg on in the air over the first and kick a bit to get the distances ;)

yellow rose gave me some insights based on her Intermediate ride, where she got time faults; I noticed that this was not uncommon in the T divisions (some of which I watched; I didn't get a chance to watch any P or I, unfortunately...)

[octavian_jazz]

So, question. Stadium---

First combonation, who held for three or pushed for two? What did it walk out as?

Second combo, pushed for one, held for two?

I saw a bunch of the training rides, and it seemed to vary per rider!

Dr. D, glad it was a good weekend, and sorry your student couldn't make it with pony! :(

I don't know if they changed the distances for prelim or not, but it walked as two and one for me. I got 3 in the first (oops, it still stayed up though) and at the last we got one stride.

Eventgroupie2 - Thanks for volunteering! I hope those pigeons stayed out of the rafters over your head (I was the rider on the gray horse Sunday morning laughing at the pesky pigeon!) for the rest of the day!

We had a really great weekend. I felt like our dressage test was a lot better than previous ones, we were in arena 'C', which my horse hates and has never had a good test in, but we managed a 42.6, I don't know, I felt as if the judge at that ring was a little harsh, did anyone else feel that way? At the same time, we also had a little mishap after our 10m circle at C that extended through the corner before the lengthening...so I was not displeased with our score! Cross country was a blast, I was really pleased with my horse! My watch never started, but we ended up with about 5.6 time penalties. It seemed that the course caused a lot of problems? At least in the junior division? Quite a few stops it seemed. Stadium went okay for us, we had some sticky spots (I actually don't like riding in the coliseum, I think both of us find it kind of overwhelming, this was only our 2nd time in there), pulled the rail at #2, and had about 3 time penalties.

But a great weekend overall! :D

[ThirdCharm]

Eee, definitely two and one.... walked maybe a foot long, certainly not enough to reasonably hold for an extra stride without making it pretty icky! Every one that I saw add a stride (except for some little, up-and-down, catty horses!) looked horrid.

Jennifer

[canterlope]

GREAT venue, but I do wish there had been more places to walk the horses and graze them!Hey DD, is this a serious comment or are you just joking? If you're serious, next time you come to the center for an event, look me up and I will show you all the areas that are available to walk and graze the horses. It seemed that everyone wanted to congregate in the grassy areas to the side and in front of the coliseum, but there are huge open areas on the hill leading up to the flag poles, two large flat areas at the top of the hill, and a big open field just beyond the picnic pavilion behind the flag poles. There's also a lot of room to graze behind the winterized barns and the East Complex. You just have to know where to go and be willing to walk a little further.

BTW, I think my horse was in your division. He was the one that scored the 22.5 in dressage with Carol Kozlowski in the saddle. He ended up pulling a rail in Show Jumping, but went double clear on Cross Country to finish in second place. Not bad for his first time at Training level.

[piaffeprincess98]

Well, even though I didn't get to compete, my OTTB really grew up this weekend. I hacked around both days and rode in all of the arenas. We looked at the judges stands in the CCI* ring, we walked into the indoor and peeked into the coliseum, we were followed by the drag and the water truck and he was totally brave (more so by the second day). We schooled at the top of the hill with 10 horses in the ring and he was very attentive.

He wasn't so sure about being left in his stall. He did the usually TB things, stall walking, head tossing. We had the stalls on the outside of the Southern States barn facing the side entrance to the coliseum, but there was a mound to hand graze right in front of the stall so I think he was worried that he couldn't see anything. By the next morning he had settled and become "one of the guys" with our group.

[Fred]

congrats to all.
There were a couple of AFR babies there both ridden by Allison Springer, one, Risque Romance (for some reason on the results his name is just listed as Risque ) was 2nd at Prelim, and the other also in Prelim, A Jack of Hearts, was 2nd after dressage, but had a TE. :(

[Lori B]

Candle --

Sorry to hear they didn't complete, but not surprised that Laura made a smart choice when SJ didn't go well. JR has a big jump, and can jump many folks out of the tack, even Laura who has had him for 5 or 6 years, I think and has a lot of stick.

