Lauren Shannon’s blog: Zero Flight’s on form at Aston-le-Walls advanced
Well, I have been lucky enough to event all this past weekend, and not manage to get myself eliminated before I start!
I had “Louie” (Zero Flight) entered at Aston-le-Walls in the advanced, which was his first run since Badminton this spring. He was very excited to be back at a party, but contained himself very well (only one buck in our test!) and did a quiet double clear (pictured) to finish ninth. He is now off to Gatcombe for the British open.
“Smartie” (Smart Lady) and “Robbie” (Ballyengland Twilight) were doing the novice at Aston, and they both did lovely double clears with nice dressage tests. I took them steady across country so as to give them a confidence-boosting round. Therefore they didn’t place, but I was really pleased with how they both went.
On Sunday, I went to the Cottesmore branch of the Pony Club one-day event at Fliteriss near Oakham. It is a lovely event, with lots of undulating terrain and a well-built cross-country course which Philip and Guy Herbert designed. I had quite a few students competing there, so the morning was taken up with helping them. Luckily, they all went really well so I had plenty of time to concentrate on my horses in the afternoon!
I had “Freja” (The Snork Maiden) in the intermediate, and she won the best dressage with a 27. Her jumping went well, but she still isn’t as confident as I would like, so she will do a few more unaffiliated events before going out BE.
Smartie and Robbie did the open, and Smartie did a lovely dressage test for a mark of 29, one down and clear cross-country to finish second. Robbie did a nice test and had one unfortunate pole down. However, he was very cocky across country (I think he was proud of himself after Aston) and had a very quick round! I am therefore going to try and move him down into the BE100 at Hopetoun next weekend, as I think he will need a quiet run.
This week it’s all prep for Hopetoun this weekend. I am having dressage lessons with Judy Bradwell, as well as a jumping clinic with Luis Alvarez Cervera. Gentel Lux will be making her second attempt at starting a CIC** and Smartie and Robbie are coming along for a run.
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I’m just hoping that my lorry can make that trip all the way up to Scotland, I would hate to be writing a blog in a week’s time about the extent of my breakdown cover!
Lauren
Full report of Aston-le-Walls in this Thursday’s H&H (28 July issue); full report of Hopetoun in next Thursday’s H&H (4 August issue).
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Event rider Lauren Shannon blogged on Horseandhound.co.uk from June 2011 until September 2014. Born in Brighton, she lived in America from the age of three to 16, returning to the UK to go to university after she finished school. After university she worked for Mark and Tanya Kyle before setting up her own yard in Leicestershire. Her best result to date was finishing 9th at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials with her top horse, Zero Flight.