RACHAEL'S DIARY JUNE 2008 Echo making sure he cleared the fence at Draycott House Photo by kind permission of JTPIX 1st June - I took Dane and Echo to another local event this time at Draycott House which is just a couple of junctions up the M1. We had a really super day, Dane finally did the test we all knew he was capable of gaining a very good mark of 32.9, Echo also did a really lovely test but I did feel that he had been harshly marked and only scored a 35.7, both horses jumped really super double clears inside the time which meant they both finished on their dressage scores with Dane coming 3rd and Echo 6th. 10th June - We had a busy but very successful day at Arena Uk today. I took Posh, Tiffany, Paris and Dee and Mum took Shadow. Posh was a little superstar jumping double clear round a very spooky British Novice, Shadow thought it was all very scary and had an annoying two down, so Mum took him in again HC and he jumped a lot better just having one down due to jockey error! Tiffany was a megastar again winning the Discovery which means she has all her double clears and has qualified for the second round. I also jumped my first newcomers on her having down the double where I wasn't quite committed enough to the stride, but was really pleased with her as she made the step up to this height feel easy. Paris was a really good girl jumping double clear and coming second in the 1m open and just had one down in a really good round in the newcomers. This was Dee's first show, she was fantastic she just took everything in her stride and jumped really well. I feel that she really enjoyed herself and came home having learnt alot and looking forward to next time. 14th June - We took Posh, Paris and Shadow to the Woodland Pytchley Pony Club One Day event. Paris was 2nd to go in the dressage, her trot work was really good but unfortunately she did not appreciate being asked to canter so instead did a huge buck and set of leaping! In the jumping she jumped a super double clear so overall I was really pleased with her, Posh was feeling a little sprightly when I got on her and unfortunately only had 20mins between her and Paris so I got down there to be told I followed the one that was in so I wasn't expecting a spectacular test, then just as I went in the arena some one had left a gate open and the sheep escaped to I then had to contend with about 200 sheep on the run along side the arena! I decided to put that test down to experience, she went on to jump a really good double clear. Cherise was riding Shadow today as Mum was away he did a good test a little tense after trying to heard sheep away from the arenas, he just had 4 faults show jumping and flew round the cross country to finish 5th. 26th June - It feels like we have not been to a show for ages, but we have certainly been busy taking the young horses out for practices to get them ready for the their first show in the next couple of weeks. We took Paris, Tiffany and Shadow to Weston Lawns today, Paris and Tiffany both jumped foot perfect double clears in the 1.05m open, Paris just sneaked a place and Tiffany was just out of the rosettes but this was her first time in the big arena there so I was really chuffed with both of them. Mum and Shadow just had an annoying fence down in the jump off in their class. July 2008 1st July - I took Ben to Vale View today, he was a real star jumping a super double clear over a really spooky and testing course. Posh on her way to second in the Discovery at Weston Lawns Photo by kind permission of David Sellars Photography 3rd July - Weston Lawns again, I took Paris, Dane, Tiffany and Posh and Mum took Shadow. Paris, Dane and Tiff all did the 1.05m open Paris jumped a super double clear to come 3rd and then went on to have just one down in the Newcomers, Dane just had one down in an otherwise lovely round, this was his first time at this height, Tiffany for the first time ever seemed to have a bit of an off day having four faults 1.05m, and eight faults in the Newcomers. Posh was a little keen but jumped double clear in the British Novice and then went on to jump a really super double clear in her first Discovery and come 2nd. Shadow was having a spooky day where he decided everything was scary! so made the job a lot harder for Mum and just had one down in each of his two classes. 4th July - Cherise and I took Flo and Dee for a show jump and cross country practice, both are proving to be really exciting for the future, both popped round a course of show jumps then went beautifully round the cross country course, I popped Tiffany on the lorry as she didn't seem her normal self yesterday and jumped her round the show jumps which she jumped brilliantly, I suppose even Tiff must have the odd bad day! Tiff jumping brilliantly at Market Bosworth Photo by kind permission of Equipics 6th July- We set off to Market Bosworth Show in the pouring rain for the second round of the British Novice with Paris and Tiffany. I did the 1.05m open to start as the main ring can be very spooky so wanted them to have a look round before the British Novice, Paris jumped a super round until the very last fence of the jump off which she just tipped and then in the next class had a really annoying fence in the middle of the treble. Tiffany was back to her normal self and jumped a lovely double clear in the first class and finished 8th out of about fifty, In the British Novice she jumped clear in the first round and in the second round she would have jumped clear if it wasn't for me where I just got her to close to take off and clear it, so we just had the one down, I was very cross with myself as I let her down in what was otherwise a perfect round. Basil on his way to winning his Pre Novice at Upton House Photo by kind permission of Photosynergy 8th July - Upton House horse trials, it feels ages since we have been eventing as we have been unlucky and balloted from a couple, Dane was very tense again in the dressage which was annoying after he did such a good test at Draycott, he jumped the best round show jumping he has ever done and flew round the cross country apart from a hesitation at the steps, so off cross country schooling again before next time! I took Basil as well today as Lucinda can not do the weekday events but again he needed to go out as not been out for ages, he did a super dressage test of 31 and then jumped a brilliant double clear to win his section, I really enjoyed riding him he gave me a great feeling in all three phases, I have told Lucinda that I am quite happy to step in any time!! Shadow going well at the Belvoir Pony Club ODE Photos by kind permission of JTPIX 12th July - Belvoir Pony Club one day event at Buckminster Park, I took Paris and Posh and as Mum is away at a wedding Cherise took Shadow. After warming up well Paris seemed to get bored with going nicely so let herself down in the dressage but jumped a super double clear over a very big show jump course and and big and bold Pre Novice cross country, Posh did a reasonable dressage then just got away from me a bit in the show jumping and had two fences down in a related distance and flew round the cross country, I was really pleased with her as her fences down were just babyish and this was by far her biggest test to date. Cherise and Shadow did a very good dressage, had 12 faults show jumping and flew round the cross country.