South of England - 11/12 April

Just the two horses Ollie and Holly on different days but only being a hour away is not too bad. Also had Lauren's horse on board again. Early start having dressage at 8.42 am Ollie scored 28 only horse being in the 20s, I don't think it helped a lot of horses with dressage arena being near the Show jumping warm up.

We jumped a super double clear, the XC course had a few changes this year being a little more challenging. We won our section with 29.6 just having 1.6 time penalties.

Ollie - Photo Julian Portch

Sunday morning was Holly's turn. Another great dressage 29.8 and double clear with 6 time faults xc putting us into 5th place. Looking forward to the rest of the season she feels the best she has ever felt.

Holly - Photo Julian Portch

Oscar having a ride after XC with Holly - Photo Uptown Eventing

Next stop Chilham Castle with Penny, Bea and Mouse Saturday and Holly and Ollie Sunday. Esther (Poppinghole Patchwork) got balloted in the 90. Hoping to get in the BE100 for Sunday.

Borde Hill - 26 May 2012

After Nurstead Court was cancelled at the end of April the next event I was entered in was Borde Hill.  I took 4 in total over the weekend.  Tango in the BE90, Ollie and Corby in the BE100 and Lady in the ON.

Tango had a 36 dressage and was clear SJ.  Unfortunately we were eliminated XC. It was fence 5 which was a double of boxes a blue wall underneath.  He put in a really naughty stop and I nearly fell off!  He really wasn't keen and I couldn't get him over it!

Tango

Corby went really well he had a 33 dressage clear SJ but we picked up 20 penalties XC.  I jumped the wrong B element of a hedge jumping the BE90 and not the BE100 B element.  I realised whilst we were in the air jumping the wrong fence so had to circle and then jump the correct fence which meant we picked up the 20 penalties plus we also ended up with 11.2 time penalties finishing 24th.  I pity as Corby is consistent and this result was due to rider error!!

Corby

Ollie had a 30.5 dressage and a pole down SJ which is unlike him and clear XC with just 6 time penalties finishing in 7th place.  The ground was good going.

Ollie

It was Lady's first event of the season in the ON and she was amazing.  It was great to be back on her again!  She had a great dressage (27) the best score she's had in a Novice and went really nicely.

All in all not a bad weekend just a shame about the rider error with Corby and Tango is still getting the hang of things, more on his progress in the next posts...

South of England Horse Trials - 14 April 2012

I took Corby and Ollie to SOE both in the BE100.  A great day with Corby coming 2nd finishing on his dressage score of 29.5 and Ollie 3rd on his dressage of 31.

I'm really pleased with both of them. Ollie is doing really well it was only his second BE100 event and I thought the XC at SOE might be a little testing for him as XC is his weakest phase.  This is only because he hasn't done much XC. I've taken him hunting over the winter and he is jumping well.  He's Mum's horse and she's had him for a long time he's now 12 but Mum mostly did SJ and dressage with him.  He did one BE90 or intro as it was then when he was 5 but didn't get round the XC.  He is definitely bold enough now for the XC and I'm really hoping he goes a long way hoping to Intermediate at least.  We'll see how the season goes!  He is entered into the Eventers Challenge at Golden Cross at the weekend, he is a great jumper!

Ollie my new eventer - I've nicked him off of Mum!

Corbster!