Long awaited update...

This season got off to a great start. At our first Premier League show Lucky won the PSG qualifier for the National Championships and Bugsy was very well placed in his Premier League debut. He then went on to qualify for the Nationals by winning the PSG at Hickstead, at last putting a smile on our faces after the most frustrating day. On the way we had a blowout on the motorway, and after being escorted off at the nearest junction by the highway police, we then had a 3 hour wait to get the tyre changed. Eventually we arrived at the show the exact minute Charlie should have been going up the centreline!
Both Lucky and Bugsy also gained good percentages in the Inter I to qualify them through to the regional finals.

Bugsy

In July Bugsy competed in his first CDI International Small Tour at Hartpury, but sadly Lucky had to withdraw due to an attempt to pull off a shoe the week before. We all feared the worst, even our vet, fortunately his huge leg proved to be caused by just a knock. Though he was sound the day before we were due to leave he'd had too much time off to go. Walkman was amazing, he went better than we could have hoped at this early stage at this level and finished 8th in the Inter I and 9th in the Kur. He has already exceded our expectations and there is so much more to come, he is a really exciting prospect!

Hartpury was Charlie's first Grand Prix since last year, he was much stronger and in better self carriage this season so I was really pleased with him.

Also this summer Lucky and Bugsy competed in the Wellington Freestyle Championships, they were placed 3rd (Lucky-PSG, Bugsy-Ad Medium). On both occasions there was a huge atmosphere and it was great experience for them.

This week we are off to the Nationals, where Lucky and Bugsy are both competing in the PSG and Inter I. We been busy arranging a Kur for Bugsy and I've adjusted the ground plan for Lucky in the hope one or both of them will qualify through to the Inter I Kur on saturday. This is Bugsy's first Nationals so I'm hoping he won't get too excited by the big occasion!

Passed My HGV!!

Last week I took my HGV test and passed first time, after the disappointment of my test being cancelled in early Jan when I did the training it was a huge relief. I had been for 5 days training with a company in Devizes called WTTL Ltd straight after New Year, it was really intensive and by the last day I was really feeling ready only to have the test cancelled as there was snow at the test centre. The next available date was 27th Jan three weeks later! Not ideal but it all came back to me in the morning practice, I passed with only 4 driver faults which I was very happy with as I was convinced I'd failed when two traffic lights changed at the last minute and I had to slam on the brakes.

Another very important reason to pass was we had just had an offer accepted on an HGV lorry that we were to pick up two days later so at least I was able to drive it!

The New Lorry

Now I know its not the colour of choice but in all other ways its great for us, it has a really good size living and at 14ton can take our 4 horses and all the gear. We have been busy giving it a good clean up and of course the first job was to get that 'thing' off the sides! It needs some more jobs doing on it then we are taking it to Carl's training at the end of the month to test drive everything before we stay away at competitions. Lets hope we can afford a re-spray at some stage, but in the meantime I'm ready for the jokes!