2009 Breed Show

[Debbie Survila]

well done everyone for strutting their stuff - I recognised Marianne and Patrick - who else rode? Thanks for making the day so worthwhile and enjoyable for spectators.  The parade class looked fantastic fun.  remind me not to contemplate the stallion class next year as it looked just plain scary - can't imagine having to share a ring with Uivador

[Helen Davey]

I didn't catch up with anybody from here! Sorry!  I was watching the Parade though, it did look fantastic fun. Well done all. 

[Kate Dowling]

I had a pretty eventful weekend overall!  I only managed to catch up with Sarah from here and also Patrick (Tetua was in the stable next door to us).  Patrick and Tetua both looked absolutely fantastic in Red Indian costume for the fancy dress freestyle class; unfortunately I missed their test though.  Looking forward to seeing photos of them 

The best part was CRC test 5 where Toro went the best he’s gone for ages and I finished with a huge grin on my face!  The test had rein back to canter in which I only realised last week otherwise I may not have entered, so although that was a bit wonky we managed to come 2nd  .  Our other class 4-6 year old ridden PRE was in the international arena and the crowd were clapping the winners in the other ring when we first went in - unfortunately this blew Toro’s brain a bit and he didn’t want to go anywhere near the crowd after that.  If anyone was watching, I was the one only just keeping control in a ring of otherwise well behaved horses!!  We had quite a few leaps, bucks and dashes away from the crowd in the group ride then my individual show was a shambles as I couldn’t think straight or get round that end of the arena…oops  .  We were 6th out of 9 though and the judge said he had a really good walk but his other paces weren’t clear enough, I guess due to Toro ‘expressing’ himself in other ways 

My lorry broke down on the way there and also on the way home, not a great experience on your own with a stressed horse.  At one point while I was waiting for breakdown Toro kept rearing and got one leg over the telescopic part of the partition, so I had to lift his leg up with my shoulder to free it.  The second breakdown he was better behaved as we didn’t have idiot motorists honking like the first time!  It was along wait both times for breakdown, about 1.5 hours, I'd always imagined they would be quicker for some reason  :

Loved the show though, really good atmosphere and good variety of classes.  Don’t think I’ll be going on my own again after my travelling traumas but would recommend the show to anyone thinking of going   

[Marianne Rabanal]

I saw Toro in the showing Kate - you did well and he looked gorgeous, if a handful! Well done on the CRC test! The lorry breakdowns sound like a nightmare - poor you!

Neon didn't like the crowd either. He was tense in the first music class and freaked out at the applause at the end. We came 7th with some nice comments from both judges.

He then flatly refused to go back in for the fancy dress class. Poor lad I could feel his heart pounding - he was genuinely scared!

Patrick & Tetua gave us a lead in and an unknown, but very kind girl literally grabbed his rein & led him. As we got in the arena the crowd clapped again and we had a moment of unscheduled gallop! We did manage to do the class although we went round somewhat quicker than intended and he didn't handle the applause at the end either.

The standard in that class was incredible. I got to watch quite a lot and knew we were seriously outclassed. It was great fun to do although, I need to do some crowd desensitisation I think for next year or get him ear plugs.

Neon also did his first ever Medium dressage test with my friend Emma in which he managed 4th place.

[sarah clark]

Hi Kate and Marianne!
You both do yourself down! I ended up stewarding the Spanish classes in the main arena on Saturday/writing for the dressage to music and the Spanish outside on the Sunday. I saw most of the classes that Toro entered, Kate, and he looked fantastic! Tony the judge made some very nice comments about him in the Spanish ridden, Kate .  Marianne and Neon looked magnificent in the dressage in the evening as well - I take my hat off to you Marianne - that must be so daunting to go in front of so many people with all of the noise and lights - but such a buzz I would think I was so itching to see you at last - when I saw your name on the sheet I had to try to stop squeaking!

All in all, a fantastic weekend - brilliantly organised and one of the high spots of 2009 (at least for me ) I think!

[Helen Davey]

I didn't catch up with any of you to speak to but you all looked great! Well done! 

[Marianne Rabanal]

Thank you very much Sarah!   
It was great fun even if Neon wouldn't agree. It was a fantastic weekend and I am very grateful to all the organisers and helpers who put it together.


