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Pony Club Championships 2005 - Dressage to Music Report

For the second year running competitors got a good soaking during the individual classes, and young Beatrice thankfully had her start postponed until a 'mini hurricane' had passed by! Unperturbed by the delay, Beatle rode a confident test on Thomas and more than deserved her 3rd place with 67.5%, less than half a percent behind the second placed Helen Turner from Staff College & Sandhurst (this was an exact repeat of the Moreton Morrell competition in April when Helen was 3rd and Beatle 4th by the same margin!). Third place necessitated Beatle standing on the podium, in true Olympic style, to receive her rosette.  We missed Imogen Murray who was unable to compete having 'worn Henry out' with their showing successes the previous week.

The two big chestnuts were having an off day; Oscar having had a well earned rest after Catton Horse Trials was 'fresh' to say the least and towed Sarah around the arena to take up a place somewhere near the bottom!  Llyndon uncharacteristically suffered stage fright, whether it was the flapping flags, dropping of cutlery in the adjoining marquee or fear of the impending hurricane (Beatle was the next rider) we shall never know - Sarah revealed that he was actually trembling on the centre line, so all credit to her for completing the test and still be smiling!  Class 2 for Area competitors or previous winners was won by Nicola Wilson from Chiddingfold with a score of 81.67% and she also took the overall prize of the Craddock Rose Bowl. This score was some 8% ahead of the second place which is a very signiificant margin.

So decision time - do we take the chestnuts into the pairs or call it a day?  Well the sun came out and we saw blue skies.  The two Sarahs decided that they would work in, and both agreed they were happy to have a go.  Above all, their finale to 'Walkin on sunshine' seemed appropriate to the change in the weather, and what a change in fortune for the Atherstone pair as well - they were the last to go and won the class!  Another chance for Atherstone members to stand on the podium and receive their rosettes and trophy.  They scored 70.67 against 69.33 in second place. Last years winners, two little shetlands from Devon & Somerset, riding to The Wurzels 'Combined Harvester' were third on 67%.

There is a moral to be learnt from riding dressage to music - if your first test is horrid don't give up, have another go!  Now that we have Atherstone engraved on three of the five DTM trophies, our target for 2006 must be to win the Salver (Class 2) and the Associates Trophy - lets get cracking!

(Report by Annette Gibson)
 
 
Interested in trying Dressage to Music?
 
Dressage to Music is a fun and different approach to classical dressage that involves riding a test to music. Its not as hard as you may think and the members who have taken part have all really enjoyed training for and taking part in competitions. There is a useful page on the branch web site that explains dressage music (click here to view), or why not speak to one of the competitors/parents who already competes at Dressage to Music competitions.