Well another good year at Aintree National Amateur Championships. Brook qualified for the 1.10 but was also able to jump the 1.05 & the accumulator. Trigger qualified the 90cm & 1m & was also able to jump the 1.05.
Day 1 Thursday
After a 7 hour journey the night before and staying in a strange stable both horses were a bit tired, especially trigger as this is only his 5th away show and he hasn't done a lot of long distance travelling.
However it didn't show too much in his first class the 90cm jumping a lovely double clear but sadly just outside of the top 25 qualifying places. Although we didn't go slow at all and took a few tight turns, they just fly like you have never seen and turn off 1 stride! It really is the best of the best at these championships.
Trig was then a bit tired for the next class, this was the first time he has done 2 classes in 1 day, which was a bit of an ask after the journey and the big difference in height for him, but he went really well and just had the last fence in the first round of the 1.05
Brookie then jumped a great round in the 1.05 with just 1 down in the jump off!
In the 1.10 again just 1 down in the jump off, but this time was in the top 25 qualifying places!
Day 2 Friday
Trig had the 1m qualifier and had an unlucky 4f in the jump off! I didn't jump the the 1.05 on him as thought he was too tired and too much to ask.
Brookie did a lovely double clear in the 1.05 to be in the top 25 qualifying for the finals! In the 1.10 I didn't have her canter good enough and had a pole early on then when it came to the 2nd part of the double she couldn't get out. After that I rode better and finished the last half beautifully.
Day 3 Saturday
Brookie had qualified for the 1.10 final, but I decided not to jump it as we haven't been back on track for that long and didn't want to ruin how well we've both been doing. So instead saved her for the accumulator in the evening, which didn't go to plan! She was raving mad in the warm up kicking horses and bucking! It was all or nothing, you had to go clear and the joker, in a very fast time to be in with a chance at all. So we set out at top speed which went well up to fence 5 which was a very tight 1 stride turn on the angle ready to turn back to the next fence, she just clipped it in front, but I kept motoring in case we were still in with a chance, but had the next fence which was very unlucky and fell late, she just landed on the back rail. Managed to keep fences 7 & 8 up, but then had the last fence before the joker a big oxer, she had 2 strides off a tight turn and just couldn't pick up! I then galloped to the joker which again she just tapped it behind, everyone thought it stayed but unfortunate it fell late.
Trig jumped the 90cm qualifier and I really went for it in the jump off, and was very surprised at such a big horse doing every turn, the winning pony did and only 2 seconds behind, but unfortunately had the last 2 fences down! However still qualified as fastest 8 faulter in the top 25 excluding those already qualified from the previous day. I then jumped the 1m as didn't know he had qualified until later on, so was still seeking to qualify for Sundays final in any class! I went for a steady double clear which was good enough to qualify in top 25 excluding those already qualified!
We chose not to jump the 1m championship as he would be too tired by then.
Day 4 Sunday
So both horses qualified in both classes they were entered for! What more can you ask for!
Then they both went one step better and got through to the jump off in the final!
Brook did a lovely double clear to finish 7th in the 1.05 championship against the fastest & best from all over the country!
Trig unfortunately had 2 down in his jump off or the 90cm, but he was extremely tired!
Very good weekend overall.
Day 1 Thursday
After a 7 hour journey the night before and staying in a strange stable both horses were a bit tired, especially trigger as this is only his 5th away show and he hasn't done a lot of long distance travelling.
However it didn't show too much in his first class the 90cm jumping a lovely double clear but sadly just outside of the top 25 qualifying places. Although we didn't go slow at all and took a few tight turns, they just fly like you have never seen and turn off 1 stride! It really is the best of the best at these championships.
Trig was then a bit tired for the next class, this was the first time he has done 2 classes in 1 day, which was a bit of an ask after the journey and the big difference in height for him, but he went really well and just had the last fence in the first round of the 1.05
Brookie then jumped a great round in the 1.05 with just 1 down in the jump off!
In the 1.10 again just 1 down in the jump off, but this time was in the top 25 qualifying places!
Day 2 Friday
Trig had the 1m qualifier and had an unlucky 4f in the jump off! I didn't jump the the 1.05 on him as thought he was too tired and too much to ask.
Brookie did a lovely double clear in the 1.05 to be in the top 25 qualifying for the finals! In the 1.10 I didn't have her canter good enough and had a pole early on then when it came to the 2nd part of the double she couldn't get out. After that I rode better and finished the last half beautifully.
Day 3 Saturday
Brookie had qualified for the 1.10 final, but I decided not to jump it as we haven't been back on track for that long and didn't want to ruin how well we've both been doing. So instead saved her for the accumulator in the evening, which didn't go to plan! She was raving mad in the warm up kicking horses and bucking! It was all or nothing, you had to go clear and the joker, in a very fast time to be in with a chance at all. So we set out at top speed which went well up to fence 5 which was a very tight 1 stride turn on the angle ready to turn back to the next fence, she just clipped it in front, but I kept motoring in case we were still in with a chance, but had the next fence which was very unlucky and fell late, she just landed on the back rail. Managed to keep fences 7 & 8 up, but then had the last fence before the joker a big oxer, she had 2 strides off a tight turn and just couldn't pick up! I then galloped to the joker which again she just tapped it behind, everyone thought it stayed but unfortunate it fell late.
Trig jumped the 90cm qualifier and I really went for it in the jump off, and was very surprised at such a big horse doing every turn, the winning pony did and only 2 seconds behind, but unfortunately had the last 2 fences down! However still qualified as fastest 8 faulter in the top 25 excluding those already qualified from the previous day. I then jumped the 1m as didn't know he had qualified until later on, so was still seeking to qualify for Sundays final in any class! I went for a steady double clear which was good enough to qualify in top 25 excluding those already qualified!
We chose not to jump the 1m championship as he would be too tired by then.
Day 4 Sunday
So both horses qualified in both classes they were entered for! What more can you ask for!
Then they both went one step better and got through to the jump off in the final!
Brook did a lovely double clear to finish 7th in the 1.05 championship against the fastest & best from all over the country!
Trig unfortunately had 2 down in his jump off or the 90cm, but he was extremely tired!
Very good weekend overall.
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