Well if anyone would like to see the videos of Neon, the 'normal' dressage to music is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAjj4WT_p0c


And the costume freestyle is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOGhrYbu4ZI

This one is minus the first 30 seconds or so as there was a music mix up and my friend Alison had to race over and sort it out, then race back and start videoing!

Neon doesn't look nearly as scared as he felt!

[Kate Dowling]

thanks Marianne and Sarah for the very kind comments!  Marianne I can't see your videos here at work (youtube is banned) but will look at home.  Sounds like you had a wonderful time though, and congratulations for doing both freestyle classes, it's really scary in the big arena (or maybe I'm just a wimp  ).  Also for Neon to come 4th in the Medium is fab, I missed his performances but heard the standard in the test was high.  Well done!! 

[Sue Durkan]

Thoroughly enjoyed your dressage to music, Patrick.  10 out 0f 10 for entertainment.   This was the only class I managed to see - and then not all of it.  Can't believe this time last year I attended the luso show for 1st time as a spectator and Vulcao was still a stallion working with wild bulls on a stud farm in Portugal - with the scars to prove it!   Hoped to be able to ride at this year's special show, but it still seemed like a dream.  10 days later I was on a flight to Lisbon to stay at Pedro Neves' yard and look at horses, and on the last day he took me to see Vulcao.  There was this little dun, plaited up, hooves oiled, among the big greys bred at the stud.  I took one look and thought wow.  As soon as I sat on him it was double wow.  And so the dream did come true, thanks to Howard and Loretta Boswell who gave Vulcao a lift to the breed show.  And amazingly we came home with a 6th in novice horse!!

Apologies to anyone in the pure bred gelding class - Vulcao hasn't learned to stand still in the line up and though we try not to get in anyone's way we don't always achieve it.  But he did stand in his classes on Sunday - he was probably too knackered, he did a lot of yawning on Sunday morning.  There were some very noisy stallions near his stable.

It was a brilliant show and we both learned a lot.  Vulcao's on a sharp learning curve.  His first show was the local riding club's indoor show in January.   The lorry broke down on the way, so we were late arriving and it was straight into the arena.  As soon as he saw the other horses he started rearing.  When I asked him to leave the line up he reared.  He added a few rears to our show.  When the audience applauded he reared.  All in all, he made quite an impression.  Then he decided there was too much going on and didn't want to go home.  It took 2 hours to persuade him to go up the ramp, after more rearing.  But then, his name is Portuguese for Volcano.

His next show was Warrington, his first time on a showground, yet no rearing!!  He still wouldn't stand still in the line up, but didn't put a hoof wrong in our show and came 4th, thanks to Pedro putting us though our paces at a 2 day clinic before the show.  Was anyone at Warrington?  Pedro gave a brilliant demo of garrocha on Traviata, the mare he gave his demo on at the dressage championships last autumn. 

Vulcao's been to 3 indoor unaffiliated dressage competitions.  The first 2 he kept spooking at the judge's table.  Even though he settled after being ridden past the table before the tests, the judge obviously looked very scary when coming down the centre line.  By the 3rd competition he was quite chilled, no spooking, and he won the novice.   We did 2a at the breed show.  He saw dressage boards for the first time and thought he should jump over then plough through them, so we left the arena twice!  Good job it wasn't a BD test.

Still can't believe how lucky I am to have found Vulcao.  He's gathering qute a fan club wherever he goes and keeps getting his photo in the local horsey magazine.  Other riders are now recognising him when we hack out.  He hacks out with a retired police horse who holds his hoof when he sees something scary - which is quite often.  He still gets excited when he sees a herd of bullocks yet completely ignores cows.

Sorry it's been so long since I posted.  My computer died.  It's just come out of intensive care and is working - for now.

[Debbie Dunbar]

Err.. Piccies.. please??

[Patrick Kempe]

... Err coming in a moment

[Martina Pope]

Errrrrr long moment ...........piccies pleaseeeeeeeeeee

[Patrick Kempe]

Erm ... just a pregnant pause!!

I've got as far as putting up some pics and a video on Tetuãs website. If you go into my website and then click on Tetuã's head, then click on 'June 09' it will take you to the photos.

[Martina Pope]

Kool    Whens it due.    Kool photos