September has seen a few good WINS to spur the team on. We have also seen some staff changes, firstly I would like to thank our head girl Zoe Wilkinson for again helping to form such a strong back bone in our team whilst these changes happen. It is so good for the horses to have a few constant faces to work with and with the work Zoe does behind the scenes she really is hugely valuable to us. Also thanks to Kiri Snell who has been with us all season and is really starting to blossom in to a good young rider and a lovely person to work with. We wish Catherine Kyle, Emma Owenand Chrissy Thompson luck in their future pursuits.
We now welcome on to the team Rowan Collins, Jessica Brooksand Georgina Milsom who are in the process of joining us to help with the winter duties and on in to next season.
Sue White’s Kilfinnie (Scottie) has had a busy month fitness and training wise but not competing. He will be heading out to Pau to contest in the CCI**** in October and the decision was made to train and work had at home rather than compete him lots. Scottie is fit and raring to go!
Captain Fred and Penny Barker, Vicki Mace-Benson’s and Georgina Tapner’s Wickstead Didgeridoo (Balloo) has put his splint behind him and contested in the CIC*** 8 and 9 year old class at Blenheim, he was a little fresh in the dressage but held his own to be mid field, his SJ was spectacular to watch in the main arena with many people commentating on his enthusiastic style over a fence. XC was clear with some time penalties and so it was decided that he is ready to go up a level to CCI*** at Boekelo in October. South of England CIC** proved very worth while expedition for Balloo with a personal best dressage score followed by a clear and fast XC to finished in 2nd place, a clear 6 points in front of 3rdplace!!
Captain Fred and Penny Barker’s Kilronan (Tom) has had a very late but VERY successful start to his season, starting with a HC WIN in the Intermediate Novice at Goring Heath. He kept his winning form at Gatcombe in the top CIC** class with a lovely dressage and double clear for another convincing WIN. At South of England when going for the hat-trick again in the top CIC** class, he excelled himself with a super impressive sub 40 dressage test and classy double clear for a decisive WIN with his stable mate Balloo close behind in 2ndPlace. He now goes to Pau to see if he can make it a hat-trick of wins at CIC** level.
Sally and Colm McGinn’s Indian Mill (Monkee) went to Goring Heath novice ODE and put in another consistant performance to finish in 4th. He then went to Gatconbe CIC* and with all feeling the tension in the show jumping, with only 1 rail down he got his qualification for the Le Lion d’Angers CCI* 6 yr old world championships and also managed to net a 6thplace in a very large field.
Andrew Page’s Miss B (Bee) is back in work and looking forward to campaigning at BE100 level next month under Zoe Wilkinson.
Andrew Page’s Carmenero (Carmen) is improving all the time and we can now say he has successfully completed the change from Race horse to Event horse!! He competed at Goring heath with a good dressage, 1 show jumping rail down and a very good XC to achieve his first top ten finish with a pleasing 8thplace. He then went on to South of England BE100 and produced the same consistent performance for 9thplace. Zoe Wilkinson will now compete him next month whilst Paul is abroad.
Jane Gwillim-David’s Supreme Watts (Dai/Polo) not only had hisWIN at Milton Keynes he then went out and produced a fantastic performance at Goring Heath in the torrential rain and WON again!! This time on a score of 23!! The decision was then made that he was gaining too many points for the market he is being aimed at so he has been withdrawn from competitions this season and advertised. We are hoping to find a good young rider to take him on to reach his full potential.
Captain Fred and Penny Barker’s Strike Smartly (Paddy) was sadly missed off the team report list last month for his creditableWIN in the BE90 4 year old class which netted his qualification to the 4 year old National Championships at Osberton. Paddy behaved himself impeccably at the Osberton Championships with a smart dressage, but one pesky show jump rail down kept him out of the top ten placings after a clear XC for a final 13thplace.
Georgina Tapner’s Wickstead Ulara (Lara) competed well at Goring Heath in the dressage and around the testing XC track but sadly had a couple of rails down to push them out of the placings.Lara then went to Gatcombe and produced an impressive 29.5 dressage and double clear to finish in 3rd place.
Zoe’s GHS Calvaruise (Peanut) just had the one run at Gatcombe this month and they made it a good one with a WIN in the novice class.
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