 To Advertise on this
Site
| | |
|
Print-friendly version
Diary
June 2010
| I took on a new role at Brigstock as the Press Officer for the event. I competed at Brigstock many moons ago when they ran an advanced class there and it is a lovely venue. The Laing family really try to do as much as possible to make it a rider friendly event and I certainly think they do that. I managed to get the BBC to do both a live radio interview and a TV Interview at the event so we nabbed Oliver Townend to do both. We had planned that Paris (Zenith IV) would run in the Pre Novice (I still can't get my head around calling it BE100) as it was an excellent galloping track rather than go to Mattingley which would have been a twisty track for him. So Julia, The Melville's excellent head girl drove Paris all the way to Northamptonshire but it paid off as Michael finished 7th and was great preparation for his next event when he was stepping up to Novice. |  |
 | The washing machine went non stop as we did a quick turn around before catching the ferry over to Ireland to go to Tattersalls to watch the event. We hopped on the fast ferry which only takes two hours but I was very green for those two hours and Michael & Lily disowned me whaling around on a sofa. It's only just a 30 minute drive to Tatts and the facilities are fabulous for both riders and horses. We also had horses lined up for competitors to see so were quite busy showing them during the event. We stayed at Dunboyne Castle and enjoyed an evening in the bar with Winston Williams, Mark Ford (see pic), Fergal Nesbitt and Lily (she was in her PJ's) although she slept through most of it. It's a great event and I would really like to compete there in the near future. We did find a lovely horse for ourselves which we shipped back to the UK but when it arrived it had a series of issues so it was sent back - I'm destined never to have another horse...... I've booked tickets to go back again soon. |
| Buggy has been out showjumping several times, to Smith's Lawn, Pachesham and Snowball Farm. She is consistently jumping double clear around Discovery classes and is really starting to get the hang of it and would have won some prize money if she had of been registered (which she now is!!). Paris won the Discovery at Pachesham and Titch (Fernhill Blue Diamond) has been jumping 1.05 classes double clear and he is raring to go. | |
 | Paris did his first Novice at BCA and rose to the challenge brilliantly and finished 8th. Michael didn't rush him around the cross country due to the ground although I found it difficult to compare it in difficulty to Salperton which Paris was entered to run at next. Julia brought her boyfriend Paul to the Salperton to act as co-driver, he's not horsey and was gutted to be missing the England World Cup match. It was the hottest weekend this year and Paris was not really on the ball in the dressage after being distracted by the horseflys, he also went a tadge green in the showjumping as did many others and had three down so we decided not to run him on the hard ground so Paul made it home to watch the end of the England match!! Luckily Paris was then entered to run at Shipton Moyne with Mary riding but due to end of exams and an abundance of 18th birthday parties taking their toll it was decided that Michael would ride him instead. He skipped round to finish 3rd in the Open BE100 and a great confidence giving round before he runs around a Novice again.
|
"All I want for christmas is me two front teeth......." la la la Lily's got hers so she's no longer know as gummy. I'm delighted to say she's also been taking a healthy in the horse trials that she's been visiting and having spent three days at Barbury had her eye on the collecting ring horse spotting!! We had a very amusing time as we decided to take her for a photo shoot Venture Photographic Studio in Eton, obviously she's the most smiley child ever except when there's a professional camera in her face.....We went armed with all sorts of props (including tennis racquet and balls - don't ask) which was a complete waste of time as she spent most of the time crying so we abandoned the mission and decided that we'd come back another day. I'm pleased to report that on our second visit we had our smiley child back and hopefully we've got some good shots.
|  |
We've been busy on the road looking at horses and have had a successful time recently finding some good horses for people.
Until next time.....
May 2010
Next stop was Badminton. We headed down on Friday morning to get there in time to watch Archie (Imperial Cavalier's) dressage as he had an early draw. Afterwards we met up with Janette Chinn, her partner Derek, her mother Sue Davies and friend Zoe Eyres to walk the course which i really enjoyed and Lily kept up a sterling pace around her first Badminton. Now I have to try and be a responsible parent we decided the best option for the weekend was the HTSG (Horse Trials Support Group) which we had joined and was a god send after all the rain which was followed by Mud! Rosemary Barlow does an excellent job of hosting their marquee which has TV screens, a bar and yunmmy food that you don't have to get into a rugby scrum for. It was definitely worth the money and I'd urge more people to join up - it was also a hive of activity for many owners so it was a real hot spot of Badminton.
