I've got over 400 shots on -Flickr- so have a look and feel free to use any as reference for painting or showing or whatnot - just don't claim as your own, yadda yadda etc etc.
Yeah, so I went last Sunday and god, getting there was a right faff and a half. I'd arranged to go with my friend but due to a horrifc communications fail I was halfway to Edinburgh before I discovered that she couldn't make it. This meant I'd have to get the special service bus to the show by myself instead of getting a lift with her, which I'd never done before but I thought that it'd be easy enough to deal with.
To cut a long story short, by the time I actually found the bus (absolutely no signs or information at Waverley station, way to go show organisers) time was already against me. I'd made the mistake of not planning ahead with regards to train times and whatnot so I already knew that I was going to miss rather a few classes but hey, it would be fine though because the bus to the show would only take half an hour or something...right?
Nearly TWO HOURS later I finally arrived at the show.
It was now almost ten past three and the last class started at four. (luckily the showground closed at six so I knew I'd have time for some stuff)
Anyway, I wasn't going to have come all that way for nothing so I gritted my teeth for the entry fee and walked as fast as I could (difficult in the conditions!) to the Showjumping rings where I knew I'd be guaranteed some photos. The weather hadn't been good for the show - all week there'd been nothing but rain and I had expected the worst for Sunday but luckily for me it stayed dry, aside from a couple of brief showers later on. Not that it made much difference when everything looked like this:
Normally I make a beeline for the Highlands and Clydesdales but as most of them would have gone home by now as all their classes were over I didn't bother. I did see this gorgeous big hunk of a horse en route to the SJ though.
It took me a while to get there as I'd managed to arrive just as the Parade of Breeds was going on and all possible paths to the other side of the showground were blocked by a very long queue of cows and bulls of all shapes and sizes.
I got some nice shots.
...some were very flattering...
...others...
...not so much. XD
I have no idea what breed this is but just look at that reverse dappling! He looks like a piece of burr walnut!
The Highlands are my favourites. :D
This one was being really bolshy and just after this photo was taken he half charged into the fence, prompting a typically subdued british 'Oooh!' from the audience while the poor woman at the other end of the leadrope elbowed him in the neck to bring his head round. XD
This little Hereford calf was the most adorable thing ever. ^^
Oh and here's the pipe band doing their thing. :D I know it's going to sound really stereotypical but I absolutely love the bagpipes (when played well, mind) and I wish I'd thought to record some of it as it was really good.
This isn't the same band but they were at the show too so it'll do. :P (not my vid btw)
Not a horse or a cow or whatever but here, have a spaniel in a suitcase. :P
I finally made it to the SJ rings and assumed my usual place on the sidelines, Nigel in hand.
I really like the junior SJ as you always get a really nice selection of ponies in a variety of types and colours. I certainly wasn't disappointed this time and recognised some of my favourites from last year as well as some new faces. I alternated between the actual SJ rounds and the warmup arena a few feet away.
The only thing about this combination I didn't like was just how loose fitting the lad's hat strap was - if he'd fallen off, that helmet would have been of absolutely no use to him. :/
You don't really appreciate the scale of the fences until you see photos! O_O
Some rounds went well...
Others...
...not quite so!
I absolutely loved this bay - such a beautiful rich colour and the navy blue really set it off nicely.
Another beauty was this gorgeous appaloosa who I appear to have taken more photos of than anything else!
I vividly remember this one from last year as being one of two pintaloosas I'd seen at the show - the only two I'd ever seen in my life!
This one (yep, this one AGAIN!) liked to have a buck every now and again.
This pair had a really good start to their round...
...which unfortunately didn't last. :(
They were both ok and I saw them back in the warmup a few minutes later but eeep, that could have been a really nasty incident!
Black horses always look really smart and this one was no exception.
Here's that lovely bay again. (note the helmet still hasn't been fixed. ¬¬)
The winner!
I'm not sure what he's being interviewed for but I think I recognise the guy holding the mic so it might have been for the national news or Countryfile or something.
Right on time the sun came out and oooft, do those horses shine or what? (The bay at the back's my favourite)
Mmmm, dark bay.
(look at this one's withers! O_O)
Between classes I wandered over to the main ring to see the other SJ rounds but it was heaving and as I only had my macro lens with me I couldn't have got close enough to take anything decent so I just stayed in the waiting area for a bit.
