Vale View EC, Trailblazers 2nd Round Qualifier, N.34, 16 April 2022

Venue:Vale View Equestrian Centre
Discipline:Dressage – Trailblazers 2nd Round Qualifier
Test:Novice 34JudgeAlison Pepper
Percentage:66.19%Place:2nd

Really hot day today, so very pleased to have the first official wear of my new hat with ventilation today! Also first wear of my new coat (courtesy of Lizzie) and my new jods!

Nash felt a little lack-lustre today – perhaps due to the weather being super hot, but more likely due to the fact that I timed it really badly in terms of having a lesson yesterday and working very hard in that lesson (although, I had planned the lesson for Tuesday but it kept being pushed back)… This did impact our performance: I felt we were a little earthbound and wrongly corrected this, resulting in a rushed test which was more tense than usual. Good learning here for me!

Also disappointed that I made a mistake in the test which resulted in a 2 mark deduction – I was supposed to turn up the final centre line and walk at D and then halt at X – I merrily trotted up the centre line to X without walking (hence the comment from the judge re accuracy) – which is unforgivable and shows I did not read and learn the test properly!

However, we were placed 2nd and achieved our goal for today of gaining our Trailblazers 2nd round qualification. So can’t grumble at that!!

Judge’s comments:

“Lots to like, accurate up to final centre line! Correct and rhythmic, now a little more thro’ for more balance and fluency and ease of the transitions.”