Pony Club Team Show Jumping
Muirmill 25 January ‘04

In mid January Eglinton Pony Club organised another team showjumping event at Muirmill, and again Ayr RC sent an intermediate and open team.

Eleven teams were entered for the intermediate class, with Ayr scheduled to jump at the half way mark. After arriving early it went pear shapped when we were gossiping and nearly missed our slot to jump. This time spent chatting, together with a team before us withdrawing, meant as I was riding towards the entrance I could hear the commentator say: "And the first rider to jump for Ayr Riding Club is Vicky Dalrymple riding Falcon Lord."

Panic!

I'd just passed Pat Somerville who was trying to decide which bit to use on Rosy so I rushed back to tell her we were in -poor Gem had one lap of the collecting ring as a warm up before going in to jump clear. Sheena Targel-Worth and Topper were last minute entries and went in next to jump clear as Pat was still getting tacked up, however this seemed to work as Rosy also went clear letting us finish on zero.

Round two - the fences went up, the lights went on and some didn't. Vicky jumped clear, I went in next and collected 24 faults with a fall and two stops at a dark double in the top corner, when the lights didn't work above. Pat had one down and Sheena again went clear for the team to finish on four faults and take second place! The only other riding club entered was Polnoon and they were eighth.

The open just had three teams entered, and the least said the better! Sheena jumped clear, Pat's stirrup leather broke (over the second part of the double, and Rosy stayed straight for the next fence.  Pat pulled up, they put the stirrup back on the saddle one hole shorter and they cleared the rest of the course, with 8 faults, one down, and a stop for their rather irregular teabreak on the way)  and both Melanie and Vicky were eliminated. Suffice to say we finished third!