Thursday 13 May 2010

World Class training with the DREAM TEAM!!

Yesterday Alex and I set off for Weston Lawns for a World Class training day... With GINGER MAY KILLINGHURST, RAYEF(Henry), MERE OAK(Jambi), FERNHILL CRISTAL and UNO DI LANDRO on board we decided we had the DREAM TEAM!!!!!
Henry was having his first public outing since his European Championships last September... He made sure everyone knew the beast had been unleashed!!!! He was however on his best behaviour!!
I'm not sure Kenneth Clawson appreciated all his extra jumps he did between the fences during his little jumping session!
Henry did put his best foot forward for Angela Tucker on his dressage lesson!
The others all went really well and found the training very beneficial as always!
I also have the chance of winning some money this weekend... Kenneth has said if i showjump clear on Ginger at Chatsworth he will give me £50... Come on Ginger!!!

Pretty Blue Bells....!

Last weekend we were at Hambleden in the pretty blue bell woods!
Alex actually made me buy her a photo of Caster cantering through the blue bell woods!!!!
Enough of the site seeing!... MERE OAK (Jambi) and FERNHILL CRISTAL were doing the Novice Regional Final, both boys performed a good test, infact they were on the exact same score of 31.8!!
Both showjumped clear, Jambi then came home from XC with 4.4 time faults to finish 10th. Cristal on the other hand decided to take his time and enjoy the views so it was a very steady round from him.
Both horses now head for Tattersalls CCI**... Both doing their first CCI** and both 8years old...The challenge is on!!!!
GI MASTER CASTER was out doing his first OIU21, he was doing a lovely test until a trailer drove behind the arena down a bumby track... for a few moments Caster resembled a giraffe but luckily settled down again as soon as the trailer had passed! He still managed to score 33 so I was pleased.
Yogi very kindly came to help warm me in for the showjumping as we have had a few problems with Casters confidence at recent events... He showed us he was back on form and just had one unlucky rail but jumped fantastically other than that!
The XC was causing quite a few problems so my main aim was to get him round and build his confidence... He settled into a rhythm and felt great, a little hesitant at the first combination at fence 4 but other than that he flew round. I even got brave and jumped the direct route into the water.... I was pleased when Alex Colquhoun had photographic evidence!!!

Thursday 6 May 2010

Sorry...!!!

Firstly I would like to apologise for the lack of updates recently…We have not been very good at updating the blog so here go’s with a months worth of our antics!!!
It kicked off a month ago with Jitterbug going to the British Open for the Eventer’s Grand Prix, she had a great time and so did I… she is awesome at these classes and even though we only finished 5th she is my favourite and puts a huge smile on my face when ever I jump her!!
Next stop was Weston Park on the Saturday… And the British Open!! We weren’t quite sure how we were going to manage to be in the right places for the right times!!
Alex drove the big lorry to Weston with Noble Springbok for Grace and GI Master Caster for me, I followed in the car to help Grace who was doing the Pony Trial. Whilst we were at Weston, Mum was on her way to the NEC with Noble Bestman. I helped Grace showjump and then hot footed it in the car to the NEC where Mum had Steve looking beautiful ready for the Working Hunter Grand Prix.
I hadn’t competed in a Working Hunter class since 2003!! Luckily nothing had changed and although I think I stood out like a sore thumb… Steve looked the part!!
The confirmation judge didn’t give him a good mark, I think he was looking too much like an eventer and wasn’t carrying enough weight! He gave the judge a good ride and then jumped out of his skin to score 19/20! With his good style mark for jumping he finished 4th… In our minds he won!!!!
Straight back in the car and up the motorway to do a dressage test on Caster… Alex had lunged him and he did a lovely test to score 29.5.
Whilst I had been at the NEC Grace had flown round the XC on Spring and finished 3rd.
Back to Weston on Sunday, Caster didn’t enjoy the ground in the Showjumping and had a round to forget, so we then withdrew him from the XC.
I was doing my first Advanced on Ginger May Killinghurst, she did a nice test although didn’t do her flying changes on the markers! She scored 35. The showjumpig was up to height and very airy! She jumped very well even though she had 3 down we were all really pleased.
She gave me an absolutely awesome ride XC, picked up a few time faults and finished 10th.
It was a really lovely day as John Studd who bred Ginger came to watch and he was thrilled to see her out competing again!
Mid week we had World Class training at Weston Lawns, we took 5 horses and they all benefited greatly from Tracie Robinson, Angela Tucker and Kenneth Clawson.
Next stop was Belton Park. Uno Di Landro was in the Novice, he did a nice test and jumped double clear but due to the hard ground he just ran slowly XC.
Mere Oak (Jambi) and Fernhill Cristal were both in the OIU21.
Jambi started of with a very nice test with one mistake in the simple change to score 30.5, Cristal then made a couple of mistakes and scored 31.4, this had them lying 3rd and 4th after dressage!
Both boys jumped lovely clear rounds show jumping. I decided to run Jambi steadier XC as he didn’t feel like he was enjoying the ground as much as he had at Burnham Market. He still managed to finish 8th.
Cristal was the star of the show and flew round the XC picking up a couple of time faults but it was good enough for him to be a winner!!
A few days later the lorry was loaded again for Sapey. I was having my first run on My Mexico, which went very well, jumping double clear and just adding a couple pf time faults to his 28.6 dressage and picking up a 2nd placing!
Noble Bestman was a winner!! He finished on his dressage score of 26.7.
GI Master Catser and Royal Hilarity had educational outings!!
Hunters Legend had his first run back for about a year… he was feeling very well and went well, just had a few cobwebs that needed dusting away so hopefully he will be in flying form next time out!
From Sapey we went to Withington.. Noble Bestman (Steve) and Uno Di Landro were out again in the Novice. Both went well again, Steve was cheeky in his dressage so only got 36, he jumped double clear but steady XC and finished 9th. Landro did another nice test to score 32. He rolled one pole in the SJ and was steady but clear XC. I was also riding Grace’s little horse Minimee in the Open Novice… he is lovely and led the dressage, followed by a super double clear but with a few time faults to finish 5th.
On the Sunday Ginger was in the Advanced but the ground was a bit too hard so we withdrew after the SJ.
Finally to finish off, we headed to Moreton Morrell, Steve was a superstar again and added just 0.8 time faults to finish 2nd! Landro led the dressage with a 26.7, had one rail and then a brilliant XC round with a few time faults, picking up 7th place. Mexico did a 33 dressage, had the last 2 fences down SJ and flew round the XC to finish outside the top 10. Unfortunately Royal Hilarity didn’t want to play today and I retired him on the XC…
Now you are fully up to date with our antics… off to Hambleden on Saturday… With Yogi lessons tomorrow!!!

Monday 3 May 2010

A few pics of recent outings...

UNO DI LANDRO

MERE OAK

FERNHILL CRISTAL