Aston Ribbons

Well, Team Jackson are currently on a mission! The call up for the Olympics didn't happen so we're working doubly hard at home to produce some dazzling results at Hartpury, Burghley and Blenheim!! The final team training in Surrey was a fabulous opportunity to train alongside the best riders in the world, at the top of their game with 2 international mega star trainers. Luis Alvarez for jumping and Stephen Clarke for dressage. The four days 'camp' flew past and I must admit I'd have happily stayed for four weeks!

Bryony Holloway and Paul Wedge's amazing home was all to easy to become accustomed to. We worked the horses in the outstanding facilities, watched our team mates training, analysed video's and we were then fortunate enough to enjoy the tennis courts, the swimming pool, and the gym. I'm convinced I was born to be a squillionaire, this lifestyle suited me well!!

From dream world to reality, we took 5 horses to Aston where the brave Taylor family put on a super event despite the many months of rain. Our gang really put their hands up this weekend and had some great results with Luke and Willy 4th and 5th in the Advanced, Jack 2nd in the OI and Chance 2nd in the Novice. I was delighted too with Master Rowan despite a pesky 20 penalties XC he coped well with his debut at Intermediate level. So I am willing all the kiwi's to their very very best performances at Greenwich, in particular so we can enjoy a huge celebratory party! From there Team Jackson has a slightly bonkers week with Aston on Wednesday Hartpury Thursday, Aston Friday morning and Hartpury Friday pm and Saturday. Phew. Look out logistics manager the wheels will be in over drive! In the mean time we're willing Captain Frantastic a speedy recovery from her fractured hand and longing for her return, and a huge well done to Bec and Becky for coping so admirably in her absence.

AMAZING AACHEN...

Woweeee, the life of the jet set crew. I could quite get carried away with the ritz, glitz and glamour of the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen. To have dressage, show jumping and eventing on such a grand scale, all at one show was mind boggling. For a start Joe Giannamore who owns Jock Paget's stunning horse Bullet Proof was incredibly generous in transporting the team of riders to Germany in his private jet...UNREAL. Obviously we spent the entire trip discussing tactics and work only!

The horses went in two lorries..Jock took his own, Sprout for me and Knockmore Lad for Brazilian rider Renan Guerrio. Mark took his own Grass Valley, Flinstar for him to ride deputizing for injured Jonelle Richards and Nereo for Andrew. Exercising the horses on the Thursday I was blown away to be schooling alongside Ludger Beerbaum, Michael Whittaker and other members of the great and good of international showjumping. Important to concentrate on the job in hand, but a shame to miss the enormity of the occasion. Sprout felt quite at home, and sure enough all the kiwi team flew through the trot up that afternoon. Friday morning dressage for all 40 competitors in the dressage grandstand arena. Sprout was a little on edge but for his stage he performed some good work to score a respectable enough 57. I look forward to him having the strength to contain his loose athletic paces and power, at the moment he very often over revs resulting in tension spoiling the movements and lowering the marks. Make no mistake though in time he'll be very competitive on the flat. We spent Friday afternoon watching the most enormous Grand Prix in the show jumping ring. Mind blowingly ENORMOUS! Then reality check, it was our turn in the main stadium next! The vast arena was deceptive, the distances between fences very long so a normal show jumping speed for us wasn't quite enough to make the time. Sprout jumped his socks off and made us all incredibly proud with a clear round. 4 time faults spoiled the score card but something that is very easy to fix. The main thing was his impeccable behaviour under mega pressure in front of a big crowd...SO PROUD! How to make a good week great...another clear round. On Saturday morning, my darling scrawny little 10year old Irish pony stormed around the most technical of tracks to post another clear round. Again, a few time faults will be easy to erradicate with the benefit of hind sight, but overall i was blown away by his maturity. With Andrew placing 5th and Jock completing in style on Bullet Proof we ended as 4th placed team which was a nice end to an incredible week. The next stop is final team training in Surrey next week. Gutted though I am to be first reserve I am more determined than ever to work my socks off and prove that this seasons good results are no fluke, and get so good at the sport that I can never be left off a team again. In the mean time I'm here ready, willing and able to step in if needed.

Busy Babury

Well a good enough weekend at Nunney followed with 7th in the BE100 for Sammy, 7th in the novice for Rowan, 14th 2* Jack, 7th in the intermediate with Alf, and 15th in the novice for Chance. I had a slight case of damn 4 fault-itis but was very happy with the ponies, and can thoroughly recommend the long drive to this lovely new event. Having thought Bramham was busy with three, we decided to double it and take 6 to Barbury. I couldn't possibly have dreamed that we'd complete the logistical challenge of exercising 6 horses a minimum of twice a day each, and competing them all without so much as a moments hesitation. WELL DONE FRAN and her gang! So grateful to Bec, Becky, Aisling and all the owners for their support.

Firstly Master Rowan completed his last novice competition in style with a decent test, one down show jumping and a super clear XC. He has taken a long time to recover from a nasty trip in the water last year and finally feels to have put that firmly behind him. Next we had Willy Do in the 4* combined training. Unfortunately for him the wind was gale force and he took a strong dislike to the thunderous flapping of flags and didn't do his best test for 56. He is now aiming for Burghley and will compete at Aston le Walls and Hartpury in preparation. I ran Whats it all About (Alf) for Adrian and Maggie Smith and Wellshead Munnings (Jack) for Gill Watson in the 2*. Unfortunately Alf wasn't feeling in great shape and decided that after an amazing test of 46 that showjumping wasn't for him today. Jack did a fabulous test, had a frustrating 4 faults and jumped a superb clear XC to place 8th out of 102! Really, really thrilling result for Gill and some reward for all the incredible hard work she puts in to the whole team.

The final selection trial for the Kiwi's, the Irish and the American's was held in the 3* at Barbury this weekend. Luke lived up to my most ambitious of expectations by coming 9th out of 110! He is getting very consistently good scores on the flat and this was no exception on 46. We then went on to jump a great round in the show jumping, another frustrating 4 faults and a storming xc run for just 5 time to finish in 9th. I feel he has done all in his power to impress the selectors and I'm trying hard to remain philosophical now and think what will be will be! He has had 4 top 10 placings for 5 runs this year, all bar one at 3* level. Who knows?!!? With the incredible honour of being asked to compete in the Nation's Cup at Aachen, I did dressage (a little wild), show jumping (immaculate) and just 10 fences of the XC on Sprout at Barbury, in preparation for his departure to Germany on Wednesday. Never have I found it harder to pull the reins and ask a horse to stop, he felt pretty special indeed around those fences! So Aachen next and we'll have to wait and see what happens after that.....