|  |
| We stayed in a cottage at the The Great Tythe Barn just outside Tetbury....never again. My mum used to stay there 20 years ago when I was based with Angela & Mike Tucker and I don't think they've touched the place since then. They'd bumped the price up just for Badminton and they omitted to tell us that they had too noisy wedding receptions booked that weekend so not only did I attend Badminton I danced at two wedding receptions from my bed - not amused!! It was very exciting that Archie finished 4th, he's some horse - he's now finished 2nd, 3rd and 4th at CCI**** which is quite some achievement. Kate Maitland hooked up with us at the Horse & Groom in Charlton for dinner and it was such a find. Michael and I also thought we'd treat ourselves to a dinner at Whatley Manor which is owned by FEI Judge Christian Landholt and is absolutely stunning. Lily scuppered our quiet evening and I ate my starter alone while Michael and a whaling Lily were outside checking out the grounds. Note to self.....take Grandma next year!! Congratulations to Paul Tapner he deserved to win he's been on cracking form all year. |  |
 | Buggy has finally turned a corner and after another successful show jump training at Vicarage Farm we decided we'd venture out to her first show. We expected her to be like a spoilt brat and have at least one tantrum but she was brilliant, her behavior was second to none and she didn't have one girly shout. She jumped really well double clear in the 90cm. She then went straight into the big arena and she popped around the British Novice jumping clear but Michael didn't think he'd get into the jump off so didn't walk it. He didn't know quite where he was going and she had a couple of rails down but that was pilot error. Michael never likes to rush the horses and although it was only tiny classes she came away having had a good experience and will be confident for next time...which hopefully won't be too long.
|
| It's been 12 months since we actually took a horse to an event so I was uber excited and I wasn't even riding. Michael was riding Sarah and Mary Melville's Zenith IV (Paris) at Hambleden a horse they bought at the end of last season from Neil Spratt. Paris was a little rusty in the dressage and scored 35.5, he showjumped really well although he had a numpty rail down, it wasn't quite big enough for him. He whizzed around the cross country inside the optimum time like a real pro. Lily managed to get a good viewing point on the course and managed to see 7 fences and was very pleased with Daddy's performance. Unfortunately the rail cost him a rosette but we hope to rectify that at Brigstock!! |
|
| We also whizzed up to Aston Le Walls to watch the Intermediate horses run and it was great to catch up with my great mate Sally Carson who's advanced horse Too Bahru was out competing with JP Sheffield. Her partner Richard Allen was also there with his 'one to watch' daughter Harriet Allen but after a 4am start he was trying to catch up on a few zzzzzz's in the lorry!!! |  |
 | This month has been a sad one for me I had to make the decision to have Jerry (Uptown) put down. He has been a massive part of my life for the last 14 years. We bought him as a 5yr old from Tim Warren and never ever looked back. He was opinionated and arrogant but he had the most amazing jump I'd ever sat on. On the first day he arrived he jumped the fence into another field which he did all his life even up until the day before he was put down. I have had so much fun, excitement, frustration and above all he gave he so much experience that I now find invaluable. He went through one season only touching one show jump, he jumped round Blenheim CCI*** double clear after only one previous advanced run, he jumped around the biggest CCI*** I ever rode at Pau the year after the Europeans and of 15 british horses only 5 finished and we were one of them!! There were many frustrations including a virus at Saumur CCI*** which continued to Gatcombe Intermediate Championships, and my biggest regret was falling at Lulworth Advanced 3 weeks before he was entered for Burghley - although I did share a helicopter with Blyth Tait and my broken rib! I know that with a top rider he would have sailed round 4 star tracks, Pippa Funnell always used to refer to him as her 'favourite horse' but he had to put up with dippy old me who missed him every so often and it never phased him. He wasn't a brilliant mover but I knew his strengths and weaknesses, 8's & 9's for his trot work, 5's and if I was lucky 6's for his canter work and forget the flying changes they just blew his brain! He was a celebrity for a year when we were both featured as the Monthly Diarists in Eventing Magazine. He was a stunning horse with so much presence, he would quite often tow my mother around at events but he was an angel to do anything too except catch but a scoop of nuts did the trick. He was also there for me during the black periods in my life, he never judged me, he was always happy to see me and was a real true friend.
|
And to add to the sadness at 32 yrs old, Jerry's constant field companion, ex high goal polo pony Mandrelli had not come through the winter well and for that reason I decided that he should be put down with Jerry, both mates together. They had a fab life and I shall miss them both terribly. RIP Jerry & Mandrelli. xxxx
Until next time.......
