British Riding Club - Dressage Championships 30-31 March 2013

I represented my riding club (Rother Valley) at the BRC Winter Championships in Hartpury.

We were a team of four, myself with Corby, Clare Walton-Cole with Theo, Sarah Baldwin and Sweep and Tanya Draude with Bill.  We were accompanied by our helper - Tina Jackson, who did a great job.

We qualified at the end of last year at Ardingly coming 2nd as a team with 3 of the team placed.  I was 1st in my arena at Ardingly with Corby.

Corby dressed and ready to go - I didn't want him getting dirty.  His Dragonfly hood and rug did a good job of keeping most of him clean.

We left Sarah's yard at 10:30 am on Friday, first stop was the BP garage at Kippings Cross to stock up on M&S goodies for the journey!  Which was a good plan as the journey took 6 hours in the bank holiday traffic.  We stopped half way through the journey hoping for a toilet break but the queues were so massive we ended up using the handy WC in Clare's box!

We arrived at Hartpury around 5:30 pm.  We couldn't unload the horses from the box until they had been checked out by the vet because of the recent outbreak of EHV.   We unloaded the horses about 6:00 pm and got them settled in their stables.

Sarah, Clare and I took our horses into the school and gave them a quick schooling session.  Clare's horse, Theo, was feeling a bit fresh!

We went out for a pub meal after we'd put the horses to bed around 8:30ish.  The local pub was closed so we had to drive around to find another.  Luckily as Sarah had trailed up Sweep & Bill she had her lovely X5 to chauffeur us around!  We then found a gastropub thanks to Tina's Iphone and had a nice relaxing meal.

Then back to the cold horsebox and a very squished and cold sleeping arrangements!  I got up at 6:30 am although I was actually awake most of the night!

Clare was first on at 10:06.  She did the same test as Corby and I, Prelim 13 and did a good test around 64%.

Next up was Sarah on Sweep doing a Novice 27 test.  They got around 63%, unfortunately despite the 2 amazing flying changes (these weren't actually in the test) he scored a little lower than perhaps he usually would.  But hey you can't be a Champion 2 years running and he just thought he'd give the other a chance to get the red rosette.

I was next to go, before my test I took Corby on a short hack and for a bit of schooling to relax him.  Before we went into the arena he spooked at the cameraman (luckily he didn't during the test!).  He felt good in his test and scored 69%.

Perhaps it was my new hat from Dragonfly Saddlery.  I was sporting the new Charles Owen AYR8, which some of you may know is that hat of choice of Charlotte Dujardin!  I felt smart wearing it and had lots of compliments.

http://www.dragonflysaddlery.co.uk/addtocart.asp?categoryid=12&subcatid=30&hr=r&categoryname=Hats&subcatname=Riding&itemid=3011

Tanya was last to go with Bill she was doing final Novice test.  She did a very nice test and came 6th in her arena.

Corby and I ended up coming first in our arena, the hat clearly did bring good luck.  Corby and I then had a mounted prize giving, a chance for Corby to wear his smart white Stretch and Flex boots again supplied by the lovely people at Dragonfly.  They clearly are a popular flatwork wrap as quite a few of the horses at the Champs were wearing them.

 http://www.dragonflysaddlery.co.uk/addtocart.asp?categoryid=11&subcatid=205&hr=h&categoryname=Horse+Boots&subcatname=Flatwork+Wraps&itemid=2915

Prize giving with Corby sporting his wrap boots and me in my lovely hat and Mountain Horse boots - which are still proving to be the most comfortable boots I've owned!

As a team RVRC came 10th out of 28 teams.  You may recall we were the Champions last year but I wasn't disappointed as I thought we all well, it's a long trek and it was a cold weekend!

We ended up leaving Hartpury at 7:00pm.  The journey home was much quicker only taking 4 hours.  We got to Sarah's yard around 11:00 pm where I unloaded Corby and packed up my lorry so I ended up finally get home around midnight!  I slept well that night in a comfortable bed.

I had Sunday morning off as Mum kindly did the horses for me so I got a lie in.

October - December UPDATE!

Sorry about the late blog post I've been a busy girl even though the eventing season is over for the year!!

The season ended for me in October and the livery horses went home for their rest and mine had a bit of time off so I could go off to Dubai to sun myself!! 

