So at the Beaumont Derby they had a little stadium course at the beginning, and then you did the cross country part, and at the Alhambra derby they had stadium jumps mixed right into the cross country course! I wasn't sure how big a fan I was of that at first, but it ended up being so awesome!!
#6 blew over, lol.
We had an option of a ditch or a old brush jump for #10. I chose the ditch because I wanted Sunny to see a ditch before we got to the un-coffin combination!
There was an option for 12 too that I somehow totally missed when I walked the course!! This jump, or a corner with a big flowerpot on it. We totally did the corner! It was a decision on the fly, Sunny has only ever done one other corner before, and she didn't even look at it, lol.
The un-coffin combination!
We just had compulsory flags for the water, but the jump was set up in such a way that going up either bank would have given you a pretty bad line. So the ramp out it was!
Sunny came right out of the box pulling to gallop, and even though she was super forward, she still was listening to come back before the stadium fences, which were ALL set on downhill slopes, save for the very last combination, which were big airy verticals heading towards home. Very clever Mr. Course Designer;)
The course rode great, and jump after jump I was getting happier and happier, Sunny wasn't looking at ANYTHING, so when we landed from fence 11, I decided to go for the option, the corner, and steered her over. Not a look, hesitation, flinch, or anything, she sailed right over it and carried on! Same with the un-coffin combination, right through with no hesitation! And we've never actually schooled a full coffin before! Had a good rap on fence 8, but it stayed up, and I totally forgot I was wearing a watch until the last part of the course, but we were good for time! I was SO THRILLED!!! We had the option of a second round, but there was no way I was going to tire Sunny out just for shits and giggles. She galloped, she jumped, she was FABULOUS, sure we could have been a little more organized through the coffin, but we made time and went clear, what more could I have wanted?? Sunny did everything I asked of her, she is such an amazing horse!!
I was SHOCKED when I saw the results, WE GOT 2ND!!!!! The first place rider was 7 seconds closer to the optimum time:) I didn't even really care about the placings, I was already SO happy with Sunny and our round, but it was definitely icing on the cake!!
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