Got there and it was quite windy so decided to leave the ramp up and undo partions so I could get ready in the wagon. Rory had calmed down after a major strop setting off and me finding him with no headcollar and the partion partially undone when we arrived. Got ready and went to warm up. I'd usually only do a single canter on each rein to warm up to prevent his head from blowing and him throwing all slower paces out of the window as they aren't as fun but my instructor had said lots of transitions so deep breath and gave him a rather long warm up with him offering wrong legs and flying changes at first until he decided to put a slightly more sensible head on. Bit of a wait whilst judges had a break but just kept him walking and awake. I made the decision to take him into the ring as lead pony and I'm glad I did as he behaved and walked round alert. Group go round was ok bit of overtaking going on which I don't really like but I just blocked that out. Lined up in any order and managed to get into the ride group first rather than confirmation. He went out in front of the judge and just switched on. Did try and preempt me a tad on second canter but I said no and make him wait until I was ready to go got to the top of the longside and just let him go for it. That pony can certainly gallop, did briefly question my brakes at the end but he pulled up and stood nicely. Quick tack off and then confirmation time he was stood like a bit of a lemon at first but straightened up after a quick poke :-p nice trot back and back into line to retack up. Short wait then the started calling numbers, it got to fifth place and they called 151- Drat I thought I must have the wrong number on but nope my name and Rory's followed so a rather stunned rider remembered to ask Rory to walk forward! I am so proud of him it was a very strong class that I wouldn't have been ashamed to come last in so to place was just amazing.
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