It was a last minute booking and just went for the 5 days which wasn't long enough!! It's my second time to Dubai and I love it, we are really lucky that my fiancé sister lives there, so we stay in her lovely apartment overlooking the Marina and the beach is only 10 minutes walk away ! It was nice to get away and relax and spend time with my fiancé (well some of the time)!!!

Dubai

Back from my holiday I've just had the 5 in work and a new livery horse coming for breaking,  Which is always exciting starting a young horse off.

I was asked again to do the dressage teams again this year for the RVRC with Clare Welton-Cole, Sarah Baldwin & Tanya Draude. Last time we did it you may remember we won the Championships this year at Hartpury. 

We had to go off to Ardingly to the South of England Showground for the Qualifier on the 2nd December this time Clare and I were doing the Prelim test & Sarah and Tanya the Novice. I took my trusty partner Corby aka Cullawn My Way (who is for sale!) . He did a super test with 71.88% and won his section Clare was 4th so we were laying 2nd after our test so no pressure on the two girls!! But they did great and as a team we came 2nd so qualified for the Championships again in March 2013.   Fingers crossed!

BRC Dressage Champions - Summer 2012 (hopefully Spring 2013 too!)

Also have some good news to share there will be a little person with me next year, so you'll be seeing my mum pushing a little person around the events!! It means I won't be starting eventing until July only half a season for me next year :-(  Planning on doing lots of dressage with the ponies until then.I took Corby and Ollie to Golden Cross last Saturday for dressage and they came 1st & 2nd and 2nd & 3rd in their tests.

Baby Pilbeam-Mulvey!

Nearly forgot I did a very exciting photo shoot for a calendar called Fifty Shades of Dapple Grey lots of eventers took part it was a bit of a rush to get it ready for the South East Eventers League (SEEL) Ball but we did it thanks to Sam Penn and Sarah Hayter.  My month is June and the calendar page is kindly sponsored by my wonderful supportive and generous sponsors Dragonfly Saddlery & Pets. If you would like a copy contact me they are £15 including P&P money goes to South East Eventers League. The ball went well with 350 people turning up always love the end of year ball any excuse to dress up!!

Promise I won't leave my blog to long next time. Hope you all have a lovely Christmas.

British Riding Clubs - National Championships - 7-8 April 2012

I went to the BRC National Championships in Hartpury representing my Riding Club Rother Valley.  I took Cullawn My Way (Corby) and we were doing a Novice test and representing both individually and part of a team.  My other team members were Sarah Baldwin (Sweep), Tanya Draude (Bill) and Clare Walton-Cole with Theo.  We also had our fab helper Tina Jackson.

We set off on Friday 6 April (which was Good Friday) because of the bank holiday traffic it took us 5 hours to get get to Hartpury.

Sarah and Tanya went up in Sarah's trailer and we were in Clare's lorry.  Hartpury is a great venue and the stables were lovely as they were indoor and not the usual portable ones that you get at big events so it was a nice treat!

We all slept in Clare's lorry (all 5 of us!) it is supposed to sleep 4 so it was a bit of a squash!  The others were a bit mean shoving me in the top of the cab by the sloping roof so I didn't have much room!  There were also problems with an airbed, Tanya brought the pump but not the plug so the air hole had to be sealed with duct tape!!

We got some sleep before Saturday but can't say it was a very comfortable night!

Hartpury has lovely hacking tracks so it's great for taking the horses out for exercise.

We all managed really good tests and we came 1st!

Sarah and Sweep won the overall title and 1st in her arena and the 1st for the team.  I'm not a massive fan of cobs but I've got to say I quite like Sweep and he does move nicely and I'd make an exception and be happy to have him on the yard!  Sarah has done a great job with him!

Tanya and Bill 2nd in their arena and 1st for the team

Clare and Theo were 5th in their arena and 1st for the team

Me and Corby were 6th in our arena and the 1st for the team.  He did really well considering I'd been on holiday & only got back 2 days before and he hadn't been ridden whilst I was away!

We got some lovely prizes a bridle, boots, a NAF rug and £30 NAF voucher some easter eggs and also the sash and rosettes!

It was a great weekend and fab results for all of us and the Club.

There have been a few write ups in Local Rider Magazine and South East Rider