Laurelview

Outdoor Derby League (1 of 5) – 11.5.14

Grass or sand? That was the question at Laurel View for the start of the Outdoor Derby League on the 11^th May. On Saturday evening courses were built (near enough) on both the sand and on the grass, but when the forecasters got it right, the overnight deluge of rain made the final decision to run on the sand a no brainer!

Claire Dobbin and Louie, regulars at the Laurel View derby’s showed that practice makes perfect riding the only clear round in the sixties and securing the 1^st place spot.  A jump off was needed to sort second and third, when it was Casper and Stacey Erwin who pulled off the fastest time to take home the blue ribbon.

Over the 70cm course it was Zebedee that bounced into 1^st place after jumping clear over the course and making the best time in the jump off, only a fraction ahead off Simone Leathem and Willow.

Three riders made it clear over the 85cm fences to head to the jump off decider, but it was only Dashing Daniel and Jenny Beattie that made it over the jump off clear, putting them in the No.1 spot.  Gillian McCann and Amazon took the blue rosette after picking up 4 faults in the jump off.

The metre competitors weren’t going to let the arena party slack off in the last class of the day, but in the end it was Clare McVeigh on Highdell New Moon who went home with the red rosette and Courtney Hamilton and Buddy coming in a valiant second.

The next leg of the league is on the 1^st June, whether it’s on the grass or the all-weather is anyone’s guess but whatever the surface the competition is set to start at 12.30pm with the 60cm class.