In this video addressed to Bonnie Stead, the speaker provides a detailed post‑event report on Lulu’s performance at the Tryon FEI four‑star short competition, a key lead‑up to a planned four‑star at Plantation. The report covers three phases: dressage (a 34‑point test with minor faults but strong flying changes), show jumping (successful rounds at the Hits Jumping show in New York under coach Peter Wild, confirming Lulu’s fitness and soundness), and cross‑country (a promising fast pace that was halted when Lulu stumbled on the landing of a skinny fence, causing the rider to be unseated). The speaker analyses the cause—short stride and distance mis‑judgment—and outlines corrective actions: extra distance on wide fences, a light cross‑country schooling session with Eric de Vander, and a contingency plan to switch to the Malvern Park four‑star if needed. The speaker also highlights Lulu’s overall characteristics—excellent technique, careful jumper, occasional over‑jumping on brush fences—and expresses optimism about upcoming competitions, while concluding with personal greetings and plans to visit Bonnie in November.
Chapters
This is a video for Bonnie Stead. Well, Bon Bon, we took Lulu down to try on and she contested the four star short. This was one of her lead up events. Hopefully to Po. It all went well. Until it didn't Bon. About halfway through the cross country course, Lulu stumbled on a, on the landing side of a jump and then I tipped off and landed on my feet and then we had the lonely walk home. Anyway, the competition started well. She did quite well in the dressage. She got a little bit hot nervous in some of the movements. But all in all her flat work and her dressage is getting better and better. This is a dressage test that was on Friday morning. She was the first to go in the four star and I think she scored a 34. But there was just a couple little messy bits just like that halt there. She looks up in the air and had one leg out. The good news is her flying changes were perfect. And generally speaking she's getting more and more confirmed at the top level of the sport here. Last week we took her up to Sogarty's up in New York to the Hits Jumping show and I jumped her in the Meter 20 and Meter 30 class. Peter Wild was up there coaching. She was fantastic in both rounds. So she's, she's jumping very well, she's very, very fit and touchwood, she's been very, very sound. You know, obviously my goal is to take her over to Po. So with this competition I really wanted to go fast in the cross country and get used to going really quick and she was a good girl in the cross country. There's a little bit that we got the first few fences of the course, but we actually were jumping very well and basically there was a mound with two, two skinny fences on a very, very long two strides. Lulu's got a bit of a short stride. I didn't get the best distance to the first skinny. It wasn't a miss, but I got there a little bit, holding in together and then she jumped up high and landed a bit short. And then I really pushed her to get get across there in two strides, which she, she did. She took off but as she was landing after the second fence she, she basically just tripped and stumbled on the this, the back corner of the jump and I nearly stayed on her but she sort of landed and stumbled and took a trip and then I just popped off the side. So I was a bit disappointing because we were really looking to be very competitive there. I think, I don't think we would have won it, but I Think we would have been second if I would have continued on the pace I was going around the course so it was a little bit unlucky but also a little bit. I've got to make sure that on the big wide fences that I give her a. Take an extra moment and give her a good, good distance. She looks like she's recovered well. So I think my plan is to actually run her back this weekend at Plantation four star in the give her one cross country round and I feel like if she feels fantastic there then we should continue with our plan de po. If for some reason she feels a bit shaky or not quite confident or whatnot, we could change our plan and just do the Malvern park four star long by saying that she's done two four star longs already. She did Bromont and try on last year so I'm sort of not too, I mean obviously it was very disappointing but I'm not too upset because it wasn't like she was being naughty. She just sort of stumbled and clipped the back of the jump. So it wasn't like she was trying to not jump the jump. The good news with Lulu is she's absolutely brilliant in the show jumping. She's been such a good careful jumper. She's very, very reliable. And it was a pretty big four star course at Tryon and she. This was Friday afternoon so we did the dressage test in the morning and then we did this show jumping round late at that late afternoon or it was early evening. One thing about Lulu is she's got fantastic technique and just an ultra careful horse which makes her a little bit tricky in the cross country sometimes because she over jumps, especially when there's a brush fence. So I think I'll just go a little bit easier. And then Eric de Vander's at my farm this week and our plan is on either Tuesday or Wednesday, just give her a very light cross country school at the farm here over, you know, 15, 10 or 15 jumps just to make sure that she's feeling good. And then if that all goes well, then we'll compete her this weekend at the Plantation horse trials which is just down the road so she doesn't have to do any more shipping or traveling. But like I said, she did a good dressage, fantastic show jumping and then I really wanted to, you know, go quick around the cross country. So she basically did half the cross country course. Anyway. Bon, I hope you're doing well. I'm going to come down and see you in November. I think November or early December. I'm going to fly down and say hello and check in and make sure you're in one piece. Anyway, we'll get back to work with Lulu today and hopefully this time next week. I've got a glowing report of her having an ultra successful run around the plantation Four Star Shore. I hope you're doing well and I'll catch up soon. Tee boxes up on the mount and good over the brush out boy. Ms. Lulu herself across the Edinburgh Bridge on over to the aqueduct.