Sabinos ftw! :D
I managed to find a space on the far side and got a few shots - the jumps were MASSIVE!
The winner of this class would have been especially pleased as it was the fifth time in six years she'd won it!
Meanwhile, back in the smaller ring, the next and I think last, class had begun. The sun was out and it made for a really exhilarating watch.
LOVE this shot. :D
There were a few refusals and temper tantrums in this class - possibly because the fences had gone up and probably due to the mud as it can't have been fun to canter on.
The little pintaloosa was up next and oooft, could that thing move?!
...and buck!
Sadly if I remember correctly they also put in two refusals and were eliminated. :(
It never fails to amaze me that kids that size can jump that high.
This little pony was a right proper snotty thing - head up, legs skittering about all over the place but it could jump the moon!
Well, when he felt like it. XD
This welshie was brilliant - short choppy strides, arched neck - I think he was channelling the warhorses of old!
He refused one but I think went clear for everything else.
This was the moment she realised she'd won I think. :)
I'll leave you with the lap of honour because after that class it was the end of the show and I trudged back to the bus. XD
More photos -here!-
So yeah, it was pretty much all showjumping and nothing else! XD I didn't mean to post quite so many on here but I know many people won't bother to look at the whole album on flickr so I might as well. :P
I saw an ad for Hopetoun Horse Trials next month - also in Edinburgh - which has cross country so I'm working on my parents to see if they'd be able to take me as I've never seen XC in person before! (There's dressage and showjumping too but it starts at 8am and there's no way I'd be able to get there in time.)
Nearly TWO HOURS later I finally arrived at the show.
It was now almost ten past three and the last class started at four. (luckily the showground closed at six so I knew I'd have time for some stuff)
Anyway, I wasn't going to have come all that way for nothing so I gritted my teeth for the entry fee and walked as fast as I could (difficult in the conditions!) to the Showjumping rings where I knew I'd be guaranteed some photos. The weather hadn't been good for the show - all week there'd been nothing but rain and I had expected the worst for Sunday but luckily for me it stayed dry, aside from a couple of brief showers later on. Not that it made much difference when everything looked like this:
Normally I make a beeline for the Highlands and Clydesdales but as most of them would have gone home by now as all their classes were over I didn't bother. I did see this gorgeous big hunk of a horse en route to the SJ though.
It took me a while to get there as I'd managed to arrive just as the Parade of Breeds was going on and all possible paths to the other side of the showground were blocked by a very long queue of cows and bulls of all shapes and sizes.
I got some nice shots.
...some were very flattering...
...others...
...not so much. XD
I have no idea what breed this is but just look at that reverse dappling! He looks like a piece of burr walnut!
The Highlands are my favourites. :D
This one was being really bolshy and just after this photo was taken he half charged into the fence, prompting a typically subdued british 'Oooh!' from the audience while the poor woman at the other end of the leadrope elbowed him in the neck to bring his head round. XD
This little Hereford calf was the most adorable thing ever. ^^
Oh and here's the pipe band doing their thing. :D I know it's going to sound really stereotypical but I absolutely love the bagpipes (when played well, mind) and I wish I'd thought to record some of it as it was really good.
This isn't the same band but they were at the show too so it'll do. :P (not my vid btw)
Not a horse or a cow or whatever but here, have a spaniel in a suitcase. :P
I finally made it to the SJ rings and assumed my usual place on the sidelines, Nigel in hand.
I really like the junior SJ as you always get a really nice selection of ponies in a variety of types and colours. I certainly wasn't disappointed this time and recognised some of my favourites from last year as well as some new faces. I alternated between the actual SJ rounds and the warmup arena a few feet away.
The only thing about this combination I didn't like was just how loose fitting the lad's hat strap was - if he'd fallen off, that helmet would have been of absolutely no use to him. :/
You don't really appreciate the scale of the fences until you see photos! O_O
Some rounds went well...
...not quite so!
I absolutely loved this bay - such a beautiful rich colour and the navy blue really set it off nicely.
Another beauty was this gorgeous appaloosa who I appear to have taken more photos of than anything else!
I vividly remember this one from last year as being one of two pintaloosas I'd seen at the show - the only two I'd ever seen in my life!
