Photo memories from September Hunter Trial at Rosehill

By Wiola Grabowska

It doesn’t always happen that we manage to coordinate the riders from both yards I run the Academy from but this time both the London and Brackenhill Stud based riders were able to do the same event on the same day.

If someone told me three years ago that this little coaching project will have grown as it has and included all these fantastically supportive members and committed riders it has right now, I probably would have told them not to be so stupidly optimistic 😉 Here’s to another three years and what they bring!

Aisha on Prince and Del on Boo. Photo by Mitchell Gash. For Aisha the mission was to take Prince round safely around their first hunter trial together. For Del – well, it was his first hunter trial full stop so the aim was to complete safely! He first got the taste of XC riding during the Summer Camp in August and we organised for additional two schooling sessions before the Trials. 

Kate with Jack (left) and Kelly with Mojo (right) getting ready for the 70cm pairs. It was Mojo’s first hunter trial after several XC schooling sessions at a few venues and Kelly’s major goal was to give him a fun, confidence giving round to teach him the ropes.

Caitlin and Mollie – after several very nervous XC attempts, this was to be Caitlin’s first hunter trial with Mollie and we were aiming for calm, stress free round 😉 

Jasmine and Amber – another first timers together! Jasmine’s first Hunter Trial on an experienced super pony that is Amber. The mission was to enjoy, stay calm and finish in one piece 😉 They had a fantastic round! 

Tack check before the start – Jasmine and Amber

Some of the awesome crowd that keeps this coaching project on the road 🙂 

Boo and Del warming up for their round. Photo by Mitchell Gash

Aisha’s mum, Lou helping with the grooming on the day. It’s all a team effort 🙂 Photo by Mitchell Gash

We joked about it and he’d just gone and won it! 1st place for Del and Boo in their class after a clear, flowing round inside the time. Having started his lessons on Academy’s programme in January this year from complete basics on the lunge, Del has been a  fabulous student, progressed steadily and we are upgrading the goals as we go! 🙂

5th for Caitlin and Mollie – strike a pose 😉 Lovely, calm round which will hopefully be the first of many confidence building ones 🙂 Photos by Tatiana Thorpe. 

 

Catch it Quick Photography

Caitlin took her super cob Jasper round too. We initially entered Jasper HC for laughs with me to ride him but I re-injured my hip and had to pull out. I think Caitlin had good fun on him instead 😉 Catch it Quick Photography

Catch it Quick Photography

Catch it Quick Photography

Jasper flying through the woods 🙂 Photo by Catch it Quick Photography

Aisha and Prince – super round for this pair improving on so many points we work on in our weekly lessons 🙂 Photo by Mitchell Gash

 

Kelly and Mojo in last gallop stretch towards the Finish line after a superb clear round over all 19 jumps. Mojo is “growing up” each time he goes out 🙂