Vic Sjumping stables Championships

 

Team Joyce left on Thursday afternoon to drive across to Whittlesea. Russell ,Melanie,Giselle and Monique Johnstone organise a wonderful showjumping show for 3 days at their property called Victorian Showjumping Stables.The indoor riding school with the showjumps set up inside looked first class. Leeson Serrit built fantastic well designed courses that suited all classes ranging from Maiden D Grades well up to the top level Grand Prix showjumping.

 

The Friday started with lowers classes and Sarah was the head rider all day. Sarah rode LH Adelia in the 80cm, LH Albert and LH Adelia in the 90cm and LH Albert and LH Brittany in the 1m classes. Sarah had a terrific day and loved every bit of the day mounting and un-mounting and having to learn so many courses. Wes rode LH Beckham in the  Scott Barrow Horse Dentistry  1.10m class and placed 1st, this class really helped Beckham see all the action indoors,the colorful jumps and closeness of the people watching from the side.

 

Then on Saturday morning our first class was the D Grade and LH King Arthur jumped well with 1 rail. Then LH Beckham went in the 1.20m and also had 1 rail. But the pinnacle of classes was to come, the Grand Prix at 8pm that night. The Johnstone family put a huge effort in supplying a tasty dinner for a sell out crowd at 5.30pm and then to sit down in the indoor to observe some top level showjumpers. Then anyone who wanted to was able to walk the whole course with Mr Leeson Seritt. It was a very interesting moment to listen to the course builder explain each jump in great detail and why he built it and what he expected to get out of the horse and rider as they approached that particular fence. Some asked questions and many were in awe of the whole process.

 

Wes entered LH Beckham in this class but was just doing this to see if he would cope with this higher level of jumping because he is only an 8 year old and has only been going for 2 seasons now. Wes and LH Beckham went terrific and only had the last 2 fences down, Wes came out of the ring feeling great and very pleased with Beckham’s feat. It gave Wes a feeling of confidence that Beckham may have more in him yet, he did not bring Beckham back for the second round even though he was eligible, because he felt he ran out of puff at the last two fences and did not want to ask to much of him, there was going to be another show and another day to shine and this was not the time for Wes and LH Beckham. Sarah and I took Beckham back to the truck to cool him down wrap him up and put him to bed. We then all went back to cheer on the winners! It was so nice to go and chat afterwards with Russell and his fine family and few others and discuss how amazing the day was.

On Sunday morning Wes entered LH King Arthur in the D Grade championship and had 2 rails down, and then LH Beckham went in the Des Russell’s Killeater Park 1.20m and placed 1st. LH Beckham was first to go in the jump off and set a cracking fast time and a clear faultless round. This was a good confidence class for Beckham and he was settling down nicely in the indoor arena.

The last class of the day was the Raylyn Hay Supplies Knockout Stakes. Now this was a very entertaining tight tough fast class for all riders. We started with 12 pairs and Wes rode LH Beckham and Sarah rode LH Brittany. The idea of this knockout stakes was for a pair of riders to go in against eachother at the same time. There were 2 courses set up on each side of the indoor with 7 fences. The judge would ask head or tails then toss a coin and the winner would choose which end they wanted to ride at. The 2 riders would line up and wait patiently and when the bell rang off they would charge to the first fence. The crowd roared and cheered as the riders kicked and flapped their reins trying to go as fast they could without knocking a rail. The first rider through the finish flags and with the least faults is declared the winner”. So the winner of each pair stays to ride off with the next round of winners. In the second last heat Wes was against Sarah, the crowd booed Wes and cheered for Sarah. They even chanted Sarah, Sarah, Sarah and once the bell was rung Sarah was off at a canter with LH Brittany and Wes trotted off to encourage a good lead for his beloved daughter. Yes Wes caught up on the last turn home but he pegged back and Sarah was declared the winner for the final ride. It was so wonderful to see a dad happy to have his daughter win and see the delight on her face and a little punch in the air!. LH Brittany and Sarah tried their utmost best in the final round and placed 2nd and were very proud to receive that perfect red ribbon and a pair of  HGBostock  http://www.hgbostock.com/ stirrup irons kindly donated from Hayden. Thank you so much Hayden for the extra prize, Sarah Joyce is looking very forward to using her safety stirrups and her dad and mum are very pleased she will have extra protection if needed.

The Bostock Irons have been designed to break apart if the rider’s weight is suddenly shifted or if a rider’s foot is raised skyward or in any direction that indicates a fall is imminent allowing the rider to be freed from the iron attached to the saddle. Whether your foot has slipped all the way through the iron or is somehow wedged into the iron, the iron will break away.

http://www.hgbostock.com/  click here to view the web page and write up on the safety stirrups”