This one (yep, this one AGAIN!) liked to have a buck every now and again.
This pair had a really good start to their round...
...which unfortunately didn't last. :(
They were both ok and I saw them back in the warmup a few minutes later but eeep, that could have been a really nasty incident!
Black horses always look really smart and this one was no exception.
Here's that lovely bay again. (note the helmet still hasn't been fixed. ¬¬)
The winner!
I'm not sure what he's being interviewed for but I think I recognise the guy holding the mic so it might have been for the national news or Countryfile or something.
Right on time the sun came out and oooft, do those horses shine or what? (The bay at the back's my favourite)
Mmmm, dark bay.
(look at this one's withers! O_O)
Between classes I wandered over to the main ring to see the other SJ rounds but it was heaving and as I only had my macro lens with me I couldn't have got close enough to take anything decent so I just stayed in the waiting area for a bit.
Sabinos ftw! :D
I managed to find a space on the far side and got a few shots - the jumps were MASSIVE!
The winner of this class would have been especially pleased as it was the fifth time in six years she'd won it!
Meanwhile, back in the smaller ring, the next and I think last, class had begun. The sun was out and it made for a really exhilarating watch.
LOVE this shot. :D
There were a few refusals and temper tantrums in this class - possibly because the fences had gone up and probably due to the mud as it can't have been fun to canter on.
The little pintaloosa was up next and oooft, could that thing move?!
...and buck!
Sadly if I remember correctly they also put in two refusals and were eliminated. :(
It never fails to amaze me that kids that size can jump that high.
This little pony was a right proper snotty thing - head up, legs skittering about all over the place but it could jump the moon!
Well, when he felt like it. XD
This welshie was brilliant - short choppy strides, arched neck - I think he was channelling the warhorses of old!
He refused one but I think went clear for everything else.
This was the moment she realised she'd won I think. :)
I'll leave you with the lap of honour because after that class it was the end of the show and I trudged back to the bus. XD
More photos -here!-
So yeah, it was pretty much all showjumping and nothing else! XD I didn't mean to post quite so many on here but I know many people won't bother to look at the whole album on flickr so I might as well. :P
I saw an ad for Hopetoun Horse Trials next month - also in Edinburgh - which has cross country so I'm working on my parents to see if they'd be able to take me as I've never seen XC in person before! (There's dressage and showjumping too but it starts at 8am and there's no way I'd be able to get there in time.)
So many awesome pictures! I'm sorry you had trouble getting there, but you sure managed to make up for it. I'm off to go download a million from your flickr account. Wheeee!
ReplyDeleteOh and I hope you get to Hopetoun- cross country is just mind blowing in person.
Thanks! XD
DeleteThat's the hope!(toun, lol)
Wonderful! My favourites were the proud Welsh and then that series where the bay horse looks really incredulous as its neighbour paws the ground and waves his front-leg around.
ReplyDeleteAaaaand the Highland Cattle, wheee!! Love those, too, they are so fuzzy.
lol, yes, that horse made all the best faces. XD
DeleteAwesome post!
ReplyDeleteTotal horse domination! LOL!
Rosie
Absolutely fantastic photos for sure. Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteHi, just a heads up- some one is happily using your pictures and even stories here: http://ressorgblog.blogspot.de/
ReplyDeleteGraaaargh, thanks for the warning! I hate it when people do things like this! I'll see if I can get them to take it down but having had a look at their blogs I'm not hopeful as it looks like I'm not the only person to have photostories stolen from them. :/
DeleteHey! I love your pictures! I was wondering if i could use some of your amazing horse pictures on few virtual horses? Ofcourse i would put your name and link to your blog under the images i used :) I would really appreciate it! I can also link you the horses i did when they are ready!
ReplyDeleteHello!
DeleteI used to allow this kind of use, but recently I've re-thought the whle thing and decided against it. The reason being that as I don't know any of the horses and riders personally, I have no right to effectively 'give away' their likenesses to other people, if that makes sense? I know I'd feel a bit weird if I discovered someone using a photo of myself or my horse as someone else's character! I appreciate that it's just a bit of fun and whatnot and that no offence is intended but still, I'd rather you didn't use them if that's ok.
Feel free to use them for drawing reference however, (with credits of course. ;)) so long as you don't copy the horses markings precisely.
Thanks for understanding. :3