Sarah and Tamrik Captain “Jack” Sparrow’s Quest for Area Festival Qualification

Saturday, September 7th, 2013

iRide Training is thrilled to announce the sponsorship of its first rider, Sarah Oram Williams.

Sarah is based in East Sussex and works as a teaching assistant at a local school. Sarah competes on five year old Welsh Section D Captain “Jack” Sparrow (bred by Tamrik Stud) who Sarah has backed and produced herself.

iRide is delighted to have the opportunity to support this promising native combination, encouraging correct training through distance learning with iRide’s downloadable lessons, keeping their training focused at home.

Follow Sarah in her quest to qualify Jack for Area Festival Qualification at Novice level for 2014 and find out her training secrets to success with iRide Training.

“Sarah and Jack’s Quest for Area Festival Qualification”

8th August

After four days of mingling with the stars whilst volunteering at the truly magnificent Dressage at Hickstead Nations Cup meeting, I’m feeling inspired.
There is no better education than watching the top riders at close quarters, particularly in the warm-up.

Out to Royal Leisure today for my second affiliated outing at Step Aside, Jack and I are having another go at a the novice qualifier. Thankfully it’s not quite so cripplingly hot today and I have managed to persuade jack that electrolytes aren’t poison! The joy of natives.

Stupidly, I had learn’t the wrong test and only realised on Tuesday! However, Alison came yesterday and helped me with my counter canter which went way better than could be expected. Alison convinced me to be brave and ride him straighter.

iRide have given me Amy Stovold’s Counter Canter Exercise’s download to help me at home, which I’m looking forward to riding to at the weekend.

I have been using my good old faithful download, ‘Lengthened Strides in Trot’, over the last few weeks and his mediums have really improved with him now working through a softer back and clearly developing bigger steps, not bad for a native!

Our test had some lovely moments, but also some that felt flat and a little downhill. However, the judge Really liked him, and we pulled off second place with several sevens and an eight for the first halt. With a score of 67.5%, I’m thrilled to bits! Our aim is to qualify for the winter regionals and this is our first qualifying score, so very pleased!

Jack always knows when he has done well, and loves to shock people by giving them a big sloppy lick.

9th August

A couple of days off mooching in the field for Jack, and I am concentrating on the two four year olds. Jim is hacking to build up some muscle, and Doozer is working over raised poles as Alison feels this will help him strengthen up behind following stifle surgery.

14th August

Got all three ridden yesterday, then packed Jack off to Grendon House today for a lesson with Alison in their 20m x 60m school, he went like a star. We have had a bit change which has made the world of difference, from his very expensive Neue Schule Team Up into an old sweet iron loose ring French link that they all seem to love!

Very proud of his mediums today, this is not something that comes easily to his little Welsh legs, but using the iRide download at home has really helped both of us stay balanced.

15th August

Lovely dinner and meeting tonight with the hubby and the iRide founders Alison and Simon, making a plan for competitions and training from now until Christmas. Got some new downloads to try, now just need to find a new lorry!

22th August

Lorry hunt continuing, and been practicing Novice 39 at home in preparation for Step Aside today. Great friend Verity Hindell came with me, she is back from working with Grand Prix horses in the States. Jack felt absolutely fabulous, and had one of those tests where you ride the final halt and think “Well I don’t care what score we get, that felt FANTASTIC!”.

Good job really, judge didn’t like it much, and gave just under 63% – enough however to be a qualifying score for the Pet Plan Areas.

23rd August

Off to OVDRC camp today at Hurstwood with both Jack and Doozer for three days of jumping, wine, and what my Dad would refer to as ‘silly buggers’.

We jumped some silly giant grids and the horses had a ball. Also shared a flat lesson with Rachel Holland who owns the half sister of my four year old. The neddies where fab and the sun shone.

27th August

Brought the horses home on Sunday for a rest, then some hacking and back to work with lovely Alison Short in preparation for Hickstead Masters.

Great news – remortgage completed on my flat, and purchased a lovely little Mercedes lorry. Honestly, the things we have to do to fund our sporting aspirations! Husband very tolerant…

30th August

Dressage Masters at Hickstead. Sad day – last run in our old lorry, but happy days – first run with the entry fees courtesy of the fabulous team at iRide!

Jack had a bit of a teenage day with real ‘Kevin and Perry’ moments but also some moments of beauty, looseness and swing like we have never achieved before in competition, so on the whole thrilled. Score of just under 64%, which was more than I expected due to some of the ‘floppy’ moments, but still enough to count towards the Pet Plan Areas.

Collecting new wheels tomorrow so will be doing some loading practice with Jack who can be a bit of a ‘diva’ to say the least!

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