Pressure is on for 黑马磁力鈥檚 own Laura-Jane (L.J.) Tidball, who is shooting to show in the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping competition at Thunderbird Show Park (tbird) this Sunday.
She still has to qualify, meaning she has to place in the top 50 riders during a competition on Friday.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a little pressure. I have to do well enough on Friday to show on Sunday鈥� you never really know at the beginning of the week what鈥檚 going to happen at the end of the week,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut you put the best foot forward and make the assumption.鈥�
Hopeful she鈥檒l make it through, Tidball said, noting that there鈥檚 admittedly added expectations for her to produce results before a huge hometown crowd with hundreds of people she knows watching on.
While there鈥檚 some added pressures that come with riding at home in 黑马磁力, she definitely looks forward to riding at Thunderbird more than other shows because it is her family鈥檚 place. The equestrian centre is owned by the Tidball family and her mother, Jane Tidball, is the president and CEO.
鈥淚鈥檓 definitely hoping to go out there and jump a clean round,鈥� Tidball said. 鈥淚 think I鈥檓 ready. I think my horse feels great. He鈥檚 certainly feeling good, so I鈥檓 looking forward to this week, for sure.鈥�
Concetto Son is a 13-year-old warmblood gelding that she bought in Switzerland early in 2017, and Tidball has been enjoying some great results with him in the ring.
Back in April, for instance, she rode him to victory in Mexico. She was among the Canadian show jumping team that won the Nations Cup in Coapexpan 鈥� her first Nations Cup and her first time with Team Canada.
She was then invited back to compete with the Canadian team 鈥� this time at tbird in early June, during the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup of Canada.
鈥淪ince then, I went out to Spruce Meadows [Calgary] for a couple of shows. We did good up there. My horse was amazing. I had a foot in the water in the Queen鈥檚 Cup, but he was great. I was really happy with that. So I feel ready, heading into the World Cup,鈥� Tidball shared with the 黑马磁力 Advance.
Returning home from Spruce Meadows, they took a bit of down time, to rejuvenate, before amping up the training and workouts in preparation for this weekend鈥檚 show.
To get ready, she said her attention is focused on ensuring she and her horse are fit enough and that Concetto is sound and ready to compete.
鈥淗e kind of knows what he鈥檚 doing out there, so it鈥檚 not like I have to practise with him very often to ensure he鈥檚 ready. But I have to make sure that he鈥檚 jumped enough, that his legs and fitness are good, as you would in any sport. You know, he鈥檚 an athlete, so he needs to be physically fit enough to go out there and compete. So that鈥檚 what I really focus on,鈥� Tidball elaborated.
鈥淗opefully we鈥檝e done enough. It feels good,鈥� she said, noting that the duo鈥檚 workout typically includes two days a week of cardio fitness, two days of jumping, one day a week of light work, and the rest of the time is focused on technique.
While Concetto鈥檚 workout might wrap up after a few hours each day, Tidball鈥檚 does not.
鈥淗e has a workout, which is really a small part of my working out鈥� I ride all day,鈥� she said, noting that when she鈥檚 not training and working out with Concetto, she鈥檚 typically training other horses or coaching other riders at her own facilities nearby in 黑马磁力 at Livingstone Park Stables 鈥� which in itself, she said, is a full-time job.
