New year of 2017 came by in a flash and we are already underway with the 2017 BE season! This winter was spent training, hunting the young ponies and having some well earned rest for the team!
I am delighted this season to have 3 new additions to the string including two new owners. First, Carolyne Allen's, 'Cloon Fear Fionn' who came over from Ireland at the end of 2016 and we have been slowly producing him ready for the season. Annabel Allen's, 'Uncle Desmond' joined the team in March and looks forward to an exciting first season and finally Michele Mallinder's, 'The Elvis' also joined us and will be making his BE debut with us having previously show jumped. It will certainly be a new experience for the young chap!
Over the winter we were lucky to have some new installations to the yard including new arena mirrors fitted by Tim Light ltd and a jump shed. I highly recommend Tim for any equestrian building or groundwork! We have been so pleased with the attention to detail on the building of the yard.
It's hard to believe we are already 5 events into the season. First up was Tweseldown with Kate Purchase's, 'Star of Equites' in the BE100 and Brigitte Jaquillard's, 'In Vogue II' in the Open Novice. Both horses were extremely excited to be out again and performed many 'airs above the ground'. I was really pleased with how they both went and the fact they felt on fire! Tia scored a 32 and a speedy double clear to finish 5th! It's great to see our partnership starting to form and her trusting me as a rider. Myrtle had an easy run around the novice with a good dressage of 31.3. Sadly just as she went to jump the treble a plane came through the clouds (anyone who has been to Tweseldown will understand- it's right by Farnborough airport) which took her eye off the jump so she chipped in a stride and caught the front rail and the second as she was on a related stride that was wrong. However she jumped super and finished 12th in a tough section. Looking forward to seeing her progression through the season! Click on the pictures to see more.
In between events we did some combined training's with the new horses to get them going and all picked up placings showing great potential.
Second event was at Munstead with Carolyne Allen's duo of duns! 'Cloon Fear Fionn' was making his BE debut in the BE90 and 'Silken Creme' came out at BE100. Fionn excelled himself with a calm, relaxed and accurate dressage test to score 24.8 followed up with a lovely double clear to place him 3rd! A huge achievement since he arrived from Ireland at the end of last year. Dunny came out in top form and produced a very polished dressage test to score best dressage of 23! A double clear left her unbeatable- fantastic to have the first win of the season so early on! Also lovely to see one of the ponies I produced (Rockwood Sam) and sold to a young girl win their first BE event together! Big thanks to Mum and Grandma both there to watch on Mother's day! Click on the pictures to see more.
At the beginning of April we set off bright and early ready for a long day at Goring Heath. This time the two bay's, Star Of Equites stepping up to do her first BE100+, and Annabel Allen's, Uncle Desmond making his BE debut in the BE90. Tia did a nice test with some positive work in the Novice test, sadly a harsh mark of 36 was a little disappointing. However, we were really pleased with her and how she behaved! She warmed up nice and calm this time for the show jumping and jumped out of her skin. Shame the jockey waited too much for the double resulting in one down! Cross country was a little more exciting and after jumping so huge over fence 3 she managed to break her martingale... = no more brakes! The course proved very easy for Tia and I had a smooth ride inside the time clear. Des tried really hard in his dressage test, just occasionally becoming unbalanced by his huge paces but he was rewarded with a 32.8. A spooky show jumping proved no issue for him, jumping a beautiful clear round. On to XC and I wasn't sure how he was going to react to everything going on... however he was a total angel jumping an easy clear inside the time like a seasoned pro! Two future superstars in the making! Click on the pictures to see more.
