Success for David Britnell – Blog Update

Success for David Britnell – Blog Update

Courtesy of David Britnell’s sponsor, Timothy Foxx www.timothyfoxx.co.uk

Hello, since my last blog life has stayed very interesting!!

After our wonderful time at Barbury 2* we wanted one more run for Continuity (Brad) before Hartpury 3* so off to our first Advanced at Aston Le Walls. The competition was very well attended and organised as always. This run was our second at Advanced, so I was looking forward to having another crack at the flying changes in the dressage test. We definitely had a CRACK at them, Brad had been rather spooky and sharp in the warm up but then seemed to settle when we went down to our arena. I thought ‘right let’s put some power into this test now then’, so impulsion was definitely in abundance as he squealed his way into the arena. As the test progressed it became harder to contain his energy to the point where the shoulder in on the centre line had so much angle it was more like a western movement for rounding up cattle and the flying changes were completely over the top followed by a buck each time! We still scored a 36.8 putting us about middle of the board, The show jumping was full up and technical and I let Brad down a bit in the related distances by not adding a stride to help keep the canter better balanced, but there you go, “live and learn”!

‍We tickled 3 poles down but there were only 9 clears in my under 25 section. The cross country was super fun and I felt like we cruised round most of the fences to finish a few seconds over the time. A technical water some problems and we had an uncomfortable moment there too but the double of bounces on a turn were awesome and a couple of combinations gave me a great feeling and lots of confidence going forward to Hartpury.

Next came my 5th Vale of Aylesbury Pony Club Camp. It is always a brilliant week, being based at Hundridge Manor there were many areas for the show-jumping, cross-country, dressage, Handy pony, Gymkhana as well as a cross- course and designated hack. I was fearful that my musical ride would not be the best this year as I was not able to oversee the last day due to running at Calmsden with Sir Gawain and Master Rowan but I was very pleased with my group who rode well all week and were a pleasure to teach.My ride also got their own personalised cupcake, thanks to my good friend Connie, who I think really should offer a cakes made to order service!

Calmsden BE90 was Sir Gawain’s first experience of Eventing which he seemed to really love. Having only schooled cross country twice before he had many first time experiences on competition day. He stayed inside his first arena made of white boards completing his test with a respectable 34.3. He had practised the show jumping phase once before at Bury Farm but the audience was a certainly very interesting, so he had a look at everyone before jumping his clear round on grass for the first time. On to the cross country, start Box, whistles, spectators and a whole course of fences and he took it all in his stride. Some steering issues at 5a and then fence 6 scored us penalties but as the round went on he became, straighter, bolder and began to look for the fences towards the end, so I was super pleased with him! Master Rowan was very excited to be back out eventing and I really enjoyed finding my way on him and learning which buttons to press, we achieved 2nd place in his BE100 section.

The next day was the beginning of Old Berkley Hunt Hughenden Pony Club Camp held at Berkshire College of Agriculture. I had a great week helping my riders to develop the skills and jump some super fences. I always like to have as session were everyone rides each other’s horses if everyone is game. This session always highlights some great skills in the riders, some get a fab tune out of a slightly less reactive horse and then others sit in much better balance on another horse and others just try harder because it isn’t their horse and then you can see that rider’s potential!

Onto Hartpury International CIC3* I LOVED IT! I have wanted to ride at this level for a long time so achieving it meant an awful lot to myself and Brad. I would have never been able to get this far without the support of my family (Mum/Dressage trainer/co-driver, Dad/Sponsor/supporter, Roxanne/sister/stand in head girl/reptile guru, Grandma/Supporter/Motivational speaker) and John Whinnett for giving me so much help with my the show jumping phase. The dressage all came together on the Thursday having stayed over on Wednesday. Brad was well rested and settled having familiarised him with the arena earlier in the morning. He was very ridable in the warm up so then we were able to produce a test which Mum and I were both happy with (That doesn’t happen that often!) So, a pleasing score of 52.4 for our first 3* test meant we were placed 47th out of 100 starters. That afternoon I left Mum watching the Olympic dressage the in café and pedalled rapidly round my cross country course. It was big!

So the Friday was a rest day for Brad: Hack out in the morning, then lots of grazing throughout the day. I walked the course for the second time (Always seems less daunting second time round) with Mum now who didn’t seem particularly phased, as she puts it, she is “used to the height now”. We met Harry Meade on our way round who gave me lots of helpful input and so did Aoife Clark at combination 24. Later that day I walked the course again with Kylie Roddy who also gave me some great info and tips. Saturday was soon upon us and I felt calm and ready. The show jumping course was relatively simple but very much up to height and I had to remember to add in my distances to give Brad the best chance. I had a blast round the course and Brad jumped out of his skin for me, I messed up at fence 5 but that was the only blip so we came out with only a pole and I couldn’t have been happier with our round! Later that day, time to go fast! After a couple of delays on the course it was my turn to leave the start box, Brad had warmed up like he had just drunk a litre of Red Bull so we were both feeling ready to get cracking. The fences all rode to plan through the double of ditch skinnies on top of the mound at fence 4ab, (scene of a couple of falls later) then jump the waterfall fence into the water, over the double of skinnies in the water. After the combination at 13 I was held due to a fence repair. Back under way I didn’t mean to take a stride out to the massive box brush at 14, honestly……. just making sure I set off with purpose !! Down the huge drop into the second water and out over the corner then through the last few skinny combinations and home! Only 0.8 time faults given, climbed up from 47th to 10th!! Couldn’t have imagined such a result, over the moon with Brad. Many thanks to Hartpury for all your efforts with the ground especially and another great event!

Home from Hartpury at 10pm then back out to Aston at 6am on Sunday with Sir Gawain who achieved a double clear and 2nd in his second time out at 90 level, then a double clear and 5th on Master Rowan in his 100 section.

Sorry for the long winded write up this month, but I didn’t want to leave anything out as I’ve had such a blast. All the best, crack on!
David