March & April 2010
A bad workman blames his tools so I'm blaming my new Mac for misbehaving and not letting me update the diary.
 | The beginning of March was again a 'will it won't it time' - snow......rain, it really was amazing that the Eventing season got underway at all. We headed off to Tweseldown for our first event of the season and thank god they have that wonderful new marquee otherwise I definately would have lost the will to live and potentially I would have ended up having to thaw Lily out when we got home. It was great to see everyone after the winter break even if they did all have nose dribbles!. Next stop was Aldon it had rained all week non stop so how they ran it I don't know but Michael had to video a horse that was slopping about in the mud bath that were disguised as dressage arenas. I wasn't popular as I managed to get the buggy filthy and after just over an hour we left having not seen one horse over a cross country fence. Michael went to the other end of the country the next day to Lincoln where the going was much better and the sun even made an appearance but Lily and I had done enough trucking about for one weekend so we stayed at home. |
Gatcombe was our next stop and almost tropical, we had a very enjoyable weekend watching mostly showjumping and cross country and I think we have now nearly watched every Intermediate horse in the country compete!! Check out the picture ...we're in the background!! Michael's final event of March was Somerley Park, Hampshire where he had to watch another horse and did his cross country video which are proving very popular.
|  |
 | Lily, without sounding a bore is a fabulous baby, yes, I know everyone thinks their own baby is and yes she regularly does 11 hours sleeping a night which I can't quite believe, but knowing how much I like sleeping I shouldn't be surprised that I've passed that on. She's been to most of the events and I feel like she can finally go outside without catching hypothermia! We've joined Monkey Music (I can't believe I just wrote that) which she loves and will be walking fairly soon and then we're in big trouble. Lily received an invite to her first birthday party - Iris von Rijckevorsel's 1st Birthday. This was a whole new experience and a little surreal I couldn't believe I was discussing breast feeding versus bottle feeding with the other mums! Another eventing baby there was Lexi Meyer (daughter of Kiwi rider Joe Meyer) so I could see the next generation of event riders all under the age of 2! |
At the end of March it was Janette's (Chinn) 40th which was Sunday lunch at a hotel in Tarporley that turned into a massive rave that finished at 4am the next morning back at Janette's house. We had an excellent table with Ewart Wooley, Louise Lyons and Race Horse Trainer Anne Hewitt. We ducked out early 6.30pm as we had to dash over to Leicestershire for a meeting on the Monday morning. It was my first hangover since having Lily and I've just remembered why it's best not to drink too much!! I understand that Janette was slightly the worse for wear the next day but I think she really enjoyed it and it was a great celebration......roll on the next one!!
|  |
Watching the cross country with Ken Clawson & Vicky Brake | Next we headed off to Compiegne in France at the beginning of April to watch the CCI**. It was closer than going to Burnham Market, Norfolk and a much more picturesque setting (sorry Alec). It was a bit of a damp squid as far as the Brits were concerned but there was definately something a bit funny about the number of horses they were allowed to take compared to the other nations (only 7). There were rather a lot of 4 star horses competing and in my eyes chasing the 10,000 euro prize fund - I think Michael Jung should be banned from competing there next year as he's won it for the last 3 years. It's not a hugely busy event spectator wise but it's interesting to see the horses competing at that level early in the season. Our green horses definately struggled with the minor adjustments Pierre Michelet had made to the course and it even caught out Frank Osholt on one of his four star horses. We stayed in a little hotel in the centre of the town where we've stayed for the last 4 years and although it's not glamorous it's cheap and very easy to get to and from the event. I did manage some shopping in the town with Lily & Grandma and walked from the town to the event which only takes 2 minutes in the car....45 minutes later I decided it wasn't the best idea in the world and wouldn't be walking back. |
| Buggy has finally got to get out and about. She's been cross country schooling twice to Tweseldown and once to Littleton Manor Equestrian Centre and has improved every time out and has some showjumping lined up. On her first trip to Tweseldown Michael went on his own and she was petrified of everything, but on her return visit she was much more grown up and even jumped some Novice fences. The water wasn't as scary and she walked in without any help from Paris (Mary Melville's horse) who'd come along to play nanny. Paris on the other hand has been out showjumping with Michael to Merristwood and is being aimed at Hambleden PN as his first run of the season. Mary is busy concentrating on her studies so Michael is just keeping them ticking over for her. So I'm quite excited that we're actually going to an event with a horse - we even bought a Two Point Air Jacket the other day!! Will report on that in my next diary. |  |
I popped over to Ireland for the day with Bryony Holloway to look for horses. I did see one but it was in the field with a rug on which couldn't be tried for a couple of weeks and Bryony found two lovely young horses so good for her and bad for me. I was planning to fly back over but the Volcanic Ash has put the mockers on that for now.
Until next time......
DIARY ARCHIVE
|
|
