Post by mummy on May 8, 2010 18:25:48 GMT
Don't know any flat classes - sorry, but a fabulous day for Lelia Paske and Rookery Fizz who won the RI 122 M&M qualifier with a really beautiful round. Lelia is only 9 and has hunted the pony so hard all winter - a great achievement and greatly-deserved result. She also won the First Ridden WHP and I gather that the judges appreciated a first ridden pony who went so sweetly in a snaffle bridle, cavesson noseband and no martingale, not overjumping but smooth and lovely for a small jockey. To have a pony who will move seamlessly from that role to pinging round an RI qualifier is special indeed, I should imagine!
I'm sure we have all had moments of feeling that our pony is quite obviously the most beautiful, and being wounded that the judge couldn't see that too, but there was an incredibly unattractive, unsavoury and downright rude episode when the producer of another pony was absolutely livid a) that the judges spent time considering their champion when they should have known straight away and b) didn't choose their apparently superior pony. Quite apart from the fact that it is surely the judges' perogative to spend as long as they wish judging (we are talking about 5 mins, tops), when there is a competitor practically shouting, repeatedly, "This is a joke, that's what this is!" and then announcing for all to hear that the judge is a mad-woman (all before the champion has been picked) and that the other judge has made it her champion every time she's judged it, it is time to cool down. As she herself kept saying (not to us, by the way, but it was impossible not to hear) it was only a rosette! (So apparently they should just have dished it up to her pony). As it happens, the rosette was particularly magnificent, so it was fab that it went to a home who appreciated it!
To cap it all, once the winner had been announced, her complaints were such that the winner's mother felt obliged to APOLOGISE to her, which she did in complete sincerity, being the unassuming, modest person that she is! Not that it was taken in good grace whatsoever - not a well done, nothing. I can't imagine that the owner would be all that chuffed to be associated with the behaviour several people witnessed today.
Anyway, there were plenty of us who applauded the choice and were absolutely thrilled to see such a great result.
The gorgeous Kestrel won the 138 with a truly perfect jumping round - the course was not big but was very tricky and thanks to the rain, the going was really slippery. Hardly a clear round all day.
I think (though unconfirmed) the 148 was won by Abigayle Gibbard on her roan pony, NPS card firmly in pocket. I do hope I'm right in saying this, and many apologies if I've got it wrong. How wonderful if so. RI workers champion too. Super.
I'm sure we have all had moments of feeling that our pony is quite obviously the most beautiful, and being wounded that the judge couldn't see that too, but there was an incredibly unattractive, unsavoury and downright rude episode when the producer of another pony was absolutely livid a) that the judges spent time considering their champion when they should have known straight away and b) didn't choose their apparently superior pony. Quite apart from the fact that it is surely the judges' perogative to spend as long as they wish judging (we are talking about 5 mins, tops), when there is a competitor practically shouting, repeatedly, "This is a joke, that's what this is!" and then announcing for all to hear that the judge is a mad-woman (all before the champion has been picked) and that the other judge has made it her champion every time she's judged it, it is time to cool down. As she herself kept saying (not to us, by the way, but it was impossible not to hear) it was only a rosette! (So apparently they should just have dished it up to her pony). As it happens, the rosette was particularly magnificent, so it was fab that it went to a home who appreciated it!
To cap it all, once the winner had been announced, her complaints were such that the winner's mother felt obliged to APOLOGISE to her, which she did in complete sincerity, being the unassuming, modest person that she is! Not that it was taken in good grace whatsoever - not a well done, nothing. I can't imagine that the owner would be all that chuffed to be associated with the behaviour several people witnessed today.
Anyway, there were plenty of us who applauded the choice and were absolutely thrilled to see such a great result.
The gorgeous Kestrel won the 138 with a truly perfect jumping round - the course was not big but was very tricky and thanks to the rain, the going was really slippery. Hardly a clear round all day.
I think (though unconfirmed) the 148 was won by Abigayle Gibbard on her roan pony, NPS card firmly in pocket. I do hope I'm right in saying this, and many apologies if I've got it wrong. How wonderful if so. RI workers champion too. Super.