Round Seven 2013

7^th and 8^th September at the Sandringham Show

Arena Boarding

What an amazing weekend full of twists and turns and I’m not just talking about the course. We went into the Sandringham Show with three teams all having the possibility to take top spot on the championships board. But, as they always do, things change.

With Kauldren, who were leading this year’s competition by five points, pulling out of the event, it meant that both Dead Pigeon and Do or Die could take the advantage and gain maximum points which would enable either team to take the top spot.

But it looked as though Dead Pigeon were taking full advantage of the situation by deciding to enter another team, Mad ‘Atters. Clearly these guys were playing the tactics of competition to perfection, because if both horses (Nabu and Lord Atterbury) performed as we all know they can, Dead Pigeon would be fighting for both first and second place. This of course would mean that Do or Die lay out of reach of the championships.

Do or Die themselves were clearly feeling the pressure of competition by their announcement that Amba would not be running in the event due to an old injury flaring up. This was obviously a major sting for them as Amba had run very well all season which was a testament to Mellissa Kaye, her rider and trainer. Amba’s amazing turns and consistent fast runs kept Do or Die at the business end of the leader board for most of the season. Luckily, with a last minute change to their line-up, Do or Die managed to secure Apache, Ihorse’s pony, to ride with them.

All this drama, plus the excitement of the up-and-coming team Norfolk ‘n’ Good - who were running the best progressive season in our history - and the new pairing of Daniel Fowler-Prime and Rachael Simington as Bucks Fizz, it was fair to say that there could be a major upset in the rankings. Add into the mix two new teams Halter Ego and Three’s a Crowd, who were having their first taste of competing in an arena, and we had a recipe for a great weekend of horseboarding!

A good sized arena was always going to push teams to their limits and test the endurance of horses, riders and boarders alike. With the rain that came on Friday night, it was a nervy night to see if the skies would clear and keep the ground in good condition for racing. 

Day One came and all teams were eager to go out and put down a good time to show the others that they meant business. The first round of course ‘A’ found Dead Pigeon nailing a 49.84s run which put them at the top of the leader board. The new formation of Dan and Rachael as Bucks Fizz ran close by in second position with a blistering 50.53s run that blatantly shocked everyone, including Bucks Fizz itself. Mad ’Atters (Dead Pigeon’s second team) came in third with 50.74s, only 200th of a second behind Bucks Fizz. This meant that all three teams only had one second between them and everything left to fight for.

Another great run from Norfolk ‘n’ Good with a 51.20s lap kept them in the running for a possible podium position. Surprisingly, Do or Die, who rarely had a time over 50 seconds in the lead-up to the competition, only managed to run a fastest time of 57.08s, leaving them in fifth position which was a major blow to their team standings. Both the new teams completed three out of three successful runs with Halter Ego’s fastest time being 60.33s and Three’s a Crowd running a very respectable 68.33s. Every team went into the break on a high.

The second heat of Arena Boarding provided the teams with a chance to better their own times around course ‘A’. The teams seemed to have given it their all in the first heat as everyone apart from Halter Ego and Three’s a Crowd (the two new teams) recorded a time one second slower than their first run. Dead Pigeon were still leading the pack with a best run time of 50.75s. Mad ’Atters knocked Bucks Fizz back to third with a great run of 51.08s, however Bucks Fizz were the victims of their own circumstance when they ran an amazing 48.79s time but clipped two posts on the way and received a four second time penalty. Even the crowd gasped in desperation as the penalties were announced. Do or Die had a slightly slower run with a time of 58.10s and were being chased closely by Halter Ego with a better time of 58.35s. Three’s a Crowd upped their game shaving three seconds off time with a run of 65.62s. Norfolk ‘n’ Good had a disastrous heat and didn’t register a time at all with three spills from boarder Allan who was finding it hard to keep grip on the ground. Unfortunately the conditions of the arena got progressively worse with the wear and tear from other shows held in the same place and the baking heat of the sun leaving the track with ruts and loose surface dirt. The day finished with a mixed bag of emotions.

On Day Two of the competition, the teams were running course ‘B’ (the reverse of Saturday’s course ‘A’). All teams knew there was still everything to play for so out they came, thundering into the arena with a glint in their eye.

Not surprisingly, Dead Pigeon upped their game by registering an amazing 49.80s run to take them to the top of the leader board with only the afternoon session to go. Their second team, Mad ‘Atters, secured second place with another consistently good performance and a best time of 50.32s. Bucks Fizz kept strong in third position with a 51.07s run but seemed not to be running at full capacity as they weren’t on the same level as the flying Dead Pigeon. Do or Die registered a better time of 55.62s with Millie seeming to have found a better form on the borrowed Apache. Norfolk ‘n’ Good was still having issues with Allan’s balance and could only register a time of 56.85s and Halter Ego running close behind at 58.60s. Three’s a Crowd gained their first taste of dirt when boarder Dan hit the deck twice in a row, leaving them with a best time of only 69.23s - welcome to horseboarding Dan, welcome! 

By the final heat, the arena was scrubbed out by the previous 60+ races, with boarders reporting that “it was like riding on ball bearings”. Clouds of dust kicked up as they raced across causing prolonged power slides from the boards. This heat is where it all mattered for Dead Pigeon; if they registered a good, solid time they were certain of victory. But in true Dead Pigeon style they gave a nerve-racking end where Ross Towner hit the dirt in an epic fashion and developed a demon-like anger with the tunnel gates and the 90 degree left hand turn, failing with both Dead Pigeon and Mad ’Atters three times in a row. One of these falls saw him grounded for a worrying length of time where he could not get back on his feet. The fall had clearly shaken him. But then all of a sudden he broke the curse to an eruption of noise from the crowd as he not only finished a run but did so in 49.80s. Smooth as you like, Ross exited the arena doing what can only be described as a ‘funky robot pigeon’ dance to an onslaught of applause from the spectators. The dance may not have been attractive, but Dead Pigeon were sitting pretty on the top branch of not only the the event, but of the championship as well.

Mad ’Atters ran a quickest time of 50.32s, giving them an overall time of 50.53s, landing them with the second place spot on the podium. Bucks Fizz finished the competition with a time of 51.77s, securing third place, very impressive for a brand new pairing. Fourth place was given to a very deserving Norfolk ‘n’ Good who gave a solid performance and a best time of 52.51s. This team have been slowly creeping up the leader board consistently throughout this season and will clearly be a real contender for 2014. A surprising fifth place position was given to Do or Die who had a fair run with Apache but never really looked a danger to the top four. With a best time of 55.62s they have probably ended their hopes of the championship title. Halter Ego gave a very convincing run with a best time of 58.50s and awarded them their first championship point. And lastly, Three’s a Crowd ended proceedings with a run of 68.03s and finished their first competitive weekend with a wave to the crowd. 

The results from this weekend have left the championship hanging in the balance with two teams equally as likely to gain the top spot: Kauldren and Dead Pigeon. The Pigeons need to win at the final to take the championship with a two point lead. If, however, they take second and Kauldren win, then both teams will draw on points which will be a first for the National Horseboarding Championship. The winner will then be decided by the highest number of wins throughout the season.

So, the stage is set for the most exciting final ever with all the pressure on the Pigeons if they want to keep the championship title and take on the same legendary status as Ihorse, the only other team to win the championship twice in row. What will happen next?