New Sponsor - DRAGONFLY SADDLERY

I am very excited to announce that Dragonfly Saddlery in Hassocks, West Sussex will be sponsoring me this year.

They have given me a very generous allowance to purchase new equipment. A lot of the horses kit is well overdue for replacing so it will be fabulous to be able to get essentials like brushing boots to replace the ones with holes in that I've had for years!

As you know competing horses isn't cheap, especially BE, so to have the support of Dragonfly for equipment etc really is great.

For those of you who haven't visited Dragonfly you must http://www.dragonflysaddlery.co.uk/! They are a lovely family team, Sue, Richard, Laura & Holly Paine and have a great range of stock. Richard is a qualified saddler and has been fitting saddles for over 20 years.

Dragonfly also stock items for pets too, great if you have a lorry load of dogs like me! They are also great for cross country colours so if you need a new set look no further!

Sue and Richard Paine

Dragonfly Saddlery

The Goods Shed

Station Business Park

Keymer Road

Hassocks

West Sussex BN6 8J

Phone: 01273 844 372 or 01273 844 606

Freephone: 0800 374878

Opening Hours:

Monday to Saturday : 9.00 - 5.30

Sunday : 10.00 - 3.00

sales@dragonflysaddlery.co.uk

www.dragonflysaddlery.co.uk

Chilham Park ODE - 15 May 2011

I had 3 to ride at Chilham. I took Tango & Bobby and I also rode Beau for Marilyn.

It was a long day as unfortunately a rider had a fall on the XC and was taken away by Air Ambulance. This put everything back by over an hour as the Dressage, SJ and XC had to be stopped whilst the Air Ambulance was on it's way and wait for it to take off and clear the area.

Hopefully the lady involved is out of hospital now, I did see an update on Facebook which said she had no broken bones etc and was being kept in for observation.

Beau won his class he had a 31 for dressage, the best in his section, one pole down and finished on 35 penalties.

Tango had a 34.5 dressage, he wasn't concentrating too well after his wait on the lorry! Clear SJ and unfortunately had one stop at the water. I was still pleased with him though as apart from the stop he had a good round.

Bobby had the best dressage in his section, 29, clear SJ but unfortunately we got eliminated XC. The course was up to height and it just wasn't our day, which is a shame after how well he went at Ardingly!

Beau - 1st, best dressage in his section

Tango - unfortunate stop at the water but otherwise a good day!

Nurstead Court - 30 April 2011

Took Corby & Holly Hot Lips to Nurstead. Corbs did the BE100 and Holly the Open BE100.

I've been waiting for the day Corbster gets placed 1st in a BE100 as he is so consistent he is usually placed and it happened at Nurstead. He is so good, always has a good dressage and is a good jumper and is bold XC. He got 26.5 dressage, double clear with just 2 XC time penalties. I'm so pleased with him and he really deserved his first with his great record.

Holly is feeling good again and hopefully next event will be Open Novice. She had a dressage score of 31.5 and double clear with no time penalties which put her in 6th place.

I'm not sure yet whether to do Borde Hill as the ground is still so hard. After that next event will probably be Berkshire College.

Corbs is still for sale, can't quite believe that he hasn't been found yet as he is so consistent he'd be a great horse for someone and is good looking too!!

Rother Valley Riding Club - Easter Dressage Monday 25 April 2011

I went to Bedgebury on Easter Monday with Tango, Bobby and Corby. I also rode 2 tests with Beau, Marilyn Warwick's horse, who I normally school around once a week.

I enjoy going to Bedgebury, it's great to have such a good venue nearby, I'm looking forward to seeing the Cross Country course completed too.

Another well run event by my riding club, Rother Valley, they hold lots of events through the year and are always popular.

I had another great day with wins or placings in each of the classes I entered.

Prelim 18 - 1st Beau - 72.50%

Novice 27 - 5th Beau - 63.57%

Novice 24 - 2nd Tango - 66.92%

Novice 24 - 4th Bobby - 57.30%

Elementary 40 - 1st Corby - 69.35%

Beau went really well and I was very pleased with him, he hasn't done a Novice test before so his 5th was really good.

Tango was well behaved, I originally was going to bring Holly to do the Elementary test but she was in season so thought with Tango on the box too it was better to take Corbster!

