- Blenheim Palace International 8/9YO CIC***
- Aston Le Walls with the babies
- Wellington and Gatcombe International
- Bicton International
- Hartpury CCI**
- The Festival of British Eventing and Smiths Lawn
- Aston Le Walls and Calmsden
- Barbury Castle International and Upton House
- Catton Park and Chepstow 4yo
- * Exciting opportunity to own part of Cruise on Inny!*
Aston Le Walls
A very successful start to the season
Ginny had a fabulous start to the season with double clears all round. Angellus did a superb dressage test on Friday after some sound advice from trainer Gareth Hughes and achieved an excellent score of 31 to take them into the Showjumping phase. After being a little sharp in the warm up arena, he more than made up with very well established clear round Showjumping. The ground was a little slippery and wet in the cross country but Angellus coped well and put in a clear round inside the time to finish on his dressage score and earn a very respectable 4th rosette.
Saturday saw the turn of Somewhat Cavalier, Tell Me About It II, Creeslough and Eires Rock which Jilly Foster had expertly attended to on Friday to make sure they were all pristine for their turn.
Somewhat Cavalier knew exactly what the day was about and was very excited to be there – even though this was only his second event. His dressage lacked some balance but, for a 5 year old, he kept his concentration most of the time and came away with a score of 40.5. He gave the show jumps a lot of air, showing off his skills he learnt in the Newcomers and went on to do a great clear. The cross country was a little spooky but a great confidence giver when he settled into a clear round with just 9 time faults.
Tell Me About It II completed the day as a combined training but did a very calm test with a score of 38 and the Showjumping saw huge improvements with a lovely clear round.
Creeslough was the first of Ginny’s Novice rides and he was thrilled to be at a party. Unfortunately, the cross country ran alongside the dressage arenas which was a little unsettling and his first test of the season was slightly tense. After the fences at Addington, the Showjumping was a little smaller than they were used to but they jumped a superb clear round. Ginny was extremely pleased to see Creeslough’s experience from last season which kept him very straight at the skinny fences and bold at the spooky fences in the cross country – another brilliant clear round.
Ginny was very excited to get on Eires Rock and his first run for two years was worth the wait. The dressage was not quite as planned as the cross country next door took his concentration so his score of 39 will definitely be improved upon in their next outing. The Showjumping was carefully executed and he jumped a good clear round, if not a little keen. Ginny and Eires Rock had been looking forward to the cross country all day and this showed in the start box. They loved every minute of it and jumped Ginny’s final clear round of the day, showing that he had not forgotten how things are done.
Ginny is thrilled with a full count of clear rounds and hopes that the dressage will improve after the excitement of the first event is out of their systems and they are ready to buckle down and show what they are all really capable of.