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.

South of England 11-13 April 2014

It was a long weekend for me being at South of England as I was there over the three days. I had the day before dressage with Ollie (Cullawn Warrior) on Friday.

Didn't have a great start to the day on Friday by getting lost – it took us 2 hours to get there because Lindfield village was closed. We followed diversion signs which took us the opposite way.  We ended up getting back on track by taking the lorry down a narrow lane towards Ardingly!

My dressage was at 1.48 pm and we ended up getting there for 2:00 pm. I wasn't the only one being blonde!! It was a rush to get us both ready and we only had 10 minutes to warm up. I forgot to do my give and retake on both reins! However, we had a respectful score of 32.5 if the rider didn't forget 2 movements I'm sure we would have had a better score!!!

Kirsty and I treated ourselves to a McDonalds on the way back home.

It was an early start Saturday with 8.15 am Show Jumping! We didn't get lost on the way to Ardingly this time and found another quicker route!

Ollie went clear SJ.  

We bumped into Laura from Dragonfly Saddlery & Pets, my lovely sponsors, who was helping out on the XC warm up.  It takes a lot of volunteers to make BE events work and as a competitor I am really thankful to those who give up their time to help make all the events successful.

Ollie did a super clear XC inside the time there were a few questions to ask on the course and I was pleased with him.  It was a competitive section and Ollie finished on his dressage score of 32.5 to come 10^th.

Back again Sunday this time with Holly (Cullawn Holly) doing the ON. Dressage is Holly's weakest phase. I find she always goes better when travelling solo to events.

She warmed up beautifully and tense free, our dressage arena was the other side of the hedge where the show jumping warm up was. Holly found this great fun and made it very hard for me to ride her - a very tense and excitable horse! We had a 41.5 dressage and I’ve not had a score like that in a long time! Meant she was raring to go for the jumping phases!

She had a lovely clear show jumping and XC with just 4.4 time penalties. I loose a lot of my time by setting her up for jumps, I think I need to try some new bits out!  I was really pleased with how she went XC and she felt that she was back on form and really enjoying the XC. With the 4.4 time penalties she ended up on 45.9 it was another competitive section so out of the placings ending up 20^th.

Our next BE event will be Borde Hill - I'm missing Chilham because I'm away for 4 days show jumping at Weston Lawns. I will be taking Bea (Galway Timberlina), Poppy (Popstar) and Ollie (Cullawn Warrior).  I am also lucky enough to be riding Shane Carter’s horses Esther (Poppinghole Patchwork) and the handsome Donni (Carraig Donavan). I’m really looking forward to Weston Lawns as it’s a BS show it will something different for me and will be a change being a showjumper for the 4 days!

South of England – 28 September 2013

SOE is one of my favourite events. I took Ollie & Holly again but this time Holly was entered for open novice.

Holly had a year off last year trying to put her into foal that did happen but instead I fell pregnant!! So she has had longer off then expected.

I started the season off in July and started her off Open BE100, last event of the season I decided to do novice, and hopefully the start of next season going Novice.

Early start 8:00 am dressage on Ollie, we did an average test of 32 and double clear, I thought there were a lot of questions to ask XC for a BE100 but no problem for Ollie (the show jumper!) he came 1^st finishing on just his dressage score.

I was pleased with Holly's test of 30.5, we had 4 faults show jumping and a lovely clear XC (finishing 17^th), I’ve not competed at novice level in a year, I was so happy to get around and clear. It's so nice being back on my lovely mare hopefully be back doing Intermediate and International classes next year.

Now on the agenda will be BSJA with Holly, Ollie and JJ (Cullawn Royale), Dressage and Combined Training. I’m hoping to do 1.30m classes with Ollie, he’s already qualified for 1.15m second rounds.

The horses will only have a week off this year when I'm away in Dubai as they have only done half a season. 

Wearing my lovely Charles Owen AYR8 hat from Dragonfly Saddlery (www.dragonflysaddlery.co.uk).  I wear it now for both dressage and showjumping as it's so smart!

South of England - 22-23 September 2012

This is my favourite local event as it's always well run and has a well built XC course. 

I had three Cullawn horses entered Cullawn My Way aka Corby, Cullawn Warrior aka Ollie and Cullawn Celtic Queen aka Lady.

I took three of them on Saturday - Corby in the BE100, Ollie in the Novice and Lady doing her CIC** dressage so had three tests to remember!  My friends and mum can't believe I can remember tests as I'm no good at remembering other things (without a bit of reminding!)!

Corby was a superstar scoring a 24 dressage, one pole in the SJ and clear XC being placed 3rd again. 

We thought we would try Ollie out again at Novice he started the day off well with a 35 dressage and a super clear round SJ. XC was next - started off great had a few brake problems but was jumping bold and clear until fence 13 (unlucky for us!) it was a log to a step down 2 strides to another log, we had a run out at the first part then jumped it then the step was too scary for Ollie. Mum said she could see his legs shaking bless him! He did eventually go down but we were eliminated.

It was Lady's turn for her dressage, I've not competed her at ** for two years. She was a bit naughty and very tense so we didn't score a great test we got 61.7.

Back on the Sunday for XC with Lady. Not a great day for eventing! As soon as I got on Lady I was wet through! The weather was awful! We ended up having a run out at number 6 which was a pheasant feeder to a narrow arrowhead which is unlike her so I decided to retire. The XC was abandoned before the Intermediate and OI due to flooding!  The weather has been seriously rubbish this season for eventing!

Talking of the weather - know I mentioned them the other day but still really impressed with the waterproof jods (Equetech) I picked up at Dragonfly Saddlery http://www.dragonflysaddlery.co.uk/.  They've made my life so much easier with the really bad weather.  It's miserable spending all day up the yard when you get caught in a downpour.  My legs have stayed nice and dry and warm.  They are a really good investment especially because the weather is so rubbish and lots of people have limited time to ride.  At least I can just get on and work through the weather.  Perhaps they'll make an all in one suit so I can guarantee all of me stays dry!!   http://www.dragonflysaddlery.co.uk/addtocart.asp?categoryid=&subcatid=&hr=&categoryname=&subcatname=&itemid=2943 

https://twitter.com/LisaPilbeam/status/250894065388879872/photo/1/large

https://twitter.com/LisaPilbeam/status/250926233439838209/photo/1/large

So we didn't finish the season great with Lady but she will be back next season just the first half then she will be making a baby in the summer! 

Next stop Pulborough with the 3 boys Ollie, Corby and Tango.