After dressage regionals at the NEC in St. Louis, our emphasis turned back to eventing.
I decided to go back to beginner novice, partly because we were so focused on dressage all year that I wanted to take the pressure down at the end of the season, but partly because I want to qualify for AECs at the beginner novice level to take the pressure down there, too. We have had such trouble at AECs historically, that I wanted to qualify at BN so that I can have success. I want to finish AECs. That is my goal for 2023. Finish. I can do it. With Dezi, I can do it.
So we did beginner novice at Heritage Park at the beginning of October. We were in the open beginner novice division and we had a very respectable 29.7 in dressage. Then we went out on cross country and went too fast! I had a trot several times, but I got it done. Then Sunday, I knocked 2 rails in stadium. Thankfully, we still managed to get a ribbon and I ended up in 3rd place, but the upgraded place was 2nd (among the amateurs), so it was a qualifying score for AECs!
Then we did Windermere Run at Longview Horse Park at the end of October. Again, we were in the open beginner novice division. We had several bobbles in dressage to end with a 33.4. We had a nice, confidence-building cross country run. And then on Sunday, I walked cross country with Cassie and her group. She advised her students to take the short lines instead of the long options. What the heck. Might as well give it a shot. We managed to go around double clear to end on our dressage score and 4th place (upgraded place to 1st). Another qualifying score for AECs! Woop woop! We did it!
So the plan for 2023 is to continue to focus on dressage- I want to finally ride a freestyle and ride 2nd level a couple of times. But in terms of eventing, I want to go out at the novice level and then see what happens from there. It's going to be a busy year!