[Dr. Doolittle]

Hey DD, is this a serious comment or are you just joking? If you're serious, next time you come to the center for an event, look me up and I will show you all the areas that are available to walk and graze the horses. It seemed that everyone wanted to congregate in the grassy areas to the side and in front of the coliseum, but there are huge open areas on the hill leading up to the flag poles, two large flat areas at the top of the hill, and a big open field just beyond the picnic pavilion behind the flag poles. There's also a lot of room to graze behind the winterized barns and the East Complex. You just have to know where to go and be willing to walk a little further.

BTW, I think my horse was in your division. He was the one that scored the 22.5 in dressage with Carol Kozlowski in the saddle. He ended up pulling a rail in Show Jumping, but went double clear on Cross Country to finish in second place. Not bad for his first time at Training level.

I did actually go out behind the trailer parking to graze (and up on the mound), but wasn't sure (nor was the hubby) which areas were "legal" for grazing, since there were some fenced off areas (we didn't want to get into trouble...;)) Also, since my horse is barefoot, I wanted to minimize walking her over the gravel--so didn't want to venture too far.

Was your horse that beautiful grey?!? If so, WOW! That horse was positively breathtaking!

[eventgroupie2]

octavian jazz-
I made it until late in the CCI* stadium before one of the little dears unloaded on my sleeve :lol: Was nice chatting with you! Hope you enjoyed the weekend.

[canterlope]

Was your horse that beautiful grey?!? If so, WOW! That horse was positively breathtaking!Yeah, that's my horse. Unfortunately, his "beauty" often times outstrips his "brains" which is why Carol had the ride on him for his first attempt at Training. If she couldn't get him going, nobody could. ;)

[Dr. Doolittle]

:lol:

Yeah, my mare also has that problem...;)

Well, your horse is nothing short of stunning, really knockout beautiful (and he's so elegant that I thought he was a mare!), and it looks like he has an amazing career ahead of him; congrats on such a great showing in his first Training!

[polarbear]

DR means dangerous riding, apparently in another thread, someone there said she was going too fast. Too bad, she was in 1st after Dressage .

I am really wondering about this one..I know both rider and horse and I'm absolutely stunned.. I can't imagine this (DR) as both are very competent at this level. Any first hand accounts?

Perhaps eventing's knee jerk reponse, and unintended consequences have gone a bit overboard at a hardworking YR's expense..

[piaffeprincess98]

I am really wondering about this one..I know both rider and horse and I'm absolutely stunned.. I can't imagine this (DR) as both are very competent at this level. Any first hand accounts?

Perhaps eventing's knee jerk reponse, and unintended consequences has gone a bit overboard at a hardworking YR's expense..
I saw her go from fence 4 to 5 and through 5 which was a coffin. To me, she seemed out of control. He never seemed to slow down through the coffin and I could see the look on her face after going through it, she seemed to know he was being fast and was trying to get him to listen.

I honestly don't believe problems like that just start at a CCI*.

I also heard Helmut talking and said she was flagged down because she was going so fast and the horse was hanging his knees at fences and also taking huge strides. I think it is better safe than sorry in the long run.

[LisaB]

Helmut hardly does knee jerk responses. He's old school and knows fast from dangerous.

[c_expresso]

I am really wondering about this one..I know both rider and horse and I'm absolutely stunned.. I can't imagine this (DR) as both are very competent at this level. Any first hand accounts?

Perhaps eventing's knee jerk reponse, and unintended consequences has gone a bit overboard at a hardworking YR's expense..

The horse was apparently going fast and flipping its head. In the meeting, Sally O'Connor was the only one that ended on the opinion of it still being DR. There was a meeting also w/ the rider and her trainer I believe, and they watched a tape... where it did not look dangerous at all. The only comment made was, "It looked worse in person than on tape..."

[polarbear]

That's pretty much what I heard so far...

I'm bumping this because I think it's important that folks realize that there are some officials making potentially horrible decisions..There are apparently no checks and balances..

I don't believe for one instant that this pair was dangerous. I've seen them go, they are lovely, talented and prepared for the level..

Seems like any decision to literally remove her from the course should have AT LEAST been from a majority of the officials..

[ponyjumper4]

Seems like any decision to literally remove her from the course should have AT LEAST been from a majority of the officials..

how is that possible? if they are supposed to call it while it's happening, as in rider on course, how are you going to convene and make a group decision?

