VIDAUBAN CDI



WEEK 1


So, we have just returned from our road trip to France and survived! Well, almost, we arrived at the showground to be greeted with torrential rain and gale force winds- it reminded me of Spain last year!! The weather did not improve until we were well into the first week, just in time for the start of the competition and then, I have to say it was lovely, relatively cool in the mornings and evenings and pleasant for the day- we have managed to come back with a bit of a sun tan, farmers tan for myself!

The horses were as expected fairly fresh at the beginning so we had to be careful to pace ourselves so that all would have enough in the tank for the second week, especially the young horses as they don’t have as much stamina as the more advanced horses. We conditioned them in the indoor school to start with and then ventured outside - the indoor was amazing, very spacious and was insulated in a way so that it stays cool in the summer and warm in the winter being made of special wood. Because of the weather there were major puddles everywhere which the horses had to get used to, I have to say the surfaces coped really well with all the rainfall and was quite quickly absorbed. It was very difficult to keep clean however, with splatter even ending up on the back of my tailcoat!

Woodlander Rockstar got us off to a good start in the PSG, really trying and doing pretty much a clear round. Mike didn’t have such an easy time with Woodlander Dornroschen-she was first to go and there was still an unsettled atmosphere around the arena so she got a little spooked and had a few expensive mistakes. It was the same arena in which the Young Horses Woodlander Farouche and Woodlander Wavavoom had to do their first tests (opposite the main arena.) This time it was my turn to have the disturbances, I had loose dogs running around the arena before the bell went and then during my trot work I had a slightly frisky horse lunging in a pen opposite, needless to say Wavavoom got a little aeriated and although it did improve his expression he couldn’t quite manage to keep it under control. We had mixed results with the Grand Prix horses . . . Marakov really tried hard, he did the Grand Prix for the Freestyle and had to go over to the showjumping arena for the Freestyle itself which was held in the evening under floodlight, very spooky! He finished second to Beatriz Ferrer Salat and Faberge with 71% so very happy. We were very pleased that Monet was settled and halted and walked as he has been a little too excitable at past events, unfortunately a few too many mistakes meant that he didn’t make it into the Special but the show held a consolation class so that at least Mike got to take him into the ring again. Two Sox had a mistake in the one tempis and his right canter pirouette was a little bit too small on coming out- both things are usually one of his fortes so to lose marks on them and with them both counting double was very expensive! He qualified for the Special but unfortunately had mistakes in both sets of one tempi changes, again counting double! I think he was a little bit worried, thinking back to the Grand Prix, as I definitely felt him tense up.

He broke in his last trot extension as well so a below par performance. He has been so consistent for so long so any sort of mistake feels like a let down but I suppose it has to happen occasionally for you to analyse and improve, nothing stays the same for long! Unfortunately to stay on the Performance Squad I have to get 70% as an overall score in the Grand Prix/ Grand Prix Special at an away International Competition and this is my last chance . . .


WEEK 2


So, we thought we could give them a rest day on Monday but no such luck, they were all jumping about in their stables like loonies so shorts off and breeches on! It was actually a really good opportunity to work on things which had not been so good during the tests in the first week with it all being really fresh in our minds! On Tuesday we did manage to do a quick dash to St Tropez which was gorgeous. The boys had played golf Monday afternoon so it was the girls turn to go out! Unintentionally, we took the scenic route to get there and although it was very pretty I did feel a bit travel sick on arrival having been in the back of a very small car and hurled around very small lanes-yes Dad was driving! We had some lovely cake and did a bit of window shopping as well as visiting the harbour with all the amazing yachts, slightly surreal! The young horses definitely felt a little pooped going into the second week of competition so we kept their work schedule fairly light, their tests were also quite demanding with counter canter and simple changes, reinback and turn on the haunches in walk- seeing as neither of them have never really done much in the way of tests before, it was a big challenge for them! Rockstar and Dornroschen however felt full of go. Both horses had some mistakes in their tests but their way of going was really good. I took Rockstar in the Intermediare 1 and Mike decided to take Dornroschen in the Intermediare 1 Freestyle. Rockstar did a great warm up and there were moments where he felt in super power and balance, a few mistakes in the test were expensive, it is just a case of maintaining his way of going throughout the whole test where there is no chance of a breather in between the movements- a good cardiovascular work out for me in any case as I am having to get used to riding him with more power-he feels so powerful anyway and then Dad says it needs to be more! Dornroschen finished with a real beauty, just a little blip in one pirouette but Mike managed to repeat it- she won the class.

Marakov did the Grand Prix for Freestyle again and did a really good Grand Prix, just a couple of little things but a really good effort, the same in the Freestyle itself which was once again held under floodlight in the main showjumping area. Monet showed some promising work and Two Sox was on better form- no mistakes as such which is really what he has to do if he is going to stay up with the others . All in all the Brits had a very successful show with Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin winning their respective classes, Farouche (who looked amazing by the way) winning all but one of the Young Horse classes, Dornroschen the Intermediare 1 Freestyle and Amy Stovold the Consolation Grand Prix on the last weekend.

The weather had been really good until that evening, there had been mention of rain but we didn’t want to believe it with a nice clear sky overnight. Low and behold, rain followed the next day, the final day of competition. It started lightly but in my experience, like Spain, when it comes it comes proper and so it did, we got absolutely drenched for the Special and the puddles had returned!! I was really pleased with Two Sox, he really tried. I had a battle on my hands with trying to maintain a consistent contact with my reins constantly slipping and he isn’t particularly strong, I dread to think what it must have been like for some people . . . he finished with 69% so even though a good mark not quite enough for that special ‘70%’, perhaps next time!


Packing up in the rain was not particularly enjoyable with everything being wet and dirty, day we headed back home fairly early the next day so the horses had the night to rest. It had taken us 20 hours on the road plus 1.5 hours on the ferry on the way out- we had stopped in Dijon, which meant we had a longer day on the first leg from home, this time we decided to reverse it and stop in Reims so again, the longer would be the first day of travel-we try to plan it so that we have the shortest day of travel on the final day when we have to unpack at the other end. It is always great fun trying to find these stops when you don’t know them and with two lorries in tow sticking together can be tricky! We make sure that we are armed with directions, maps and Sat Nav if necessary. Walkie talkies between the two lorries is essential, especially when you are in Europe and phone calls prove very expensive!!


So now back at home I am having to get catch up with things, I managed to do a little internet while out in France for emails etc but still a lot to get through. The horses at home had been enjoying fitness work in the sunshine so are still in gear but will need prepping regarding the Winters- we will be taking Worldwide for the Medium Open and Torino for the Intermediare 1 Freestyle. Wavavoom will need to do a few Young Horse Qualifiers before he has to go back to stud. Internationally, we will have to see what is available. The horses who have been to Vidauban will have a short break until then. It was so sad to hear about Jane Gregory passing away, she was a lovely person and gave me so much support in Hong Kong when I was reserve rider for the team for the Olympics- she will be greatly missed.

Maria x