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THE equestrian season well and truly got under way at the weekend with three spectacular in-house shows, writes Helen Blake.
Twin Palms Riding Centre, started off with a fun show-jumping competition. The first class was the hugely popular Treasure Hunt. In the arena there were eight fences of varying heights and difficulty; each one with a secret number and competitors could jump whichever they wanted, even going over the same fence, as long as they cleared eight obstacles.
Everyone loves this class because it's a fabulous confidence booster, particularly for beginners entering their first show-jumping event. The riders can do what they want to, giving them an opportunity to get into a ring and just have a go.
It also allows very 'green' horses to experience what show-jumping is all about. So an excellent class all round, and thoroughly enjoyed by all who entered.
The second and third classes were clear round classes with jump-offs, always hugely popular. There were lots of horses being given a taste of what's to come this season, and the third class saw many horses getting back into the swing of things, and absolutely loving it ... almost as much as the riders.
The Dilmun Riding Centre also held the first of its in-house show jumping competitions on Friday, and the afternoon started off with clear round classes - one for ponies and one for everyone else, all those entering and gaining clear rounds were awarded rosettes.
The organisers followed on with an 80/90cm class open to juniors and adults alike and finished off with the fantastic fun-filled pairs competition. All had a fantastic day, very relaxed with the new and younger riders, finding their feet and learning the ropes for the start of the season.
So the first two in-house show jumping events of the season went down extremely well, with all participants eagerly awaiting their next challenges.
Also, at the weekend, Shakhoora Riding Centre held a clinic on how to best turn out your horse in anticipation of its forthcoming show this Friday - an in-house Mounted Show, with individual classes for juniors and adults. Here the pair will be judged on turnout.
Also this Friday, the Twin Palms Riding Centre will be hosting another in-house event, a Dressage Show, with the widely-acclaimed Working Equitation Classes. There are two classes; A & B. The entrants will also be judged on their turnout on the day, after all this IS dressage.
The show will start at 9am and I will let you know how they all get on next week.
DILMUN STABLES RESULTS
In the first two classes, everyone getting a clear round received a rosette.
80/90cms Class: 1 Kathryn Spink on Spirit; 2 Fran Downes on Lollypopp Man; 3 Anne Dunlop on Waif; 4 Andrea Gowdy on Tayar; 5 Tamara Alomry on Inca; 6 Sharon Nicklin on Waif.
Pairs Class: 1 Kathryn Spink/Spink & Hannah VanDerEyken/Nelson; 2 Basel Aldossari/Spirit & Hannah VanDerEyken/Nelson; 3 Andrea Gowdy/Waif & Sharon Nicklin/Mia Vita; 4 Basel Aldossari/Leon & Hamad Fakhrawi/Lollypopp Man; 5 Basel Aldossari/Leon & Kathryn Spink/Spirit.
TWIN PALMS CENTRE RESULTS
Treasure Hunt: Joint first in the Junior section were brother and sister acts - Harrison Blake along with Luna Dreyer riding Pearl, Joshua Blake riding Ruby, Anai Dreyer gaining her place on Kookie.
Senior section: 1 Maggie Andersson riding Banjo; 2 Virginie Dreyer riding Athos; 3 Helen Blake riding Apollo; 4 Jo Cuthbertson riding Ivan; 5 Rania Kamal riding Aztec; 6 Florence Finzi riding Toy Boy.
Second Clear Round Class with Jump off: 1st Rania Al Rashoodi riding Nafa; 2 Dawood Salman riding Loki; 3 Manon Cote riding Sirocco; 4 Helen Blake riding Apollo.
Third Clear Round Class with Jump off: 1 Florence Finzi riding MissPrint; 2 Rania Al Rashoodi riding Nafa; 3 Lydia Auld riding Fine Art; 4 Stephane Dreyer riding Angel; 5 Helen Blake riding Merlin.
