Giddy Up! 06/01/25

We have decided to have a Blackhurst Do on New Year's Day, and I have been inspired by a combination of the World Hobby Horse Championships and the Olympics. Contestants will compete in three disciplines: cross country, showjumping, and dressage. There will also be a 'best in show' and a mystery 'heads or tails' round. We went shopping for obligatory prizes - cups and rosettes. 

 

We took a few photos and made instructional videos for the contestants so they could get a sneak peek at the terrain. 

On the day itself, we began with the dressage, after which the scores are as follows:

1. Alex and Candy the Cane (30)
2. Ann Maree and Silver Steed (25)
3. Charles and Phar Coff (20)
4. Elaine and Felicity (18) 
5. Lani and Alan Stickman (16)
6. Lyndelle and Epiphany (14)
7. Victoria and Priscilla (12)
8. Peter and Horace Woodpole (10)

Alex and Candy the Cane

Ann Maree and Silver Steed

Charles and Phar Coff

Elaine and Felicity

Lani and Alan Stickman

Lyndelle and Epiphany

Victoria and Priscilla

Peter and Horace Woodpole

Our second round was the cross-coutry. I didn't get photos of the event because I was too busy with time-keeping duties, but here are some images of the competitors being led through the course on a reconnoitre.

We had a couple of late-comers arrive, so the results of the cross-country are as follows:

1. Lani and Alan Stickman (30)
2. Alex and Candy the Cane (25)
3. Victoria and Priscilla (20)
4. Ann Maree and Silver Steed (18)
5. Lyndelle and Epiphany (16)
6. Peter and Horace Woodpole (14)
7. Heidi and Horsey McHorse Horse (12)
8. Elaine and Felicity (10)
9. Charles and Phar Coff (10)
10. Liz and 'Opeless (10)

This means that standings after Round Two, with all to play for, are:

1. Alex and Candy the Cane (55)
2. Lani and Alan Stickman (46)
3. Ann Maree and Silver Steed (43)
4. Victoria and Priscilla (32)
5. Lyndelle and Epiphany (30)
6. Charles and Phar Coff (30)
7. Elaine and Felicity (28)
8. Peter and Horace Woodpole (24)
9. Heidi and Horsey McHorse Horse (12)
10. Liz and 'Opeless (10)

The next round was the show-jumping, which was hotly contested and demanded a re-run of the top three to determine the placings. Once again I was on time-keeping duties, but my trusty side kick was positioned at the water jump to take action photos. 

Heidi and Horsey McHorse Horse

We had a late scratching, so are now down a contestant, but herewith, the results for the show-jumping:

1. Peter and Horace Woodpole (30)
2. Lani and Alan Stickman (25)
3. Heidi and Horsey McHorse Horse (20)
4. Alex and Candy the Cane (18)
5. Victoria and Priscilla (16)
6. Elaine and Felicity (14)
7. Charles and Phar Coff (12)
8. Lyndelle and Epiphany (10)
9. Liz and 'Opeless (10)

Alex and Candy the Cane

Lani and Alan Stickman

Victoria and Priscilla

Lyndelle and Epiphany

The standings after Round Three have changed again, with it being very tight at the top and some mid-table shufflings, and now appear thus:

1. Alex and Candy the Cane (73)
2. Lani and Alan Stickman (71)
3. Peter and Horace Woodpole (54)
4. Victoria and Priscilla (48)
5. Ann Maree and Silver Steed (43)
6. Elaine and Felicity (42)
7. Charles and Phar Coff (42)
8. Lyndelle and Epiphany (40)
9. Heidi and Horsey McHorse Horse (32)
10. Liz and 'Opeless (20)

Round Four was Best in Show - due to my inability to upload video, I am unable to show how all the competitors took to the ring to parade past the judges demonstrating deportment and demeanour and the effort they maintained to showcase their bond with the horse. I can, however, share this photo and the scores from Round Four.

1. Lyndelle and Epiphany (30)
2. Liz and 'Opeless (25)
3. Charles and Phar Coff (20)
4. Lani and Alan Stickman (18)
5. Victoria and Priscilla (16)
6. Elaine and Felicity (14)
7. Heidi and Horsey McHorse Horse (12)
8. Alex and Candy the Cane (10)
9. Peter and Horace Woodpole (10)

As you can imagine, this had an effect on the overall standings which are now as follows:

1. Lani and Alan Stickman (89)
2. Alex and Candy the Cane (83)
3. Lyndelle and Epiphany (70)
4. Victoria and Priscilla (64)
5. Peter and Horace Woodpole (64)
6. Charles and Phar Coff (62)
7. Elaine and Felicity (56)
8. Liz and 'Opeless (45)
9. Heidi and Horsey McHorse Horse (44)
10. Ann Maree and Silver Steed (43)

The final round - Heads or Tails - was an indoor affair for the riders only, while the horses had a well-deserved break. I gave each contestant the name of either a horse that had competed in the Badminton Horse Trials or a cocktail (hence heads or tails), with possible explanations, and they had to pick which one was true. For example:

Clover Club

• A grey mare described as being 'small in stature and mighty in spirit', she was the first horse to win Badminton ridden by an American 
• Pre-Prohibition era cocktail made with raspberry syrup, gin, lemon juice and egg-white named after a popular Philadelphia men's club

(It's the drink)

This involved a fiendish scoring system wherein points could be won as well as lost for a wrong answer, and contestants could nominate others to take their question. I'll put all the questions on another post so you can play along at home. It also involved a few cocktails of our own making, so we will not be entering into any correspondence over the final scores, which are as follows:

1. Victoria and Priscilla (124)
2. Lani and Alan Stickman (119)
3. Charles and Phar Coff (112)
4. Liz and 'Opeless (105)
5. Peter and Horace Woodpole (64)
6. Alex and Candy the Cane (63)
7. Elaine and Felicity (56)
8. Heidi and Horsey McHorse Horse (54)
9. Lyndelle and Epiphany (50)
10. Ann Maree and Silver Steed (43)

We also had a packet of wooden spoons, which were given to Lyndelle (Ann Maree had left and missed the last three rounds of competition). Being the amazingly talented person she is, she crafted them into things of beauty, which I'm sure will be highly prized at future events.

Congratulations to all participants in the inaugural Blackhurst Horse Trials. Look out for futher instalments...

Meanwhile, in more leisurely pursuits, here is the reading tower for the start of the year.

Bedside book tower

A walk up Red Hill with a view down to the tardis, and over to the Parliamentary Triangle.

It's warm where we are so what better way to celebrate a derby win (Burnley beat Blackburn 1-0 in the Championship) than with a glass of bubbles in the back garden, I mean show-jumping arena.