The long awaited start to the season, a very busy weekend... 

Tweseldown, Barbury, Tweseldown

7 out of 10 horses Double clear!

Finally given the go ahead that the ‘new’ kind of eventing could begin, which was very much welcomed by myself and my owners and definitely the horses. Lockdown meant that we could put in plenty of practice at home. Developing each horses strengths and working on their weaknesses, but the time to put it all into practice was definitely welcomed!

First event was Tweseldown, with the big boys! Trendy Captain Clover and Undalgo De Windsor both competing in the Open Intermediate. It was great to be out again, huge thanks to each and every event venue and volunteer for making it possible. The new normal was certainly a little different but had many positives in the smooth running of each event.

Undalgo De Windsor, as expected was very happy to be at a party, I would like to say after all the dressage he had been doing at home he did a foot perfect test, but we all know Beau and the excitement after 3 months of now eventing was a little too much! Never the less some lovely bits in his test and certainly more established but there were some not so pretty bits! He jumped brilliantly and certainly showed how happy he was to be out and how well he was feeling, an unlucky pole and a steady clear XC to get us underway!

Trendy Captain Clover, has developed and matured so much, feeling stronger and better than ever. He did a lovely relaxed test to score 29.3 and followed this up with a brilliant double clear. It was lovely to get him out and about again and have a good run to set us up for exciting plans for the remainder of the season.

A rather late finish and the alarm set for a bright and early 3am, to head off to Barbury with 4 Novice horses.

Chf Archie, has been going really well at home and getting more established in each phase. He did a nice test of 30.3 and jumped a great double clear, adding just time to his score to put him out of the top 10, but a great first run to set him up for the rest of the season.

Interlaken W, who is now a Daddy, felt brilliant! He is much more forward and working more over his back which showed in his dressage of 31. He had a very unlucky pole after jumping well, then jumped clear XC, despite going a little green at times.

Confession Time, this lovely 6 yo, has also been growing into himself over the last 3 months. Standing at 17.1hh, he still has plenty of strengthening to do but felt amazing in the dressage to score 28.5 and was in the top few. The show jumping slightly catching him out - he is so scopey and over jumps occasionally in combinations which led to a couple of poles in the triple, which does not justify what a great careful jumper he is. As he matures and develops he will learn to contain his jump! A super clear XC and brilliant run from him in his 3^rd Novice.

6^th- About Time Too, was on great form and glad to finally have his first run of 2020. Great posh trotting from him in the Open Novice. To score 28. He went on to jump a confident double clear adding just a few time to finish 6^th in his section.

A great time at Barbury Horse Trials and back to Tweseldown with the young ones!

Another 3am start and 4 BE100 horses on the truck we headed down the A34/M4 back to Tweseldown.

Tango Blu, had his first run since 2018. It was very exciting to have him out eventing. After showjumping him last season it was great to get him on an XC course. A slightly distracted dressage test from him, with a lot going on beside his arena, never the less scoring 32.5. He jumped a brilliant double clear, around a course with plenty of questions.

Time To Gamble, a homebred 6yo who had a BE90 run at the beginning of March but stepped up to BE100 here. He too is a big horse and still has more filling out to do but a great attitude to his work. In the same arena as Tango he too was a little distracted by people and lorries coming and going to score 35. But went on to jump a great double clear.

6^th- Candelaria, a 7yo Ex racehorse loving his career change and proving he is very good at it too. An impressive dressage score of 22.5 and a perfect double clear from him to see him place 6^th in his section.

5^th- Renegade Cruising, another exciting 7yo that has just gone from strength to strength over the last few months. His first BE100 and 2^nd ever event, scoring 33.5 in the dressage phase and he too jumped a great double clear, adding just a couple of time to see him finish 5^th in his section.

Photos courtesy of William Carey