January 2009
Last season was my best season so far. I set various goals at the beginning of the season and somehow achieved all of my goals with each horse! Pardon Me II secured team and individual gold at the Young Rider European Championships in Germany in September. I also successfully completed two CCI***’s gaining CCI**** qualifications on my other top horse Society Spice which has set my focus on Badminton for 2009!
As I write this the end of 2008 is looming fast and the beginning of a brand new year waits. My 2009 event plan is already taking shape. I have worked back from the spring three day event each horse will be competing at and fingers crossed the preparation will pay off as they all have realistic and achievable goals for 2009.
I am currently in my second year out of three at the University of Sussex, studying Business and Management, so the juggling act will continue for the short future. When I come out of University I want to pursue my career in eventing and become one of the top senior riders in the world achieving record breaking results. (That’s the plan!!). However, I tried to keep a level head when I left school and thought for three more years of studying I think having a degree is a good back up plan and it may also open doors for me in the future within the equestrian market and other related spheres; I am pleased to say so far Uni hasn’t restricted my riding in any way and I am finding that living at home and doing the horses everyday means that Uni is just a little something extra that happens for a couple of hours everyday (I keep telling myself anyway – helps the motivation)! There is a fair amount of extra study, but I try to do that most evenings, when I have finished the horses.
For 2009 I have five horses to compete; the first of these is Society Spice who following successful trips to Bramham and Boekelo CCI***’s in 2008 will be headed to Badminton. As far as Badminton goes I will obviously be aiming to do my very best but Riz was never going to go three star let alone four star and he does not owe me anything so if it goes well I will be over the moon, and if it doesn’t quite go to plan he has still exceeded all my expectations and will be a winner at three star level. The second is Pardon Me II my Young Rider European Champion and my special superstar! P will be aiming for a top result at Bramham CCI***U25 and then hopefully the Young Rider Europeans again! The third is one of my bright starts for the future, Junior II. Junior will be aiming for Houghton Hall CCI** in May and then hopefully another CCI** at the end of the season. He is still quite green for his age and I really believe his top results won’t come for another couple of years yet but when they do he will be quite hard to beat! The fourth is Lombi (We call him Legs – interesting I know, Vere Phillips named him Legs because he has four white socks)! He only started eventing in 2008 and we are really excited about him. He will be headed for Houghton Hall CCI* and then a CCI** in the Autumn. Finally the fifth is a new ride for me, this is Balloo IV a lovely horse owned by Mrs Caroline Paul. B will also be aimed for Houghton Hall CCI** and then hopefully, also will be in contention for selection for the Young Rider team.
My winter preparations are well underway and I am keen to get going. P and Riz had a whopping ten weeks of wallowing in the fields with no back shoes on and so now look like Thelwell ponies (no exaggeration) but they definitely earnt a rest and so will be fresh for 2009. The treacherous rodeo riding was experienced again for a couple of weeks whilst bringing them back into work, where P truly believes he is a strapping rodeo bull but instead of having a cowboy on board he has me, clinging on for dear life whilst buckled over in fits of giggles! However on a more serious note the schooling is going well and I am feeling inspired for some more good results which is a good feeling. The countdown to March has begun!!
