Friday, 20 November 2015

Katie Bedwin's Derriere Equestrian Endurance Season Roundup Blog 2015

DE Endurance Season Roundup Blog

They say time flies when you’re having fun and that can certainly be said about the 2015 endurance season! It seems only yesterday that I was planning the events for the year, and now I’m reminiscing about what a brilliant season 2015 has been, whilst watching my horse’s grazing in the field on their winter break.

I always set a main goal for each competition horse at the start of every season so that all of my team now what we are aiming for and how we are going to achieve it. Every horse is different, and I am fortunate to have three current competition horses at different levels.

My aim with my top horse Elayla, was to complete our first CEI *** 160km, which we completed back in April in a respectable 2nd place. Since then Layla has gone above and beyond my expectations, picking up a 1st in a 80km YR class, 2nd in a CEI ** 120km and 3rd in the prestigious Red Dragon 160km.

A big surprise for me this season is how far I have got with my home bred part bred Arab, Burfield Goodie Two Shoes. At only 13.3hh, my plan was just to see what happens this season, but yet again she has gone above and beyond my expectations. Before March this mare had never competed above 32km, but to date she has now successfully completed 5 80km classes, and won her first CEI * 80km back in September.

I am very lucky to have been given the ride of Penhwnllys Samala De Mons, or Marley as she’s known at home. Marley is only 6years old and has a big future in front of her. Having only started competing her in August we have achieved a lot in the short time we have been a combination. Before this time Marley had only competed up to 40km, but in September she completed her first 80km class and came 2nd. This has put her in good stead for her upcoming International debut in 2016.


In total this season I have successfully completed 1434km just in competition alone and not 1km was without my derrieres. They have become a part of my essential riding equipment and now I will not ride without them! My lucky pair may even have become part of my essential exam equipment for my A levels exams, but that’s another story….

With the only event left of the endurance calendar being the Annual National Awards Dinner at the end of November, it is time for me to start planning for the 2016 season, and I can all ready see with so many horses to ride I am going to need to become Lorenzo the Flying Frenchman!  As always I have big plans for next year, but I will obviously have to wait to see how the horses come out of their winter break and start their training in the middle of December.  With Layla qualified for the Young Riders European Championships and the Senior World Championships, these will take priority and her season will be tailored towards these championships and the selection process to get there. I hope that Shoes will have her first attempt at a CEI ** 120km class in 2016, whilst also having a slightly mad desire to take her up to Scotland to do the scary Cairngorm 100miles in 24 hours! In order to start on the International ladder Marley needs to complete another 80km and then she will be ready to do her CEI * 80km early next season.

Meanwhile for the rest of the year I am concentrating on my next horse to start on the endurance ladder. 4 year old, Nahzira Bint Chatanz, or Izzy as she’s known, is backed and ready to go and is enjoying schooling and her first baby steps out hacking. She has a long way to go before her first competition, but I am looking forward to her making her endurance debut in 2015.

So this just leaves me to say thank you Derriere for all the support I have received this season and here’s to many more Derriere Endurance miles! The entire season in my lucky derrieres and I actually wore for all my A- level exams because I hoped they would be lucky for exams as well as horses!

Well done on a fabulous season Katie from Team Derriere
We are right behind you all the way ;-)
www.derriereequestrian.com 

Ultimate Underwear for all Riders
 

1 comment:

  1. This article gives the light in which we can observe the reality. Tutoring near World Equestrian Center Ocala I like this kind of blog. Thanks for sharing informative information with us

    ReplyDelete