19 September 2021
We finally did it! Return to BE and Wobbleberry challenge complete with mum there!! Thank you Freddie! xx
September 19, 2021 will always be a very poignant memory. It will now always be the day that my beautiful, supportive mum got to see Fred and I live our dream. We will keep going in honour of her memory. My mum was an inspiration, she fought cancer so hard and she loved her family so fiercely and wanted with all her heart for each of us to live and reach our dreams.
[pic of Mum celebrating with me, Fred and our wobbleberry mascot Fredberry having completed our first BE80 together and finished our wobbleberry challenge. ] #doingitfornanny #kickingcancersbutt
Since the days of BE with Dream, I have desperately wanted to qualify for the BE90 Badminton Grassroots. Unfortunately it wasn't going to be Dream and my destiny. But I have tried and tried since to get back to BE. Granted this is only BE80 so we still have a long way to go but Freddie absolutely stormed it at Pontispool. With just a pole in the show jumping dropping us from 4th to 12th. BUT!! 12th in our first ever BE event, and only our 2nd ODE at 80cm. If you have followed my blog you will know what Fred and I have built as a partnership.
Mum struggled to walk in those last weeks. I knew she was coming to the show but the Dressage is such a long way from the car park at Pontispool that I didn't think mum would get to see that bit. I wasn't aware as I walked to the arena for my test that my family had been able to drive mum to the field, she had walked across and was sat watching. In the test I was pleased that Fred was finally 'taking it forward' and not going into himself in the dressage test, a little inconsistent in the frame as things caught his eye, but we managed to score 34.5 which for our first, BE I'm pretty pleased with (obviously I didn't know that as I came out).
Reflecting on the test as I left the arena I noticed my mum sat just behind the judge's car and the rope, watching. I nearly burst into tears. That meant the world to me and will always mean the world to me. Unfortunately I didn't have time to stop and say much because my times were quite quick after each other and I needed to get back and do a numnah kit change before the SJ.
Mum was allowed to park alongside the SJ arena and got to watch me and Fred do our thing in phase 2. He warmed up really well, and felt amazing in the SJ, completely with me and confident.
Unfortunately I just tried to lift his left shoulder after the oxer at fence 3 before the left hand to the double, my faffing caused him to meet the fence on the wrong stride and we took the first part with us. But we finished on 4 faults
And at least I got to have a quick chat with mum after the SJ. Before we frantically got changed and ready to go XC....
Pic of my beautiful mum looking cool in her sunnies sitting with my Labrador Nelson watching the show jumping
Comedy shot of Fred and I, stood but kitted up and preparing to go XC but both looking in different directions.
The XC course start was back up by the dressage, so it was a very quick kit change for me and fred and a quick think about where the course went.
At the 15 second count down, I clicked start on my watch 5min 05 - to allow for the 15 seconds and the course time. At the 5 second count down, I set myself in line with the first fence, at 'go' I kicked on and then suddenly remembered I wasn't following orange! A sharp left hook and re-line up with the 80 log (white numbers) and we were away.
As we were going over Fence 2 or 3 I heard my commentary being read out that I was normally on the other side of the radio and was completing my Wobbleberry Challenge here today for my Mum Sandra #kickingcancersbutt. I beamed. Fred was absolutely flying so I just took the handbrake off and away we went.
Everything he did was just exceptional. At half way I thought we must be making good time, checked my watch and saw 5:06 - Evidently I had NOT pressed start but 'sec' - and added an extra second to my clock -D'oh.
In the final run down hill to fence 14ab - the haycart dog leg to corner - I tried to get Fred to slow up a bit and balance - I had clear in my head how to ride it and Fred and clear in his head how to jump it. So we didn't arrive to the haycart quite as I'd hoped and so I had to land and 'hook'' left to the corner. BUT that after all is what XC riding is about. Adapting.
We stormed the last fence to finish with plenty of running and clear, 4 seconds inside the time. GO FRED!!
The XC round bought for me for Xmas 2021 by Mum and Helen x
The course
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