[carriebeth]

does anyone know what websites the photos there will be posted on

[polarbear]

how is that possible? if they are supposed to call it while it's happening, as in rider on course, how are you going to convene and make a group decision?

You're right of course...I wasn't really thinking..just seems that there WAS some sort of meeting where a consensus was NOT reached (after the fact I'm guessing), and video documentation of, apparently, a non problem. And a YR with a DR she quite likely did not deserve..

I think it's quite possible that this could have happened to ANY of us...

[ponyjumper4]

You're right of course...I wasn't really thinking..just seems that there WAS some sort of meeting where a consensus was NOT reached (after the fact I'm guessing), and video documentation of, apparently, a non problem. And a YR with a DR she quite likely did not deserve..

I think it's quite possible that this could have happened to ANY of us...

From my understanding, it was a discussion afterwards with the rider and trainer involved. As much as it sucks, you just have to go with it. They could have been having an off day--you didn't see the ride. What would have happened if she or the horse had gotten hurt if allowed to continue? Then everyone would be up in arms over how she wasn't flagged down.

[yellow rose]

They could have been having an off day

exactly, and the horse you run at horse trials and CIC's is truly a different animal after running steeplechase, not unlike a fire breathing dragon, maybe that was a factor. Either way, I feel for the girl. We know her trainers very well and highly doubt they would allow her to enter the CCI if she wasn't fully prepared and competant.

[LisaB]

I wholeheartedly agree with yellowrose. That's the point of a 3 day.
BUT, me being sneaky and bored waiting for this stupid process to finish, looked up this person's record. It looks like she did everything absolutely right to prep for this including good placings at the T3De and FHI CIC*.
So, what happened? Dunno.

[samdolly]

I was in the control area when this rider came up-no where did I hear that this rider was riding dangerously or out of control from the fence judges. I could not see the first 5 fences where this all took place. I think she was unfairly DQ-she could have been stopped and warned but the GJ decided to make an example of her. From what I heard from people who know her-her horse has very short strided so it looks like she is going fast and the mare is a bit opinionated but the girl is a good rider. What gets me is that some of the ground jury who were in the control area never saw this girl ride and agreed with Sally. They also refused to look at the video and tell the trainers, family and rider what she was doing "wrong".

I did hear about one rider whose horse looked really tired at every fence, yet they let him/her continue, I also saw riders burying horses at the trakhener-why weren't they pulled up for dangerous riding? We also have to remember that many of the fence judges are new and may not know the difference between galloping or dangerous riding.

I think in this case the GJ made a HUGE MISTAKE and should have owned up to it but they won't. Another reason eventing needs changes!:mad:

[annikak]

Who was the GJ? Anywhere to see that?

[polarbear]

Thank you SO much for speaking up..
This YR was done A HUGE injustice..Anyone who has done any kind of * level knows what it takes to get there..How absolutely wrong to be pulled up..just 'cause..

I hope folks are paying attention..cause it sure as hell could be them next time..

Sally O'Connor apparently was the lone voice that DR's this VERY talented pair...

GO MOLLY and SAVANNAH!

[piaffeprincess98]

I'm sorry, but I did see her ride the first 6 fences and thought she was out of control. I also heard her trainer being very rude to Helmut, if anything, I think he should be in trouble for speaking like that to a member of the GJ.

I also saw a few horses breathing quite heavily the whole way around. And I wish the riders had made the decision to retire, but it was the YR division. Adrenaline can take over and the fact that you have made it to your first CCI* might cause you to push on.

[steves]

I can not say whether this person desrved to be pulled off course as I am not qualified to make that judgement nor did I see the ride. However as the offical scorer I put the DR on the score sheet and I can say that this decisions was not taken lightly. Since FEI does not recognize DR I double checked with the TD (Helmut), the Ground Jury ( president Jane Tolley form the UK), and the Course Designer (David O'Connor). Since Sally O'Connor was President of the HT, and although she is qualified and may have seen the ride and made a recommendation, she was not an FEI offical at this event and I did not check with her on this. I can tell you that each of the three I talked to said to mark the DR instead of an E ( even though it would cause a problem with FEI). There was no question in any of their minds about the DR.