Category: Diary

 The momentous year is finally upon us! As I’m sure it has been for many of you, this has been the year we’ve all strived for.  For me, it goes back to a day in 2009 that is etched in my memory; Zulu had just failed the final trot up for YR team selection, and [...]

As I sit here typing, I still can’t quite believe what’s just happened… I have just finished 3rd best Brit – behind Piggy and Pippa – and 9th overall at a ridiculously competitive Blenheim, with a double clear!  Zul was insanely good, and tried his heart out for the whole thing, clearly loving every minute [...]

*** PERKY 2nd at HARTPURY CCI1* ***
We’ve just got back from a very successful Hartpury, where Perky SO nearly gave me my first 3-day win! We led the Dressage from Thursday afternoon on 43, which I was pretty happy about as the closest to us was 47, and then the rest were all 49 plus!   [...]

While last month was verging on drab, this one has been absolutely jam packed with   action and excitement!  It started slowly with Woody having to be withdrawn on jumping morning from the CIC** at Barbury having done a very reasonable Dressage.  Lucy took off his bandages to discover some warmth in a front leg, which [...]

       This month has been pretty quiet, with Zulu and Woody having gone back home to Scotland for some well earned chill out time immediately after Bramham, and we’ve had a brief hiatus from competing.  I think it’s really important for them to have a mental break as well as a physical one after a [...]

Bramham & Tattersalls
Wow. What a FANTASTIC two weeks we’ve just had! Zulu was just brilliant at Bramham – I’d dreamt that we might win, but I hadn’t really dared to hope that he’d actually jump a double clear inside the time at his first CCI***, let alone finish 6th from a field of proper 3 [...]

Belton and Burnham Market…
April kicked off with a bang at Belton, which I was a little apprehensive about having vetoed it for the last year or so, as I always seemed to have a terrible time. However, recognising that I need to take every opportunity to ensure Zul qualifies for Bramham, I decided to bite [...]

March
The season is now well and truly underway and we’re back living on the edge! Tweseldown provided a good start, although I have to say I was a little taken aback by the scale of the first southern event. Compared to the early ones such as Kirriemuir up north – where slightly furry wild horses [...]

We’ve certainly had a good start to the year so far, with Sparkle taking the limelight having been top dog at Weston Lawns (2nd with a 26 Dressage and clear jumping in the Arena Event), and then winning his first ever British Dressage outing at Addington on Thursday! I only went for a bit of [...]

January and February have flown by in a flurry of post snow activity, and as I write this I am mildly congratulating myself on having finally unpacked everything in our new yard. This is of course thanks to my fantastic helper Christine, who courageously battled through an unexpected Scottish winter to remain loyal to the [...]