Bert Sheffield’s Equestrian Life
Photos by Kevin Sparrow
The highlight of the last month was competing at my first International Para Show, Bishop Burton CPEDI**. Whoop an absolute star and gave me so much.
We did the Grade 3 classes, which I had never done before. I was reclassified in the end of July. Tests are not allowed to be called unless the rider has learning difficulties or memory challenges so I had a rather stressful time learning tests on the fly. Para tests are written so that they really test the rider’s skill and there is a movement in each test that challenges each profile within that grade. The movements come up thick and fast with something at just about every marker.
On the first day, Whoop felt amazing, the training we had a couple of days earlier with Gareth Hughes and being warmed up by David Hamer of the World Class
Walk
really paid off and we won with 70%. The arena walks before the competition really helped Whoop as he was relaxed and focused.
That night I think I spent at least 3 hours padding around my accommodation room’s floor trying to get the next test into my head for an early start the next day. Unfortunately, second day went less well as I forgot the halt-rein back bit, I find tests that are not symmetrical very hard to remember and I just flowed along with the pattern. I won’t be forgetting that bit again! I feel that forgetting my test is unforgiveable as it is throwing marks away through lack of preparation. We finished third with a nice score considering my error.
Because of the change of grades, my freestyle had to be reworked and cut down to fit a 20x40 arena and lose some of the harder content. Ashley who sorted my music was brilliant, finding the time to remake it all after just finishing the original version. I went and picked this up from him on the morning before we left for Yorkshire so I had no time to ride to it or even check it through before the show. Fellow Para rider Alex McNamara helped me get the track from CD to my laptop to my MP3 player as I am useless with technology. Then I sat a listened to it through about a thousand times to get to know it.
Canter
I spent most of Friday afternoon ‘riding’ through my test on my feet on the flagstones by the loos. It was my first ever attempt at riding a free-style so the nerves were supercharged and the pressure was on!
That evening was the first prize-giving and the two test percentages were added together to give a final score. My error that morning had been costly and we finished second overall.
The grade 3s were the last to go on the Sunday in the freestyle so I had all morning to visualise and listen to my test, and work at not building up stress. Whoop and I went in after a careful warm-up as I knew he was tired. Unfortunately, sometimes when he is overworked he becomes spooky and not focussed, I think it is when he is struggling a bit. So I have to tread a fine line. Whoop grew as he went in, ears pricked and ready to go! Our quite unusual music started, a mixture of 80’s and industrial dance music, and we were away to finish with 73.42% and 1st! I was so thrilled
with my lovely horse, I am so lucky to have him.
The prize-giving at the end was awesome, with Day, Son and Hewitt donating great big tins of supplements and for the first time in my life the National Anthem was played for me. That is a strange and emotional feeling but it left me burning with the desire to work harder and achieve more. I was absolutely made up to see Whoop had his photo in the Horse and Hound report the following week, his first picture in that famous tome.
Trot
TURN TO ENTRY FORM TO ENTER 1 product per EL region
'ALOE ALOE – WHAT’S THIS THEN?!' Aloeride® is a brand NEW supplement on the market, made in the UK from the finest grade of pure organic aloe vera available.
Aloe vera has long been recognized as an important plant in human holistic supplements with regards to supporting a healthy immune system and digestive system, as well as helping to promote healthy skin, hair and nails and now these benefits, plus numerous others, can also be offered to your equine friend via taste-free, easy-to-feed Aloeride® powder sachets. 30 sachets (30 days’ worth) contain a whopping 12 litres of aloe vera juice, so your horse can look and feel his best. Alongside a glossy coat, healthy skin and strong hooves, Aloeride® can also help assist in accelerated rejuvenation and recovery and offering anti-inflammatory properties.
Aloeride® aloe vera has also been tested by an accredited Newmarket laboratory and does not contain any synthetic compounds, so
40
www.equestrianlifemagazine.co.uk
whether you own a champion racehorse or happy hacker, you can be reassured that your equine friend has pure aloe vera and nothing less or more when you feed Aloeride®. RRP: £55.20 (1 x months supply)
www.aloeride.com 01858 464550
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92