Brightling Results

Lisa rode Jays Silver spirit at Brightling Intro. Sadly Jays Silver spirit AKA Sam didnt not want to play with the XC, he was super spooky and backing off his fences so badly that Lisa decided that it was silly to continue after fence 7. Retiring is not Lisa's style but this day, Lisa felt that there was no need to push Sam around a course that was up to height when he wasnt in the mood to play. Sam was told firmly that he had better buck his ideas up about eventing or her will find his future is that of a dressage horse!!!!

Eridge Horse Trials WIN

The Duke of Bartle owned by SArah Elliott won at Eridge Pre novice with Lisa Hamilton on board for the second year running. A super horse Barty as he is affectionately known, he was the fastest horse of the day!

2009 Season has various placings and much progress with Silver Spirit

Sam isnt built for eventing, it is much the measure of his heart that he jumps at all. He is a part Shire horse that has super paces but is build with a slightly downhill body and a very heavy front end. He tends to have jumps down because he is not energetic enough in his canter to get the impulsion to propel himself easily over the fence. It is therefore a fantastic achievement that he managed a double clear last Saturday at Mattingley BE 90. His time XC was still too slow, partially because he still naps and partially because he is slow anyway and tends to back off and slow down at his xc fences to carefully jump them. If we can stop the napping I think he will make the time at Intro, but I think that Intro might be a far as he can go.

Bob ( Jays Gransun) hasnt been eventing this year, mostly du to his owners busy schedule and some credit crunched concerns. However he did play a useful part in the Wey Valley Riding Club's Area Show Jumping, where we qualified for the National Championships at Lincoln, in September.

The Duke of Bartle has been placed 6th and 2nd in his two outings with me, and his owner Sarah Elliott is taking him to Borde Hill for her first intro of the season next week. We wish her the very best of luck.

Brendon Hill Sharp Talk is currently off work due to various concerns regarding her bones and rib cage, a sort of osteoporosis condition, that can be managed, but at the moment she is being rehabilitated slowly.

Up to date

This Blog is well out of date, the event dairy has superceded it but I thought I would put a link in here, so that viewers can see the older blogs from previous years ;-)

Brightling and the Duke does it again with Sarah!

Sarah Elliott owns the Duke of Bartle,and rode him to ninth place at Brightling Horse Trials three years after she began her dream of competing in british eventing horse trials. Sarah is a top level Barrister so she uses Lisa Hamilton to train/coach her and sometimes train her horses to be ready for competitions. Sarah hopes to be taking Bart pre novice next season, Im sure they will do very well.

Jenny Haywood's horse Brendon Hill Sharp Talk was off form at Brightling, one stop show jumping put the end to her chances, even though Lisa rode her around the xc course inside the time as usual. Hard to make the time at Brightling, as a very hilly course with an steep uphill climb at the end.

Next we had Iping. Iping was a successful event for Brendon Hill Sharp Talk, coming 7th in the pre novice, losing an higher placing due to one down show jumping. BHSTalk was far more forward today and I was very pleased with her efforts. Jays Gransun also competed at Iping, he came out of a semi-retirement to contest the OPN, he should have won, but he was so excited in the show jumping, he flattened and had two down, moving him to 5th place after xc.

Coming up we have Mattingley horse trials with Jays Golden Hera and hopefully pre novice with BHSTalk, followed closely by Chilham Aug 3rd, then it will be an august break for al the horses before Firle Place at end of August.

The Duke of Bartle Wins again!

Well the Duke of Bartle won again at Eridge. If you haven't been to Eridge horse trials, I strongly suggest you compete there next year. Its a stunning course with spectacular spectator viewing. However Eridge is not for the faint hearted, the Intro course requires gutsy riding, and the novice and Pre novice need a strong and determined rhythmic line to make it inside the time!

Brendon Hill Sharp Talk managed 11th in the OPN, just missing out on a place because she tipped a rail in the show jumping.

Jays Silver Spirit is out of action due to a virus, he seemed extremely unwilling to jump at west wilts, it was most unlike him, turns out he was very ill, luckily we immed had his blood tested after his poor event and he is now on medication and getting better fast, but wont make it back til the end of the season.

Iping Cross country clinic took place today and went really well. Everyone who came seemed to enjoy themselves and take away some a little more of the vital confidence needed to go strongly clear cross country.

My schoolmaster is sadly still lame, he has serious inflammation of his suspensory. I am about to try cold laser treatments, but it seems only time will heal. He is the gentlest kindest horse I know, and I am fighting to do everything I know to get him right, if hes not better by october, then i have to consider surgery which is a risky strategy, that i would rather avoid.

July is a very busy month, I will be at Brightling, Iping and Mattingley horse trials, and have taken on photographing the courses for Equineaffairs.com so that will make me extra fit, walking and cataloguing each jump at all levels ;-0

XC clinic at Tweseldown July 8th
For more information or to reserve a place call 07786911567

Good start to season

Munstead Horse Trails in Godalming Surrey, went rather well for me this year. A win on Bartle ( Duke of Bartle) in PN, a seventh on Rosa ( brendon Hill Sharp Talk) in PN and a very creditable 11th for Hera in the Intro.

I was thrilled with all of them and particualarly Hera (Jays Golden Herea) who seemed to be braver and easier to ride than last season...Her show jumping still needs lot of work but at last she is going forward and her cross country was super and very brave indeed.

Next two horse trials Goring and South of England wre cancelled due to adverse conditions it was such a wet 4 weeks, so Bartle has nothing till Nurstead Court, Here will be coming out at Mattingley and Rosa also. Bigger gap than I would have liked between events but cant be helped, lets see what May brings weather wise, hopefully the spring has rained itself out now ;-)

Plan with Bartle is to do a novice asap, but as Sarah wants to win a few events first with him, he probably wont come out novice till Iping. Iping is a tricky course as hilly, but it is a fair test and I think Bartle can do it.