While both mum and dad were proud yesterday, this morning the boy shone for mum. I had put out his clothes for school (shades of blue), but when he decided that he would take his first place ribbon to show everyone he advised me that the clothes I had picked wouldn’t match his ribbon. A quick change and all good.
In the first of the champion ship events Clancy finished 6th of the 6 riders in his Pony 1 Division (previous story on 17th January). This week 2 children were away and the two de Besombes boys weren’t allowed to ride as punishment for something bad they did during the week (their parents aren’t saying what). Anny and I were obviously excited because Clancy would get a 2nd place (only two riders left). The other rider Laura Belloy won the competition clearly in the first event. Well bugger me if Clancy didn’t outride her today for the 1st place. I’m not sure who was more surprised, Clancy or us.
Photos:
CCCCSHIP RND2 (21). Clancy rides like his Opa drives, always looking everywhere but where he is going.
CCCCSHIP RND2 (33). Clancy excited when he realizes he won and gets a ribbon.
CCCCSHIP RND2 (35). Soraya, General Manager of the CCC and the Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia present Clancy and Chou the first place ribbon.
CCCCSHIP RND2 (44). Instructor Hop Sopharith, Clancy and Chou Chou with 1st place ribbon.
Today was the second of the three event days of the Horse Jumping championship. Next Sunday is the final day. I can’t believe how nervous I was going into todays event, wanting a clear round. Unique seemed asleep today and while we had sluggish round we finished clear and in first position again and scored another trophy. Next week is a double point event and I’ll need a clear round to stand a chance of taking the overall division. Fingers crossed!
Clancy took the brave step of removing his training wheels and putting on a kick stand on Friday and he is very excited. BUT! I am hoping that one day this coming week he will actually ride the bike!
You have seen our Tuk Tuk, this is our other mode of transport around town. We bought it about three months ago and I use it to get around during the day. I had a small frame made on the back so Clancy can sit on the seat safely. I can take the frame off and Anny and I sometimes take the Vespa to the riverside for drinks. It putts around slowly, but a nice way to go around. We all have and always use our helmets.
This weekend saw the 6th running of the Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia Jumping Competition at the Cambodia Country Club.
The Championship runs over three dates, 17th & 31st February and 7th January with results for each event day and the combined total of the three events deciding the overall championship riders in each division.
Clancy and I are both entered. Clancy in Pony 1 and me in Adult beginners. Clancy was having a hoot of a time being silly and clowning around in practice. He doesn’t really like jumping and there were two courses in the training arena for the little ones to choose, one with a jump and slalom and the other without a jump, but with two slalom. Clancy choose the additional slalom and did very well until the last section where he had to walk his horse (Chouchou) into a square on the ground and come to stop in front of the judges. Chouchou was a bit frisky and took of. Chouchou loves to jump so away she went over the jump at a pretty quick pace around the arena. Clancy did very well to stay on and even looked in control. It gave Clancy a good fright, some tears and a very good lesson in shortening the reins. Walking around the course with Clancy is Guillaume Lavirain the head instructor.
My event earlier in the day was on a great pony called Unique. My course was 6 jumps without the clock followed by an additional 3 timed jumps, if the first 6 jumps were cleared without fault. I cleared the 6 and posted a time of 23 seconds on the timed section (I need to check this). I won my division and I think I may have posted close to the overall best time for that course layout (I’ll check that also)! However, in typical John as I passed the finish line, I let down my guard, Unique shied and I went flying over his head landing flat on by back with the reins and the entire bridal in my hand (yanked right of Unique’s head). As I bounced I flipped straight to my legs and took a bow. The little kids loved it and I got lots of applause and back pats from impressed kids throughout the day. The trophy was worth it.
Photos:
Pony 1 Kids. Clancy Sophie and Sarah, with mum’s standing behind.
We live in a small gated community of three streets and about 140 houses. There is very little traffic so the kids are fairly free to run around and a ride bikes. There is an empty block next to us with a small garden which gives us a feeling of greenery around us. The house is three bedrooms upstairs with a small living area and separate office. Downstairs is an open plan lounge dining kitchen. The grounds outside are small but it has a lovely pool and plenty of plated and potted plants.
We spent Saturday morning at one of the local markets where Anny bought fabrics for some new clothes and we followed up with ice cream at Le Chocolate for Clancy. In the afternoon Anny and Clancy played "Icebergs" (Polystyrene) in the yard. On Saturday night Anny and I took the Vespa and went out for cocktails and nibbles at Metro on the riverfront. On Sunday we spent the morning at the Cambodian Country club which is a great club but with few members so very often quiet. We lounged around the pool and I had another training session on Unique, one of my preferred ponies at the club. There is a jumping competition at the end of the month in which I am entered. Anny is now using the new camera, as you can see.
