Chloe Chubb’s showing blog: Francis makes his big show debut
It has been a pretty quiet start to the season for me this year and I’ve even managed to fit in — and return uninjured from (!) — a ski holiday during the past few weeks.
Pop has had a couple of outings to RIHS qualifiers, although we currently seem to be stuck with a bout of seconditus! I’m really pleased with how he’s going and how he’s matured so far this season — now we just need to break our duck!
Although we haven’t been doing too many shows, Mum and I did decide to brave the BSPS winter championships with Francis (pictured) for his first ever ‘big show’. Having only been out to smaller local shows in the past, I wasn’t too sure how he was going to cope with it all.
Francis’ first class was the restricted small breeds and, as we have been having problems with his saddle disappearing up his neck, I opted to ride in the oldest style show pony saddle I could find. Needless to say, my bum and legs were aching like mad by the end, but Francis must have liked it as he did a lovely show, getting all the right legs and even managing a push on — a real improvement for us as Francis has never been the most forward-going pony!
I was really pleased with him. We knew we might struggle against all the others as Francis lives out and our coat definitely was a little hairer, despite all the furmanating we have done.
We had a little break before the novice class so we introduced him to his stable. I think he thought all his Christmases had come at once: a stable, on grass with other ponies! The novice class was indoors and sadly we didn’t hold ourselves together so well in this one, with a wrong leg in our show.
We had to go back in the evening to get the results of the classes and I think Francis thought we were mad tacking him back up at 7pm. He coped brilliantly with the evening and ended up fifth in the novice — I had fully expected to be last so I was pleased with that — and sixth in the restricted, which I was a little disappointed with as he went really nicely in the class, but hey that is showing for you! I was thrilled with how he coped with his two days away having never travelled so far, been anywhere so big or stayed away. So all in all it was a very successful trip.
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What made the trip even nicer was to see a son of Jacob’s (Popsters Loaded Weapon) winning the novice class up there. I’m now excitedly waiting for Jacobs foals this year, which are all due around now. Hopefully there will be a future star for me among them! I can’t wait to go up to Popsters Stud.
Hopefully in my next blog I will be able to let you know what foals Jacob has had and may have even got rid of Pops seconditus! Fingers crossed.
Chloe
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Chloe is a successful amateur showing rider and judge, who has been blogging on Horseandhound.co.uk since 2010. She mainly competes in ridden Mountain & Moorland classes with her team of ponies, as well as riding for other people. She lives in Kent and works full-time in London, so has to fit the ponies in around work.