Bobby's mark doesn't quite show how well he can do, he managed 57% despite me going wrong in the test and he got distracted at one point by a ditch the other side of the indoor school! But the rest of the test was good and he got some nice comments.

Ardingly Riding Club ODE - 17 April 2011

I had a great day at Ardingly Riding Club unaffilated ODE. It's a great event and well run. I had 3 to ride, Tango & Bobby as well as Cracker for Deb Shillabeer. Couldn't really have had a much better day as they were all placed 1st!

Tango went really well 30.5 dressage, double clear and 8 time penalties XC. He was great through the water as that is his only sticking point, he's very bold with everything else considering he hasn't really done an awful lot.

Bobby had a 27.6 dressage, double clear and 3.2 time penalties. Again really pleased with Bobby as he hasn't been out much this year.

Cracker had a great dressage of 24.5 unfortunate pole down in SJ and 3.2 time penalties (for going too fast - not bad for a little cob!). Cracker is going really well and I school her normally weekly for Debs, she is a lovely little mare. I'm a bit late adding this post live as with the others, had written them but forgot to post. Since drafting Debs took Cracker to Mattingly on 7 May and came 6th in BE90 so they're doing really well together.

Below are links to the official photographer's website with photos of Tango, Cracker & Bobby.

Let's hope we can continue with the winning spree!

Tango

http://www.everybodysmile.biz/spidgeeventphotography/eques/124970/page_es1.php?Cat=200%20Lisa%20Pilbeam

Bobby

http://www.everybodysmile.biz/spidgeeventphotography/eques/124970/page_es100.php?Cat=326%20Lisa%20Pilbeam

Cracker

http://www.everybodysmile.biz/spidgeeventphotography/eques/124970/page_es45.php?Cat=254%20Lisa%20Pilbeam

South of England - Saturday 9th April

Second outing of the season for Corby & Holly was SOE.

After my fall with Holly in the SJ at Goring (see previous post!) I thought it was a good idea to see if I could move classes with Holly from the Open Novice to the Open BE100. Sarah Robinson the secretary for SOE was great and sorted this out for me. Holly went well with a 28.5 dressage and a double clear we ended on our dressage score in 3rd place. Holly felt great and just like the old Holly again. She's entered for the Open BE100 at Nurstead then I'll do a couple of Open Novices then we should be back up to Open Intermediates.

Photo: Pip Simpson

Corbster had another good day too. He had a 34 dressage which is unusual and he did feel like he went better then that, but was very good again giving a nice double clear, 2 time penalties XC put us in 5th place. Pippa Funnell won the class on one of her Billy Stud's horses - Billy Crackle. Corby is also entered for Nurstead in the BE100.

Busy week this week, schooling for Marilyn, Debs & Anna. Hopefully XC at Lodge Farm on Wednesday. Taking an RVRC clinic on Saturday at Lodge Farm and then the Ardingly Riding Club Unaffliated ODE on Sunday. I'll be riding Tango, Bobby and Debs horse, Cracker. Will update blog to let you know how I got on!

I'm going to be doing a few more unaffilated ODEs locally with Tango before he's signed up for a half season BE. I'm lucky that there are some good ones that are run in the area, Ardingly, Chilham, Pulborough, Borde Hill and my Riding Club Rother Valley, Sevenoaks RC also run great ones just to name a few!

Goring Heath - Sunday 3rd April - First BE event of the season!

I went to Goring Heath with Holly (Cullawn Holly) and Corby (Cullawn My Way). Holly was entered in the Open Novice for her first event of the season and Corby in the BE100.

Unfortuanately things didn't go to plan in the SJ with Holly! She was jumping really well - as you can see below (photos to follow!!) but we didn't get our striding right coming into the double and she took of took early sending me flying into the next fence! So that explains the cricket score - we don't usually have that many faults! I really hurt my elbow and strapped it up for the rest of the day. I withdrew Holly and did not do the XC with her.

Corby was very good, he was really up for it his first event of the season and couldn't wait to get out of the start box XC! He did a good dressage test 27.5 (2nd after dressage) then a double clear ending up completing in 2nd place. I was really pleased with him and all the better considering I had a dodgy arm!

Got it looked at and also went to A&E. Had an xray but they said it was badly bruised and to rest it and put ice on it. Perhaps haven't rested it as much as I should have and still have interesting colour arm but I'm getting there, wanted to do South of England anyway! Next blog on that!