Reynella Horse Trials Oct 09

Royal Adelaide Show

Freshmans at Yankalilla

Metro Showjumping Club Freshmans day

In the search for more clear rounds out eventing we all decided it would be a good idea to head off to the Metro freshmans day. So , we loaded up Itchy and Bundy, Sarah wanted to take the other horse she had brought down from Qld, Ted, for some jumping, and Nick wanted to take Lockie as well. ( Nick is our 7 year old son and Lockie is his 23yo welsh cob) All had a great day, even Nick ,although Lockie worked out where the gate was fairly early!! We do have some video footage of the day , so I might let the pics do the talking for a change!!! 

Naracoorte Horse Trials May 09

 The whole family made the long trip down to Naracoorte, Sarah included. We stayed with Kate's brother Guy ,his wife Sarah and their two boys Eddie and Max ( so Nlck and Broiny got to play with their cousins  instead of being bored at the event) . This was to be Sarah's last event with us before she went home to Qld, we did do a bit of sightseeing on the way to the x-country course on the sunday. Endevouring to take a short cut, I took us down  what can only be described as a goat track!! But thats another story. Saturday, the dressage was not flash for any of us, safe to say we were about mid-field, getting closer to the tail than the lead. Sarah's horse Lucy almost jumped out of the arena, Itchy was wound tighter than a scotsmans purse and Bundy was little better. Both girls were ahead of me, so I did the only thing I could think of to drown my sorrows. I RODE THE YOUNGSTER DOWN THE MAIN STREET OF NARACOORTE TO THE PUB! The bloke in the bottle-o was very clever, said they didn't sell hay! So off I went down the street back to the showgrounds. 

The next day , after our trip down the goat track, we got to have a look at the x-country course. I must say, it was the softest intro course of the season. Not what I'd expected !! Neadless to say we all shone on the course ( so did everyone else!!) Placings didn't change much until the showjumping, and BOY did they change!  Sarah had had a dressage score of 61.2% for 15th place , only 2.4 time penalties x-country and a clear showjump round.So she was fairly happy to come up to 11th in the end  . I was disapointed in my performance in the dressage .55% is going backwards, so more work needed there! Another silly rail down stopped me from clawing my way back to a top ten finish, 13th was the best we could do that day. Kate had a horror showjump round, falling off when Bundy saw something in the tent he didn't like and ran out at the 3rd jump parting company with Kate!!  Off to do some more showjumping and dressage training.

Kirkcaldy Park Horse Trials May 09

 Kate, Sarah and Geoff travelled to Meadows for the Kirkcaldy Horse Trials. All competing in the Introductory class, two divisions with Kate and Geoff in one and Sarah in the other. Kate's horse , Canterbury (Bundy) , had an uncharacteristicly

tense test for 50%. The next day he wasn't much better for her. Bundy was very , very tense in the showjumping ( bloody awful day with high wind ) have a rail down and 23 time penalties!! She almost didn't go x-country, but did and jumped clear with some time.While disapointed with the performance, she was happy to stay on( he was seriously that doolally!!)

 Sarah was a little miffed that she didn't produce a top 10 placing in the dressage on Lucid Reality (Lucy) 60.2% ( still not a bad score) put her in 16th place , only 6 penalties behind the leed. Showjunping a lovely clear round in the trying conditions, jumping up to 10th. Sarah and Lucy belted around the x-country course only adding 12 for time .A VERY happy Sarah finishes with her very first ribbon at her second event, and it's a SECOND PLACE!!!

Geoff had a 57.2% putting him in 14th spot, not quite as good as Reynella , HAD A SILLY RAIL in the SJ , but still jumped up to =8th going into the x-country. Getting a rush of blood at fence 7 &8 ( a right angle related distance) put too much angle on the second jump and Pinnaroo Jones ( Itchy) sliped off the end for a run-out, BUGGER, down to 18th place. While a disapointing result Geoff was happy with the way Itchy jumped around the rest of the course. He really is starting to learn the craft.   

Grand Cru Horse Trials April 09

 While Geoff and Kate didn't compete at Grand Cru, a pupil of Geoff's, Sarah Keast ( who has come from Qld for a 6 week stay at Lanyon with her two horse's)  competed in her first ever event. 68.8% in the dressage phase for an equal 2nd was a very good start. A very nervous Sarah set off in the x-country and jumped a fabulous ( although slow, 45 time penalties) round, then a clear showjump round for a well earned 10th place.

Reynella Horse Trials March 09

Kate & Geoff entered the Intro and the IntroA with their horses Canterbury( bundy) and Pinnaroo Jones (itchy). Kate , hoping to improve on her 4th place last spring in the IntroA. She was well on her way to bettering that result with a credible 3rd after the dressage phase and a clear showjump round. However, the eventing gods were against her when aproaching the 12th X-C obsticle the jump judges ( who were seated directly in line of sight , not more than 15m away) stood up and Bundy spooked ,jumped sideways and Kate fell off !!        

Geoff had gone well in the dressage with Itchys first test ever a credible 6th place. With a clear showjump round all he had to do was pilot a green horse around the X-C for a top ten place. Alas, this was not to be, at the brush out of the water Itchy sliped of the side for a run-out and 20 penalties. On getting to fence 12 ,Itchy didn't think much of jumping into the back of a 4 wheel drive & wanted a look to see if there was room for him( fair call really, fence 12 had a lot of refusals that day due to poor judge placement) . All things considered, it was an OK start to his event carreer, not stellar, but OK. 

Success at Macclesfield Show

Nick , Briony and Geoff Pannell, along with James Phyllis took four horses to the Macclesfield Show on the 4th of January 2009, bringing home a total of 14 ribbons between them.

Nick's day started well with him winning his first class, the under 8 rider, then to follow up he was 3rd in the pony hack (being beaten by two of Geoff's pupils ,Timika Fishpool & Kelly Smith), then teaming up with James for a 3rd in the pair of ponies. He then stepped up in the other ring to win a further rider class, with his little sister (5 IN APRIL!) placing 3rd in the same class. Nick capped off the day with two more ribbons in the novelty ring , a 1st & a 3rd in the Monte-Carlo.

Briony had a great first show, not only in the rider class, but in the novelty ring where she was second in the Monte-Carlo and 3rd in the fancy dress (as a bride).

James Phyllis rode his first show jump round on Peace in the 60cm class, but unfortunatly had a fall at the 8th jump, up til witch he was travelling very well indeed. Riding with Nick he rode Dusty to a 3rd in the pairs then 2nd in the in the Monte-Carlo. With a catch ride on Sadie, Melbourne girl Hannah Sheils helped the Lanyon team scoop the pool in the Monte-Carlo taking all three places.

To cap off a great day Geoff took two 1st places in the hunter ring, and three clear rounds show jumping.

What were some of the highlights from last year? Check out the  2008 News Archive