Plantation Field International 2017 - Part 2

I was kinda hoping everyone else would post their Plantation recaps before me, so I could do less work. It's a strategy that served me well for Great Meadow. They're also better bloggers with better memory than me. Lots of pictures below, click to enbiggen ;) If you want more, I have them all in a Flickr album here.

Got to the show at around 11ish, with Emma parking literally minutes right behind me, completely unplanned. We're just that good. 11ish is not too early for beer and pizza, so we got some. Side note, can the brewery tent pls to be accepting credit cards in the future? So I can just open a tab?

The CIC 1* stadium was running up in the arena so we briefly stopped by there and watched the last few horses go. The jumps looked tiny compared to the 3* the day before, but still gave their own share of problems. Plus the division was absolutely enormous.

We also got to see the CIC* Young Rider awards ceremony which was fun. They gave out lots of pretty ribbons and played the national anthem since it's an international event. I was so excited for them, the girl who won was like 16 or some ridiculous stupid thing that made me feel horrible about myself. Olivia Dutton placed somewhere in the ribbons and she's freakin' 14.

After the victory gallop we watched the CIC** finish up cross country. They were running it in reverse order as per usual so most of the big names were running towards the end. Phillip Dutton galloped past us over the hunt jumps and then down to the final water, three jumps from the finish. It was down the hill from us so we couldn't see but a few seconds later we heard the unmistakable pop of an air vest deploying and then a horse running riderless up the hill.

#justlikeus

He was fine, thank goodness. Do we need to start bubble wrapping our Olympians as well??

Lauren Kieffer and Landmark's Monte Carlo

Lauren Kieffer galloped by after on Landmark's Monte Carlo who is basically a real life unicorn. So many greys!! And after her Boyd on a new mare I've never seen him on before. He was the last to go since he had been sitting in first the whole weekend. As he galloped by I said "I wish you luck, don't do anything silly at the water," which must've jinxed him because thirty seconds later we heard ANOTHER airvest pop and Kyra was galloping up the hill!!

Guys please do not be maiming yourselves at 2*'s. We need you. I just can't believe they both went within minutes of each other at the same jump. What are the odds.

Once I was done jinxing everyone's day we trudged back up the hill to the arena. Plantation is really goddamn hilly. Competing there is always interesting because Runkle lives in NJ, and I never get to ride on terrain. Flora Lea has like, one hill. And it's usually only on the novice and higher courses. Plantation has about 45 hills and the course designer likes putting jumps on the side of them and make you jump down them A LOT.

Foxhunting and it's bitches

Anyway back at the ring. People mobilized to set up the bareback puissance for the lunch break. Phillip Dutton even came and helped set up the wall. There was some kind of confusing team aspect which I'll deal with because it somehow resulted in Bruce Davidson Sr. as a 'team captain'. The team captains had saddles which I mean... that makes sense. But I would've been floored to see the legend himself jumping bareback.

• I wanted all the horses doing the puissance. They were all so cute! 
• There weren't any big name riders in it this year (doing the actual barebacking) but it was all working students and kids which I actually really liked.
• There was a kid on an appaloosa pony. She did a couple of the warmup jumps bareback but when it was time for her to do the real tamale her pony gave her a hard no and she went flying off. Dom was immediately like "yeah she's fine!!!" the INSTANT she hit the ground. It really made us laugh (she was fine).
• Bruce Davidson Sr jumped 4ft by basically sitting there and daring the horse to do otherwise #goals
• Ryan Wood's working student was riding this cool I SAY LIVER CHESTNUT mare. APPARENTLY I am in the minority. They interviewed him and he talked a tiny bit about himself and then finished like "and uhh... this horse is for sale!" and then I wanted it.
• But really, she was awesome. And a really tidy jumper and really cool about the barebacking.
• They ended the competition at 5ft with a 4 way tie. NO TIES next year!! I want to battle to the death.

THE MAN HIMSELF

The CIC3* was already underway by the time we left the puissance. Some thoughts from XC:

• The course was pretty soft, with the time very hard to get. You really had to push on some concrete ground to get the time.
• The last water jump and the foundation were technical questions but most people negotiated them without issue.
• Not a lot of ropes were set up so it was actually pretty easy to accidentally wander onto the course which made me nerv.
• Waaaaay back on the far side of the property, kind of near China, there was a coffin complex and the first water. I thought these were the most challenging and difficult combinations on course. Plus you could see most of the course from sitting between the two of them, so we spent a lot of time down there.
• The woman from California (EN did a bit on her) had a bit of bad luck at the coffin. The ditch was very intimdating and buried between two steep hills which made it look like a pit of eels or whatever your horse frightening device is. Her horse gave her a hard no and we were all cheering her on not to retire - she had come so far!!! But as she walked off I think she put it best - she said "He's decided to retire" lol. Lady I feel you, you fought the good fight on Sunday and you'll be back.
• I got to hang out with Allison from Pony'tude as well!! And her husband, who talked to all the photographers.

Be still my heart for the beautiful Welcome Shadow

Jennie Brannigan and I Bella

Phillip Dutton and one of his 8 horses. Maybe Mr Candyman?

Sharon White

Sharon White

At that point I still hadn't ridden and I was tired from laying in the grass in the sun and being full of pulled pork sandwich and beer. We left before the advanced was finished.

All in all it was such a wonderful day. It was really fun to hang out with Emma and Allison, as well as a few more people from the barn. There were lots of pups to play with and ponies to watch. I wish the weather had been more fall like - I think it was almost 90 AGAIN but until Plantation develops some kind of weather machine I think I'll have to shift blame from them for that one ;)

Next up, Fair Hill!!! Which I might be volunteering at the whole thing, we'll see. Haven't decided.