Two days later for a quick turnaround we were back out this time to Portman in Wiltshire. After Goring we sold our lorry so a huge thank you to Kate P for lending us her box to take Myrtle! After a slightly stressful journey taking a lot longer than expected... warm up time was fairly non-existent for the dressage. After forgetting the first halt we managed to pull ourselves together and Myrtle was very willing and obedient all things considered. She scored a respectable 31.8 in the Intermediate Novice! The show jumping ground was a little sticky and causing problems but Myrtle jumped really well making some lovely shapes. I am a little ring rusty on her still this year which resulted in an undeserved two down for Myrtle. More practice is in order! XC she was fab- again far too easy but nice for her to be eased back in at the start of the season and get some confident runs under our belt!
In Vogue II | Portman IN
With Elvis' first event looming I have been keen to get him out to some dressage competitions so he understands what I am asking of him. We decided to enter him for Dressage at Hickstead as it is so local to us to give it a go. I did not expect too much of him just hoping that each time he improves. He was so good for what was only his third ever test and got an amazing score over 70% to win his class! He has lovely paces and a good attitude which were rewarded.
The next day Kate and Mike P, Edward and myself set off to Wiltshire with Tia for Larkhill in the BE100. We were blessed with the most amazing weather Salisbury plain had to offer- blue skies and endless sunshine. Tia did a strong test which is improving all the time the more we get to know each other and she scored a 33 which was in the top 10 after dressage. She is just thoroughly enjoying what she is doing at the moment! We had ages to wait before show jumping so took time to walk the XC and even time for a cooked lunch and catch up on the Grand National horse racing in the box! Larkhill show jumping is notoriously 'hilly' but Tia coped well and maintained a nice rhythm. Unfortunately we made up a little too much distance in the double running downhill and caught the rail coming out. XC yet again she stormed round and I had to slightly go with the handbrake on as she makes up the time so easily! Clear inside the time meant Tia picked up 7th place in a huge section so very pleased! Thanks to Kate and Mike for their help and driving Tia! Click on the pictures to see more.
We were lucky that Edward's Mum lives down the road from Larkhill and with a very early dressage test the next day we were fortunate to be able to stay down there. On Sunday, I had Fionn and Des (BE90), and Dunny (BE100). First of all I did Des' dressage. He pulled out his best test yet- very calm, consistent and obedient to score a 29.3! I was really happy that he got an '8' for his paces as he is very expressive. He jumped well, quite keen but making some great shapes. A little hanging past the collecting ring gate meant we had the planks down but nothing un-expected for a green horse at his second event. The fact he is going relaxed and doing what is asked of him is fantastic. The XC had lots of questions for a young horse; ditches, skinnies, drops and even a sunken road. Des put his pro hat on once again and did a beautiful clear round giving me a really enjoyable ride. I love this little horse's attitude! Des also came 7th! Thanks to Martin Lyne for taking Des and always being top scorer! Click on the pictures to see more.
Fionn was next up. He is so cute we all adore him. He did another grown up dressage test in a high marking section to score 31.5 which was one of the best in his section. Show jumping was a shame he had one down- just as he went past the judges box somebody walked out which caught his eye and I don't think he had clocked the back rail of the square parallel as he came down on it which is most unlike him. However a good clear XC meant he finished 6th! So far so good. Last but by no means least was Dunny. She was in such a huff having had to wait all day to party whilst the others had been! However, when she did come out she strutted her stuff and even a tiny blip in a transition (much to my horror!) was not enough to ruin our chances. She went straight to the top with a good margin on a score of 25.3! I was very nervous show jumping as I knew the one below us had jumped clear and I didn't want to let Dunny down as she always tries so hard. She jumped a super clear much to my relief so I knew it was down to the XC and I had to get the timing right which was proving difficult not to be too fast or too slow. We paced ourselves and I let Dunny find a nice rhythm, just cruising round! As we crossed the finish line inside the time I knew she couldn't be beaten. Her second consecutive win of the season! The day couldn't have ended better and it was special that our family and friends could be there to watch. Shout-out to my Gran for doing another AMAZING picnic for everyone and Carolyne for keeping the spirits up on what was a very long day!! 4/4 placings = happy jockey :)) Click on the pictures to see more.
