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Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:54 am
by DJR
Today was the CADORA (Cdn Dressage Owner & Rider Assoc.) Silver Championships and I rode my 6-yr-old in the Ammy Adult First-Level division, which was tests 2 & 3.

Panache was pretty unhappy about warming up in a crowded warm-up ring. He gets spooked by horses that come too close so I had to be creative with my warm-up to ensure he had room. He was then quite tense for First-2 due to the berms around the ring that he thought might want to eat him! But, to his great credit, despite the tension he really listened to me. More to the point, he took comfort in the support I offered him (many small pats, even during the test) and I could feel him relax as the test went on. To my great happiness, he earned a 71.4% for this test which was good for 2nd place!

He then had an hour to rest in the stall I rented for the day, so he had a nice roll (ugh, shavings in braids!! LOL). It seemed to help him unwind because he was even better during our brief warm-up for First-3. And during the test itself, he was attentive, on the aids, and a joy to ride. Here he is mid-test:
2017Sep10 CADORASilverChamps_Pan1.jpg
Panache EA: First Level, test 3.
2017Sep10 CADORASilverChamps_Pan1.jpg (72.13 KiB) Viewed 15290 times


That test earned at 70.0% and a 1st place ribbon. I missed out on being Champion of the division by a very small margin, but it doesn't matter to me. We were the only horse-rider team that broke the 70% barrier for both of our tests! And, there were only three scores in the 70s for the entire day; Panache & I had two of those scores (the woman who beat me in First-2 had the third 70+ score). That's the second show this season where all of my scores have been in the 70s at First Level, and that's never happened to me before!! I'm SO chuffed, and SO SO pleased with Panache!

Here we are with our 1st & 2nd place ribbons, and the top ribbon is the Reserve Champion AA First Level ribbon:
2017Sep10 CADORASilverChamps_Pan3.jpg
2017Sep10 CADORASilverChamps_Pan3.jpg (72.24 KiB) Viewed 15290 times


We were then asked to hang around until the final awards presentation at the end of the show. I wasn't sure why, but it's because we had the 2nd highest score of the day and earned "Reserve Grand Champion" along with a really nice fleece cooler:
2017Sep10 CADORASilverChamps_Pan5.jpg
2017Sep10 CADORASilverChamps_Pan5.jpg (144.94 KiB) Viewed 15290 times


When I think about Panache as that gangly, awkward, rain-rotty long yearling back in 2012, I hardly could have imagined that he'd come this far. I put all of his training on myself, including backing him, so this means a lot to me. He's a super horse with a wonderful brain in his head. I'm so lucky to have found him back in 2012! Yay, Pan!!

:mrgreen:

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 3:08 am
by amygdala
way to go deanna & panache!!! huge congrats!

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 3:16 am
by StraightForward
Well done. Panache is living up to his name thanks to the great job you're doing with him!

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 4:06 am
by redsoxluvr
Well done!

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 4:10 am
by khall
Beautiful guy and excellent results!! Go DJR and yeah Panache!!

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 4:08 pm
by Rosie B
Congratulations Deanna! You must be on cloud 9! He looks fabulous. Did you get any video? :)

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 4:59 pm
by DJR
Rosie B wrote:Congratulations Deanna! You must be on cloud 9! He looks fabulous. Did you get any video? :)


Yes, my daughter took video of both tests. I haven't even looked at them yet. If I get them uploaded, I'll share them here. I'm terribly self-conscious about video and was riding with my broken finger still in a splint (and jammed into my glove, which barely fit) so I'm not sure how pretty it looked - LOL!

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 5:28 pm
by Imperini
Congrats! He has grown into a lovely lovely horse!

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 6:15 pm
by PaulaO
Congratulations! The ribbons are so pretty. And so is the horse and rider...

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 6:18 pm
by Silverado
WOW!!!! Fabulous!!!!! Congrats!!!

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 6:30 pm
by Sue B
That is FANTASTIC! Congratulations DJR. How great is it too that you could share that special day with your daughter!!!

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 6:56 pm
by DJR
Sue B wrote:That is FANTASTIC! Congratulations DJR. How great is it too that you could share that special day with your daughter!!!


That was the best part. Actually, no, the trail ride she and I went on once we got home (on Jet and her pony, Sawyer) was the best part. She's such a wonderful daughter!

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 7:37 pm
by Ryeissa
I remember when you got him! CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 8:46 pm
by demi
Nice job! and congratulations. He looks like a fancy dressage horse in that cooler pic!

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 9:05 pm
by Chisamba
well done, yes i remember him and his very narrow chest early days :)

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 10:32 pm
by Flight
Congrats!! He is lovely, you must be so happy :)

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 2:07 am
by Srhorselady
Way to go!! Congratulations !

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 2:56 pm
by chantal
Congratulations!!

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 5:58 pm
by piedmontfields
Wow! You two look wonderful. Congratulations! It must be extra special in that you brought him along from that rough state to now. He is soooo handsome!

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 9:50 pm
by quinta
Congrats! What a nice job you've done with him (and it looks like he did grow some space between those forelegs)!

Re: Dressage Championships for us today.

Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 8:08 pm
by cb06
Wow! Fabulous! Congratulations, and look how far you've come. Great job!