Combined Training Qualifier Sparsholt, August 25

By Diane Williams.

I personally hate being late on at a competition as I really don’t know what to do with myself all day before it is time to leave, when the weather is as dry as it has been there isn’t even any mud to scrape off! Anyway for the Combined Training comp I was in after 4pm but this did mean that the amazing Claire who had competed early in the morning and came a brilliant 2nd! and Tiff (who was free as her pony was off games) volunteered to come with me which was lovely. We arrived with plenty of time and managed to park right next to the top arena at Sparsholt. There we met up with Lucy Hunter, Corinne Staples and Daniel Searle (all in same Open Team). Corinne had had mixed fortunes with Nixie being a little spicy in the dressage but then amazing in her 80 round and went clear (leaving her in 5th place). Lucy had great dressage score of 33 and went clear and was placed 3rd. Daniel also did a great dressage score of 31.09 but was due to jump after me.
Tiff and Claire being the spot on grooms helped me tack up and gave lots of moral support. I thought our novice test wasn’t too bad so I was feeling optimistic but the 90 course looked full up to me (although Georgina M said they looked small so I decided to take her word for it not the butterflies swarming my stomach). Jumped just a few times in the warm up and then as no-one was in the SJ I asked to go in early and get it over with. Sky and I took it steady as at the Area 17 champs I had poles down in the 90 as I think I rushed him into the doubles, the plan seemed to work as he did a lovely clear round ! I was delighted, and hugely relieved, and really, really happy. Our first clear round at 90 under our belt.
Next we watched Daniel on his beautiful youngster Roy do his 90 round. They were doing amazingly until the last jump which Daniel nearly overshot, but he remembered it and turned at the last minute which Roy tried hard to make but just rolled the pole.
The rest of the afternoon was spend waiting and waiting for the results. Riding Club Results had crashed and the organisers were trying their hardest to keep up and put out the results by hand. The Novice and the Open Team both came 3rd but the true results were not released until about a week later. It was a fun day out in the sunshine and congratulations to Claire for being invited to the CT Championship at the end of September!