Charles Owen - AYR8

Just before the BRC Championships I took a trip to Dragonfly and picked up some some luxuries!

My favourite being the Charles Owen AYR8 hat with the red and white piping (ready for my Team GB call up!!!)

I'd liked and been after the hat for a while, probably the most famous wearer is Charlotte Dujardin.  I was hoping that the hat would send vibes down to Corby and he would perform like Valegro!

I've always wanted a showjumping hat too - this hat is perfect because I can use it for both.  I'm a fan of the Charles Owen hats, I've the lovely special limited edition purple skull cap which I use for cross country and also have a couple of others that I use for both schooling and competitions.

The hat drew many admiring comments throughout the Championships.

As you'd expect for a Charles Owen hat and hat of this quality it's nice and lightweight, breathable and comfortable to wear - as well as being stylish which helps!

Watch out for more pictures throughout the summer as I'll definitely be sporting it at events!

If I've sold it to you - but basically it really does sell itself pop down or order online at Dragonfly they do it in several different piping colours!

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

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.

Mountain Horse Supreme High Rider & Stretch & Flex Boots

As mentioned in my earlier post I have a reem(!) pair of competition boots.

The Mountain Horse Supreme High Rider boots.

I've tested them out for nearly a couple of months and they have been great.  Placed in every dressage test so they've brought me good luck!

They really are so comfortable and fit like a glove.  I really can honestly say they are the most comfortable pair of boots I've ever owned.  

I'm trying very hard to keep these boots for competition and best but it's so tempting to wear them everyday on the yard because there are way too comfy!

I haven't really had to do much to keep them clean and they still look really smart (which is good for me as tack and boot cleaning not my thing!).

I qualified with members of my Riding Club for the Dressage Championships at Hartpury in March and   I'll look forward to wearing them there.

Whilst at the Summer Dressage Champs last year Corby won a pair of Flex & Stretch boots by Equilibrium.  I picked up another pair at Dragonfly in January so here's hoping we get placed again so we can both look smart in the mounted prize giving!

Winter Dressage Update

Started off the new year with a lovely new pair of boots thanks to the lovely people at Dragonfly!!

The boots in question are Mountain Horse Supreme High Rider Boots - the first time I wore them was for dressage on 16 January at Golden Cross.

http://www.dragonflysaddlery.co.uk/addtocart.asp?categoryid=&subcatid=&hr=h&categoryname=&subcatname=&itemid=1550

I have to say they are so comfortable and they are by far the favourite pair of competition boots I've had  to date.

Golden Cross - 16 January

I took Ollie because we only had one partition in the lorry with the others being on order.  Ollie did very well coming BE112 and Novice 27 tests coming 2nd & 3rd.


Bodiam Dressage - 10 February

A busier day at Bodiam taking Corby, Beau & Ollie.  Not a bad day with 3 wins and 1 placing!

Beau was favoured by the judge coming 1st in both Prelim 7 and 13, Corby came 1st in the Novice 28 and Ollie a disappointing(!!!) 8th, he felt better than Corby but you never can tell until you get the test sheet back!

The weather was grim but luckily we could warm up indoors.  Bodiam have great facilities and there is an indoor viewing area too (for my Dad to sit and eat a bacon butty - sorry Dad!).

Next dressage is Golden Cross on 6 March and Bodiam (for more bacon butties!) on 23 March.  In preparation for the Riding Club Dressage Championships at Hartpury the last weekend in March.

By the Dressage Champs I'll be about 30 weeks pregnant so the wardrobe will be interesting - anyone with any maternity jodphurs please let me know!  Although I'm told by people I'm not really showing too much at the moment!

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.

Twesledown (UA) - 6 October 2012

Another nice late start! Our dressage wasn't until 14.22 so we didn't have to leave the yard until 10.30 am. 

Before I left I had to sort the lorry out  and clean the tack from the outing yesterday at Pulborough - everything was wet through! 

I forgot to take my jodhpurs out the night before to clean them so I ended up wearing an old pair with no zip (hopefully no one was looking down there)! 

This was Esther's (Poppinghole Patchwork) last event before she goes back home to her owners for a holiday.

I thought she did a lovely test but ended up scoring 34. She had an annoying one down and went clear XC putting us in 6th place, this was her first placing so was really pleased finishing on a good note. 

She has been a joy to bring on and will miss riding her when she's gone.

So that's my last event of the season, I will be out hunting and show jumping in the winter and will keep you all updated!

Pulborough - 5 October 2012

It wasn't such an early start yesterday which was nice!  We didn't leave the yard until 9.30 am. 

We set off with the three boys,  Ollie, Corby and Tango Man! 

Ollie was entered for IN but I decided to swap to BE100 after SoE to hopefully have a good run before the end of the season.

This turned out to be great with Ollie winning his BE100 section with a 31 dressage and a double clear.  He's definitely more of a SJ and a good BE100 horse, not quite there with the courage for Novice! 

I can always relay on the Corbster to get placed (when he's not it's pilot error - missing a jump etc!!).  He was 3rd with a double clear - third time running we've come 3rd just shows how consistent he is! 

Tango was a bad pony!!! He didn't like the look of number 2 in the SJ and ended up dropping a shoulder and letting me jump the jump clear!  Unfortunately we were then eliminated as the SJ wasn't in the ring he went out so couldn't remount.  Shame we didn't have a chance to complete the SJ and go round the XC course.

So it's the end of the season for my neddies! Just one more event for me (today!) at Twelesdown with the lovely coloured mare I have on livery, Esther "Poppinghole Patchwork".  I'll let you know how I get on later!