Rosa Cha Reserve Champion at CBLM Finals

Reserve Champion Rosa Cha W gets a pat from one of her owners, Sarah Reese

Caitlin, Devon and I took Rosa, Sea Lord, Duvent, London Venture, Comet and Rembrandt,(Devon Seery’s horse; Devon is my new working student) to Lexington, Virginia for the CBLM Championships.

Friday we started with the training CBLM championships. Rosa was the last of about 38 horses to go and she was good, she’s a hot horse and was a little excited when we got there. I had to spend a lot of time showing her everything – I felt like I was at an event, she was so hot! She was reserve champion with 72%. It was great to have one of her owners, Sarah Reese there – unfortunately Jacky Gilbertson and Faye Woolf couldn’t make it but it was great to have Sarah there.

The next day Rosa did her first first level test and finished second with 71%, she was a little wobbly here and there but it was good for her first time at that level.

Also on Friday was the 2nd level CBLM champs. I rode London Venture in the morning and Duvent in the afternoon; that was also a big class and the championships were in the big coliseum. London Venture was a little spooky – not bad but it made him tense and he finished 8th which was still a good result for him. Duvent was also a little tense – you could hear a pin drop there was so much tension in the coliseum but he was good and finished 3rd.

Larry Smith and Melinda Walton and their friend Pam Murphy came out to watch us go and they were very happy with Duvent; we also had a great time with them!

On Saturday I had Sea Lord in the PSG finals at 8:00 at night. It was under lights in the coliseum and he was really good. I kind of let him down because I made an error, which is so stupid because I’ve ridden the PSG test so many times! It’s a CDI and the judges commented on the tension in his top line. I agree with that and worked really hard to get him relaxed and supple. I changed my warm-up a little and he was so good, and he still has room to improve. He finished 4th and would have been 2nd without the error. It was a strong field so we couldn’t afford to make a mistake, but I did. Overall the test is getting to be how it should be so I’m excited with his progress.

Also on Saturday Devon rode her final in the junior training division. She’s a very talented young rider; she’s not very experienced but she has a nice horse and we’ve been working hard. She was reserve champion out of more than 30 horses and I’m very proud of her!

Sunday morning poor Sea Lord, who had his awards at 10pm Saturday, had to be in the ring at 8am – we had to pull him out of the stall at 6am, thank God he’s a thoroughbred! It’s not like him but he was a bit tired from the whole thing. He was still good, though I lost the trot a bit because I had to push him, which is unusual. Neither of us made any mistakes but it’s always a little bit of a disadvantage to be first in the ring. We scored 63% and weren’t in the ribbons, which was disappointing, but I was happy with how he went. I know he’s going to be a grand prix horse; it’s easier for warmbloods than thoroughbreds but I know he can do it. Shannon Stimson and her husband came to watch and had to leave home at four in the morning to catch our ride! It was great to have them there watching us.

Sunday afternoon London Venture was in the 1st level final. He was much better than the first day. He scored 64.7% and finished outside the ribbons.

Devon had another exciting result in the 1st level Junior championship. She was so nervous because it was probably the biggest show she’s ever been in! She went in the ring feeling so sick, but she held it together and rode beautifully and won the championship. She jumped off her horse and ran to the bathroom after the test to be sick, she was so nervous, and we were all laughing and giving her a hard time about getting so nervous but it was a great result for her!

Comet was good, he did the 3rd level champs on Saturday and scored 62%; I was a little disappointed with that and we were just out of the ribbons. On Sunday he was in the 4th level and did a good test, but he gets a little excited and quick in the canter. As soon as the judges see that tension they give a lot of 6’s. He finished 7th which was good since he’s green at that level and there was a lot of competition.

Complete results from the show are available here.

Today I’m heading to Maryland to teach a clinic and next week we’re off to France where Boyd is going to ride Remington at the Pau CCI****!

-Silva