Ribbons at last ....

Hooray, I'm delighted to report that we've had a very successful last three events. Little Downham was a very early start with 1.30am alarm clock but it was well worth it with Jack coming 4th in the OI on a 28 double clear with a few time, Cher placing 9th in her first ever Intermediate against hot competition in an OI section on a 32 double clear with a few time. Our other resident Kiwi Kate Wood came 7th in the same section but disappointment for Amy who found Fernhill Rockstar a little fresh after 2 months with no parties, and disappointment for one of my lovely ponies What's it all About when he slipped and had a run out at a skinny. No sooner had we returned from Little Downham then I set off for Tweseldown where Rowan scored a well deserved result coming 2nd in a hugely competitive ON section despite him only having 5 points to his name! He did a lovely test and jumped a super double clear to score this personal best result before he has a well earned break to round off his spring season.

A first time visit to Pontispool was a very successful one for me, much needed after a pesky week. My week of frustrations included poor Alf stepping on his shoe and missing too much work to come to compete, and Cher sustaining a nasty little cut that again meant she was sound but needed to miss a couple of vital bits of work to compete on Friday. However my remaining 3 didn't let me down...Jack won the Intermediate and Ardent Sammy won his first ever BE event on an amazing 19.5 double clear. Sprouty did a magic test to lie 3rd in the OI and I didn't intend to jump him but he is ready for the big week at Bramham now. So we are missing Tattersalls but heading off all guns blazing to Bramham with Willy Do in the CCI and Animator and Ambassador in the CIC...here's hoping we can keep up our tally of ribbons....

The great book of life under the chapter of experience....

Phew what a frustrating time its been. Just a little update for you all.... So in a nutshell Kentucky was a massively valuable learning experience sadly without the happy ending I was dreaming of. Sprouty and I did the test of our lives only to marr the mark with a very expensive mistake 3/4 of the way through taking us down from 70% to low 60%. He lost balance in the counter canter which meant I lost the canter mark and wasn't able to get him back in time to do a change so with two whole marks ruined I was out of the hunt. Overall i was very pleased with his effort and in particular his ability to cope with the atmosphere. I took a lot of confidence from that despite wishing for lack of a green error.

On the cross country he was a brave little tiger and attacked the 4* fences with such gusto that it slightly ran us into trouble. He gave it his all which in this instance was a little too much! We had a fab first third over some massive island fences and three really tricky combinations, and then had a frustrating run out at a skinny brush out of a coffin. That behind us we went on to jump the next third of the course easily before he jumped so boldly over a and b elements of the water that we stumbled up a step and were unable to stay together. GUTTED is an understatement but it'll go down in the great book of life as a lesson in patience, the importance of sticking to an outside line, the need for stronger brakes and the odd hard pull down the reins. It has made me more determined than ever to put in the hard yards that make those top riders so good at their job...experience really counted on a course like this and I'm jolly well going to get there!! After returning in a rather gloomy mood, eager to prove myself I've had to wait two whole week whilst events have been rained off to FINALLY go to a show yesterday with Luke and Willy who ran really well around a magic event put on at Aston le Walls by the amazing Ann & Nigel Taylor on perfect going...who would have thought. Thankfully Luke performed very well on home ground to come 5th and Willy slightly spoilt his winning dressage score of 26 with a couple of pesky rails but gave me a wonderful ride XC. Sprout has returned from his jet setting full of beans and having had a week of hacking and light work in the school, he thoroughly enjoyed his first gallop today...in fact he was bonkers!

We very much hope that Jack, Alf and Cher get to run at Little Downham this weekend, possibly Rowan at Tweseldown on Monday (this might raise Dr Hoffmann's eyebrows) and the same gang joined by Ginger Pud at Pontispool the following weekend before Willy heads off to strut his stuff in Ireland at Tattersalls, and Sprouty and Luke go to Bramham...after about a trillion phone calls today I think we have this as plan A again, there was thinking that Bramham might ballot and so Luke and Sprout might have had to head to the Emerald Isle and Willy might yet prefer Yorkshire...its all still up in the air but for now at least ...watch this space!! The post Bramham program is along the lines of Catton, Salperton, Barbury, Aachen, Upton, Brightling, Aston and GREENWICH?!?!?! and that is just for June and July...phew too much excitement. Back to the books for now, anything to escape the hail! I do very much hope you are all well and not suffering with the hail, rain, sleet, snow and sub zero May