Double regional Champion!

                                                                         Photo by Risto Aaltonen

Last weekend I competed Margaret Phizacklea's gorgeous horse Coole Contender at the Addington Regionals. We won the Medium Open and Medium Open Freestyle titles, then also a 4th place in the Advanced medium freestyle with all three tests over 70%. What a great weekend!
 Marg had asked me a while ago if I would ride Charlie at the regionals for her and I was more than happy. She has done a fantastic job of training him from a young horse and he gave me three great rides. He is a super horse, polite and sensitive, so keen to please as well as being gorgeous looking.
His mistake free Medium Open test was the only score of 70% and the exciting thing is I know there's more to come! He was a little tired in the Advanced Medium freestyle but came back well the next day with super test in the |Medium Freestyle and a score 74%.
He's gone home to Marg now while I'm in Vidauban then the lovely Charlie will be back to prepare for the Winter Finals at Hartpury in April... can't wait!!

An early win for Walkman

This season started early for Bugsy with a win in the Grand Prix at Addington on 66%. He was feeling really fit and much stronger than last year. We still had some mistakes, mostly due to over enthusiasm  so there definitely a much higher score yet to come.

Photo by Kevin Sparrow

The judge David Trott made this comment in Horse and Hound " It was a really well presented test. Walkman looks established in everything, he was lovely and secure in his head carriage and very uphill"

This show was to be warm up for the High Profile show this weekend which unfortunately had to be cancelled due to the snow.
We are hoping to go abroad in the next few months to compete internationally so will try to get out again soon.

A new supporter

We recently had a new saddle fitted by Becky Whitcombe of Sue Carson saddles, the new Grand Prix Special. It's made such a huge difference to Bugsy's confidence in the changes, especially in the one tempis which before the new saddle could be tight and tense.
He feels so much freer in the shoulder and softer in his back. The rider position is excellent as the knee blocks are positioned especially for the individual rider. As he is still constantly developing more muscle we are able to adjust and balance the saddle accordingly with the Flair system.

Many thanks to Sue and Becky.