I dunno who invented the concept of $5 jumper rounds, but serious tip of the hat to you my friend. Basically the concept is that you can do as many rounds as you want at whatever height you want for $5 a pop. There are two courses per height (take your pick, or do both, or do repeats) and the height goes up every hour. Show up when you want, jump as much or as little as you want. Clear rounds get blue ribbons. So simple, so cheap, and so perfect.
Since I got semi-run-away-with in Stadium last weekend at Pine Hill, I thought this would be a most excellent opportunity to get more practice. The show was at my trainer’s barn and started with ground poles and worked up from there, so we showed up around noon, watched for a while, and then I tacked up as they were setting the jumps for Training.
Henny felt super in warmup so I kept it pretty short. A little trot, some lateral work (making sure I could get the inside hind under him), some canter, and two jumps. Then it was over to the ring to look at the course, then we were in. Henny was pumped, but much less HI HO SILVER than at Pine Hill last weekend. He’s definitely learned what the whistle means though, he always wants to leap into action when the whistle blows. But overall it was a decent first course. The T jumps looked small, he jumped around easily, and I didn’t pull.
Since we weren’t a disaster we decided to just save him and do a Prelim round instead of another T. I watched a little nervously as they put the jumps up, measured everything, and squared off/widened the oxers. It looked healthy sized but not too big. Thanks Trainer for making the jumps stupid huge in lessons.
We went in and had a pretty decent trip, considering it was our first “official” (as official as a $5 jumper round can be) Prelim round together. We had one rail and rattled a couple others, mostly because I needed to do a better job of keeping his shoulders up all the way to the base. But Henry listened to me really well and it didn’t seem hard or huge, just need a bit more finesse at the height to clean it up. Super proud of my pony though, he did everything I asked. 1000% more rideable than last weekend.
Overall it was a great, fun, CHEAP (for real, I spent $20 with grounds fee) show day. Better yet, it was exactly the stadium practice we needed. I’m all about the $5 jumper rounds, we’ll definitely be participating in more of these.
Now Henry gets to enjoy a bit of a break from shows until after his baby brother is born!
breedrideevent.com 
So exciting – your first Prelim round! You guys look great. And yeah, I love those types of shows! The event derby I did in the fall was run that way – $15 for your first round, and then unlimited ‘clear rounds’ over the same height for $5 each. It’s SUCH a good schooling/confidence-building format while still being in a ‘show’ environment. It’s my favorite!
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It was AWESOME. All the benefits of a jumper show but way cheaper, fewer courses to learn, and as many do-overs as you need. Totally brilliant.
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I think you guys looked terrific – cool but with enough pep in your step, confident and smooth. All hail to you for making that height look easy, too – it’s a foot higher than anything I’d care to tackle these days! 😉
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Thank you! The oxers still back me off a bit, but I’m getting used to the height.
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i may have squeed a little when i saw your phrase until after his baby brother is born YAY BABIES. 🙂 Great job and looks like fun (HOLY COW THOSE FENCES LOOK HUGE AS SKYSCRAPERS TO ME) 🙂
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322 days today!!! Still doesn’t look imminent, but sometime in the next couple weeks we should have something I think.
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You guys look awesome! I wish we had something like that in our area. Maybe I’ll have to get our farm hosting something like this coming up this summer…
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You should totally do it! It’s pretty simple and low cost.
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Sent your post to the boss I’m sure we could do something like this would be so fun
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Ha! Henry was just trying to avoid his paparazzi 😉 you two make that height look easy.
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Thanks! He’s the best.
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man he just looks fantastic. really really great!
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Thank you! He’s been feeling so good lately.
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Mad hops!! I love it 😍
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Thanks!
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You guys look like pros!
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I wouldn’t go that far, but at least we didn’t make anyone gasp this weekend? lol
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You guys look great- and you can’t beat a $5 class!
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For real, I don’t think I’ve ever paid so little for a class, even back in the tiny schooling show days!
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I feel the same about whomever invented add backs. That video makes me want to go jump more right now.
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I’m the queen of choking in the addback/stake. I can get a ribbon in anything else, but never a class that actually pays.
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I screw up, too, but when you’re the owner with a pro up it’s gold
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damn you made easy work of that. those jumps look freakin huge to boot. really beautiful round. go henny!!
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They look bigger on video. 😉 Camera adds 3″ right?
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Man, that is CHEAP!
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Brush yo shoulder off girl, that’s badass.
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I just want you to know I’ve had that damn song in my head since yesterday!
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Those fences are HUGE! Mad props for your equitation and style
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Woohoo! Awesome day! They don’t do these $5 jumper rounds in these parts, but I really wish they did. What a great way to get some practice (and maybe some blue satin even if it doesn’t REALLY count) for not a lot of money. The jumps look big to me! (So out of practice.) How high is prelim? (sorry, hunter/jumper princess over here…)
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Prelim is 1.10m. I would feel bad taking ribbons (keep them for the kiddos!) but it’s still super fun and simple.
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What a great way to get some more practice showing. I would love to find something like that around me. You guys look good over those big ‘ol fences!
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