JAS at Solihull

We took 2 lorries to JAS on Sunday, Grace Walker took VANCOUVER and NOBLE SPRINGBOK, whilst I had my new young one OBOS COOLEY, JITTERBUG, UNO DI LANDRO and MINIMEE.
OBOS COOLEY is a lovely 5yo I bought from Richard Sheane in December. It was his first attempt at JAS and he was brilliant, he jumped double clear in both the intro and BE100, winning the latrter class with a style mark of 5.
UNO DI LANDRO was having his first outing for a while, he was unlucky to have a fence down in both the BE100 and the Novice but I was pleased with how he jumped and excited to have him back out competing.
MINIMEE was on great form and he had one down in the Novice and jumped double clear just adding time faults to his style mark of 3 to finish 6th in the Open.
JITTERBUG was a winner again... she really is amazing and puts a big smile on my face! She jumped double clear in the Novice and the Open finishing on her style mark of 4 to win the Novice and adding 2 time faults to another style mark of 4 to finsih 5th in the Open.
Grace did very well with both of hers picking up a 10th with NOBLE SPRINGBOK in the Open.

Showjumping regulars!!!

Since the New Year we have become showjumping regulars!!
Last week RAYEF and FERNHILL CRISTAL went out to Hartpury, RAYEF was on cracking form and jumped double clear in both the 1m15 and Foxhunter. CRISTAL had 1 down in the 1m15 and then just rolled a pole in the jump off of the Foxhunter.
I have been to Hand and Addington with some young ones.... they have all been jumping really well.
More jumping to follow and some World Class training days to look forward to....

DING DONG SHOW!!!

Happy New Year to everybody!

Over New Year I went to the Ding Dong show at Hand EC, it was a 4 day jumping show.
I took JITTERBUG, FERNHILL CRISTAL and RAYEF.
On the first day they were all very excited to be out, a little too excited and they forgot that they had ever seen a set of showjumps before!!!
Day 2 was slightly better with RAYEF jumping really well in the 1m30, sadly just tipping the last rail down.
CRISTAL was still being a little over excited in the first class so we entered him in a later class where he jumped a lovely clear.
JITTERBUG did the speed class and was flying but when I turned tight to an upright she just didn't quite get her front legs up quick enough!
In the evening it was the Puissance... I decided to give it a go on JITTERBUG, she has been great in the eventers puissance over a triple bar but I had no idea what she'd make of a solid red brick wall!!!!

She was totally amazing though... she cleared the 1m77 wall in round 5 and ended up winning it, it was shared between 3 of us as there are only 5 rounds!
Coming down to the wall was very nerve racking!!! But what an awesome feeling!!!
Day 3 and day 4 were much better and all the horses started jumping well. JITTERBUG was 5th in the small grand prix on the last day so she managed to pay her way which was nice!!

World Class Development Squad...

I have been lucky enough to be part of the World Class development programme since 2005, it provides the most fantastic support and training with the very best in the world.
The selection process happens every 2 years. This year I had been put on GOLD level so I didn't have to go to selection trials, I am so grateful for everything the programme has done for me and it is a great honour to be part of the squad once again....
Training days kick off in January and all the horses will benefit from this....

Christmas Puissance...

HAPPY CHRISTMAS everybody!!
Yesterday we had a lovely christmas lunch at the Walkers.... Sarah is simply the best cook!!!
After lunch Philip and Sarah came up to watch some of their horses jump, I always have a puissance competition between the horses on christmas day!
This time we needed taller wings as they only went up to 1m65, FERNHILL CRISTAL, JITTERBUG and VANCOUVER all cleared the top of the wings, however the real treat came when Philip said I could jump NOBLE SPRINGBOK... He might only be a 14.2hh pony but he is a legend!!! He cleared 1m65 easily!! Next year santa will have to bring some taller wings so we can have a proper puissance!!!!!
Next week we are off to Hand EC... lets hope the horses all jump well......
HAPPY NEW YEAR.....

Spotted from the stands....

When i was at Olympia watching the showjumping, I saw a lovely stallion jumping called TRESOR, I knew I recognised the name and I now know why.... This is FERNHILL CRISTAL's Sire!!
I have now told Cristal he has no excuses for having any fences down in the showjumping as his Daddy is jumping Grand Prix classes!!!

Snow has fallen....

I am at here in the nice warm office, putting off going outside in the freezing cold! We have had our dumping of snow which makes everything so much more hard work.... we are seriously lucky to have the fantastic facilities here at Membury Estate which means all the horses are in full work and apart from missing hacking out, they have missed no work due to this awful weather.
Last Tuesday I went to Addington BSJA with JITTERBUG and RAYEF. They both did the 1m15 and the Foxhunter. In the first class we were all a little ring rusty and both horses had a rail down, in the foxhunter JITTERBUG jumped an immaculate double clear to finish 3rd and RAYEF had a rail but all in all, considering this was his firsg since Jne I was really pleased with him.
I have been to Olympia this week and got all enthusiastic about showjumping.... so I have entered JITTERBUG, RAYEF and FERNHILL CRISTAL into a 4 day jumping show at Hand EC over New Year!!
I have also been to meet the team at 'weighed in', this is a new website that produces video footage! I went to Warwick Racecourse to meet them and have a chat.... check out the link...

http://www.soccerx.co.uk/lauracollett.htm

This is probably my last post before Christmas so I would like to take this opportunity to wish everybody a very MERRY CHRISTMAS....