Pandora Briselden’s Blog: Bobby makes his debut!

Our Junior Ambassador, Pandora’s season has certainly ended with lots of news! New addition Bobby made his debut recently, and Pandora has really given the close of the season everything she had to make it a super successful 2015! We caught up with her to hear all the news from the last few weeks:

“Bobby the newcomer has really settled in very well and we made our eventing debut at West Wilts BE100. He was rather excited to be out at a party and our slightly loopy test got us a deserved mark in the 40’s, but he made up for this with a super-duper double clear with a few time faults which, overall, was a great start to our career together.”

“Our next outing was Monmouth where I had Bob in the 100u18 and Owen was having a go at a novice. Bobby did a much improved test for 31 which I was thrilled with, we proceeded to knock one rail showjumping but then had a great clear cross country inside the time which put us 9th.

Owen went very green in the dressage warm up and it progressively got worse and he became very tense which wasn’t helped by the fact I had to do a test in sitting trot but we made it through, although our mark is best not talked about, haha! He then put his springs on in the showjumping and despite tapping the 3rd element of the treble due to the horse striding, I was thrilled. This was repeated cross country where he made nothing of a rather huge course which wasn’t an ideal first novice so it was a very promising day.”

“Next we made our way down to Bricky for the 100u18 with Bobby and 100RF with Owen. Owen had accumulated a few regional finals but due to other aims etc., we only entered one and thought it would be fun to have a go. Bobby did another good test although a bit more tense than I would have liked and we scored 37 in a high scoring section. He then jumped a foot perfect double clear inside the time to finish 2nd in a hot u18 section so I was thrilled. Owen put his dressage shoes back on after the Monmouth debacle and although our walk work was not as forward it could have been, we scored 26.8 and were right up there going into jumping – so pressure was on, but I didn’t need to worry as we finished on our dressage and this was good enough for 3rd and we qualified which means we are off to Badminton next year!”

“Second last event of the season meant a journey up to Weston Park for the 100open. We stabled overnight and had a very early start the next morning. Owen was first and despite some frisky antics in the warm up, he did a nice test for 28 and then put in two cracking jumping rounds inside the time and finished 3rd again in a tough section. Bobby got rather upset on the lorry while Owen jumped and this meant he reverted back to old ways and the whole test was focused on trying to keep him on the floor which meant not a great mark. Another great Showjumping round moved us up going into cross country and he made nothing of a tough course causing lots of problems until the penultimate where we had a miscommunication and unfortunately added 20 pens to our card although we still made the optimum time! It is still early days though and I am not that worried about it.”

“Eventually the last event of the season was upon us and I went for it and entered them both in the Onu18 as we need the experience at this level before next year. Bobby was first and was very chilled in his test for a slightly harsh mark of 37 but still pleased. He then wowed us with two amazing jumping rounds leaving us with a double clear at our first novice which I was thrilled to bits with and is very exciting for next year. It was then Owen’s turn and he did a stunning test with a few little mistakes which gave us a competitive 29. Another super pingy showjumping round followed but a rider error at the second last cost us that fence and the next leaving us with a frustrating 8 faults but we got it back for the cross country where he did a super grown up clear with only 9 tf round a hilly track and we finished 14th. Very close to a placing.”

“The ponies are now having a well deserved break and will be back full steam ahead for a winter of affiliated dressage and showjumping before we have a crack at trials next year. I have achieved much more than I thought I would this year including a double clear at Oasby PT with Charlie who I have produced from BE80. Getting Owen up to novice and qualifying for Badminton as well as him having placed all bar one time, out at BE100 and also having a double clear with Bobby at Aldon novice. None of this would have been achievable without my extremely dedicated parents and mega groom Rachel as well as all the fantastic companies supporting me including the ever wonderful, Horslyx.”