Having started off the season with some great results for my horses, COVID quicky put a stop to any big plans for the spring, and it looked like we might not get any events. Luckily with some careful management we have been able to run in some events since July. It has been difficult to plan for the older horses and get the horses fit at the right time, but we have managed to keep the youngsters happy and learning during lock down with lots of strength work and hills keeping it varied.
July
Barbury was a great event with a successful first run back and good result for Renaissance Man in the Intermediate finishing 5th and Codebreaker having a quiet run in the Novice.
Aston le Walls saw some good results for the babies – The Kashmir Syndicate’s Kashmir had his first run in the 90 open finishing 4th which was a highlight. Kraziano finishing in the placings and 6yo Ramonda finishing 3rd in the BE100.
Frickley, always one of our favourite events with a challenging and educational course gave me a feel of where they were. Ramonda took exception to a fence judges car half way round the XC after another great dressage.. sadly he was given a hesitation, as we queried the 20 pens which were given for a hesitation .. not in the penalty zone…. but he quickly recovered and jumped the rest of the course easily, just sadly preventing another top 10 finish! Young horses! We have given him lots of time as he keeps growing up and not outwards! He is bred for the job and it will be a case of waiting for him to strengthen up before we see the real horse. One to watch!
Codebreaker ate up the course and finished 5th in the Novice, and Kashmir gave me a lovely confident feeling in his second 90.
August
De Pleasure started his long awaited eventing career at Norton Disney, we bought him with an owner as a 3yo, and we have slowly been educating him on the flat, and jumping in our own time – and it has been worth waiting for. He did a really confident and classy double clear to finish 2nd in the BE100. Ramonda was placed just outside the top 10 with a steady run, and 6yo stallion Champions Misdemeanour had a great double clear in the 90 open at his first event, having only just started jumping at the beginning of lockdown, which was impressive.
Kashmir and De Pleasure, have both been contesting the Nexgen series for 5yos and have both qualified for the Nexgen final at Hickstead a replacement series for the Burghley Young Event Horse final! I will also be taking Codebreaker for the 6 year old final.
August – Aston le Walls fixture
Priorspark Precocious came back from some time at stud to win the Open Novice which was a well deserved result. Clifford was excited to be back eventing and gave me his usual incredible feeling XC. Dick O Malley jumped a brilliant double clear finishing 4th in the Open Novice, his first run back since 2019.
Burgham
Codebreaker finished 3rd in his first CCI2*S at Burgham, the first time that I have asked him to go competitively and he answered all my questions which was amazing to feel his confidence brimming.
Renaissance Man re routed from Aston le Walls to do a brilliant clear in the CCI4*S, however lacking a bit of fitness meant that I went for a steady round, as he is aimed at Burnham Market CCI4*L. De Pleasure was rewarded for a beautiful test, for 16, and finished eventual 4th in the 5yo BE100 with a double clear after a pesky pole!
We have been busy with some talented new faces arriving – Mini, a lovely 5yo owned by Vanessa Flemming.
We have also said goodbye to some other horses that are going on to do different careers, Oakbank Ultimate Illusion, Kraziano and Shanaclough Trend.
Very sadly after 14 months of rehabbing Dick O Malley he has sustained another injury that will prevent him from competing at top level. So very sadly he has been retired from Advanced level and will go down to teach someone at the lower levels. I wish to thank my Flint syndicate for their incredible support and everything they have done to help me. Some fantastic highlights include: 6th Grantham Cup CCI4*S, 6th Balindenisk CCI4*L, double clear in the Nations Cup team and team Bronze Houghton Hall 2019. It will be incredibly hard to fill his shoes!