Windsor competition

Well getting ready was interesting, but managed it without me or Chally attracting too much mud.

Walked down to the arena and tucked in behind around 30 of the Oman cavalry, now this is the first time I have ever seen riders with bagpipes!! Very impressive, but I missed their demo due to pegging.

The warm up was interesting, worse than any hunting field with ankle deep mud, I felt really sorry for the organizers as this couldn't be avoided!

We did a practise run, then on to the real runs. In the two prelim rounds I picked up both pegs, but scored 11 for both (max mark is 12, with 3 marks for style and pace), I know where I dropped the first mark as I bumped into myself which made the recovery messy. The second one is a mystery

This is one problem with the BTA system as it becomes a bit subjective like dressage.

I made it to the final and we swapped running partners, unforunately on the first run I needed to correct Chally as she wasn't run straight which made the drill a fraction late and I missed my peg, which is came over for placing! The next run picked up for another 11 (still not sure where I dropped the mark), but was still out of the running.

The team event was next and I was running with the Frontiersmen, on the first run one team member just missed their peg, but was a full house on the next run we got a full house. Another team managed the same, and we just got pipped into second again due to style points. The winners were the royal logisitic core, but with a borrowed Frontiersmen too!

Finally SLR was next, this is sword lance revolver, the ultimate test. We were allowed to jump round the course with no weapons and Chally felt great and was jumping well.

On our run jumped the first jump attacked the dummy, jumped the second fence and attacked the final dummy releasing my sword, all going well.

Pulled out my gun and headed towards the next jump and we ground to a halt miles away from it. Chally had obviously clocked the gun and fence with balloons and just threw in the towel. Even squeezing hard with spurs just resulted in reverse, so at that point there was no consoling her and even putting the gun away didn't help, so I retired rather than embarass myself further.

Clearly more training required at home!

So a mixed day, and lots to work on, but did come home with my first Windsor pegging rosette!!

Windsor arrival

Well we are parked in mud and managed about 1m off the track before the lorry got stuck

Towed by a nice polish guy in a big tractor!

A friend is 3 lorries down and not parked in mud, so clearly I should have arrived 5 minutes earlier!!

Melton - cold and wet!

In the light of cancellations it was dubious whether this competition would go ahead.

However the stalwart peggers turned up the evening before and we were all rocked to sleep with gales and driving rain!

More rain on Sunday, but we were told that the SLR class would happen indoors, but without the final peg.

Putting the majority of clothes I had brought, I then had to strip down to new Frontiersmen kit for the competition. Frankly it was freezing and I could have done with more thermals!!!

I was drawn 3rd to go which was a relief as not too long to wait in the driving rain. I opted to use a small 9mm short nitro blank, as the indoor meant the guns were noisey.

Chally was kitted out with zilco ear plugs, plus extra sheepskin and a fly veil

I felt my round was a bit sloppy, especially as I fumbled to put the gun away and dropped one rein on the final lance run.

However it cannot have been that bad as I ended up 3rd and qualified for Royal Windsor!

Preparation for Aldershot

The first UK pegging event is next weekend, and most of my energy has been focused on gun training this week. I have been doing extensive equine ear plug testing, and the results will be on here shortly.

I also have a new lance to test this week, Harrison rods have sent me a beautiful piece of carbon and my father was able to make this into a lance in just over an hour. This is exciting as peggers don't have easy access to sectional lances, which makes fitting lances into normal vehicles or taking on aircraft can be challenging as they exceed the 1.9m set by most airlines

Lances are something you cannot easily just purchase, so most peggers are adept at DIY projects, (or know someone who can take care of this for them!). The material choices are bamboo (ideally solid), aluminium or carbon fibre. 

I am mulling over my saddle choices for Aldershot (which is in Melton Mowbray this year), at the moment I still have the WOW stock saddle, but I also have Chally's normal WOW jumping saddle. I do think the stock helps you reach, but would require a saddle change for SLR as you cannot (comfortably!) jump in them.

At the moment the weather looks pretty unkind, so I am hoping that this show still goes ahead, my lorry doesn't sink and we don't get too wet. This time last year it was almost barbecue weather, what a contrast!

Talking of lorries, mine is once again being repaired, it has spent weeks fixing various problems. At the moment it leaks.. badly! This appears to be from PRB installing solar panels but drilling rather large unsealed holes in my roof, so these are being sealed from inside and out. Whilst I am at it I have splashed out on some insulation - possibly linked to the -1oC experience

The downside is that the lorry won't come back until Friday, which means I don't have long to clean and pack for the trip to Melton Mowbray, so I need to be super organised, I think this week will be constructing check-lists!

A chilly weekend

Two days back at work and then it was a mad rush to get the lorry ready for the first outing of the season.
My brain really hasn't engaged yet as after turning up in time for the afternoon session at tournament stud, I managed to forget electric fencing tape to pen my horse!! Fortunately I borrowed some from the lovely folks at TS.

Pegging wasn't too bad, but concentration wasn't quite on par!

I was really pleased (and possibly slightly concerned!) to see how well this year's batch of new starters were doing. We have recruited some horseback archers, who seem to have uncanny hand eye co-ordination. In addition is a star from my local VWH riding club, not only dedicated enough to travel everywhere, but also seems to be awesome with the sword!

The evening (drinking) sessions are always my favourite part of camping and pegging and after the gorgeous weather of the UK and India I was thinking we could sit around the fire. Despite leaving and army major and 14 year boy with petrol together, the fire was rather limp and miserable. The the temperature plummeted.

Never fear the lorry has diesel heating and I even checked it the night before.... So it started and died and refused to talk to me! Despite boiling the kettle a lot this was not going to combat the temperature, I had a sleeping bag rather than my full gear and it was FREEZING.

No literally! See the pic, from India to this argh! And my tummy is not quite right, so a 1am freezing visit was taking the biscuit

I was a zombie the following day, and had to break ice on Chally's bucket!

Pegging did not go well, although to be fair I couldn't feel my toes until the third discipline.
SLR was a disaster, apparently not firing your gun since September and not riding your horse for 10 days was not a recipe for success and after the first shot (got the balloon!) the steering went....

So I cribbed a tip from one of my peers who just completed a near perfect round and have bought some massive sheepskin ear plugs from eBay (for Chally not me!!)

I have 4 weeks to get my act together for the qualifier for Windsor, called "Aldershot", but held this year in Melton on the 29th April

Evening Gala Dinner

This was a grand evening set in a new cricket stadium

Brit boys doing their reservoir dogs walk, leaving the girls in heels behind..

Lots of food including a car serving pizza!

 A 3D pan from my xperia

Team Pakistan

Team Kazakhstan

Team South Africa (I missed them on the stage!)

Team Canada

Team Sudan

Team Lebanon

Team Oman

Team India

Team sword round B and Indian File

Well the afternoon didn't go quite as well, we all hit pegs, but not at the same time, so we finished 5th in team lance

Indian file is where you gallop one after another at a line of 4 pegs and need to keep one horses distance between the riders

On the first run I fluffed the lance and the rest of the team picked up. On the second run which was with sword, I picked up as did Gerald, but the others didn't manage it so

The winners were Sudan, despite one of their riders getting kicked in the face and being bandaged up to finish the run