sort of .. Susan Lamb’s 4yr old Kincooley (Binchey at home) was in a league of his own to win the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse class at Badminton yesterday. Earning 10 out of 10 for the final “potential” section of the judging, the judges agreed with what we’ve all thought at the yard since he arrived – that he really is gorgeous. So the plan is that he wins the 5yr old next year and then comes back in 2018 to win the big one …… watch this space.

BYEH Photos..

the horses have been out and about – Winnetou came back to OI level for a breather and jumped well round Hambledon and Withington. Hunter Valley did a 23 dressage at Hambledon but had a green stop xc, but put it right at Withington with a 6th place in the novice. The babies have been improving with each run except Orla who has been brilliant but got out of bed the wrong side at Hambledon and had a girlie strop xc – its the only time she’s ever been “mare-ish” so has been forgiven on this occasion.

But the greatest excitement has been the 3 new additions to the yard – Piglet, Mable and Basil, Molly’s puppies. Already the most photographed dogs ever, you can follow their progress if you be-friend Helen Tagg on Facebook – she only updates their “profiles” 4 times a day !!

PIC BY UPTOWN EVENTING http://www.facebook.com/pages/Uptown-Eventing/131069023621784?ref=ts&fref=ts

Winnetou M : 28 dressage, double clear and 9th in OI at Lincoln. Done mostly during a snow storm. Good boy!

ORLA LOVING THE MUD AT TWESELDOWN!!

2013 hasnt started exactly as planned – re-juggling of staff & horses and a lorry that is trying to give up the ghost don’t make for smooth times but hopefully now everything is in place for a stress-free rest of the year. Wishful thinking!! The eventing kicked off at Moreton at the weekend and that at least went according to plan – gentle first runs for Kintara and Winnetou M and a win for Sceptre de Moreton in the BE100Open – start as you mean to go on.

Kinorla & Harry Bosch, Susan Lamb’s latest smart babies, went to slop around in the mud at Tweseldown – Orla loved it and did 24 dress double clear .. would have been 2nd if not HC. Harry was much greener and had a wobbly stop xc but thats allowed at your first event.

Very sadly however, Shannondale Santiago has left for pastures new. A really heartbreaking decision for all involved as he was the yard star but ultimately Olympic dreams do not pay the bills and eventing is eye-wateringly expensive sport. He has been sold for Harry Meade to ride – what a lucky man he is. We wish them lots of luck.

Space for a second Working Pupil now at Marsden Manor ….

Accomodation for human and horse, lessons, travel to events plus small wage. Lots of riding, great team and lovely horses and yard.

Contact Sammi.

The first entries are in so suddenly xc schooling and show jumping missions are almost daily at Marsden. Anything that stands still long enough is clipped in preparation for their seasonal debut, including dogs and staff.

Shannondale Santiago and Winnetou M are on their respective levels of the Australian Future Training squads which is exciting.

Competing has already started – Kinpaddy, the yard dressage horse, went to the Regional Finals last week and came 5th in his Elementary class, a couple of places off qualifying but a good result anyway. The perks of the occasional day at dressage are not wasted on Sammi or Hels – a whole day off the yard with one horse and 20 minutes of riding required – that sort of recuperation will be useful mid-event season!!

Tues was a day out at the Unicorn Centre nr Stow for clear round sj with the babies. What a great facility it is. 6 horses went and jumped anything from 70cms to 110cms and Sam was not bucked off and nor was Jodie so all in all a great success.

As today was minus 2 out of the wind, it seemed wise to take the same bunch of young horses xc schooling at Boomerang. This blog has been written before the return of the lorry – according to the owner of Welton Charis (first time xc schooling and 1st on) she was quite brilliant (not clear if she meant horse or rider) but it was so flipping cold the owners felt they had done their bit and cleared off home. God knows what happened after that …

although yes she is heading for the indoor school, but still!

Well one person is enjoying the snow – Dingo NOT showing his age in the pen.

Can we get through 2013 without too much weather chat? Probably not. Sam had her annual trip home to Aus where she lounged in a pool drinking wine for 3 weeks whilst Hels, Kaylee, Kelly and Jenny ran the yard and lounged in the puddle by the muck heap drinking hot toddies (will they now be known as hot Sir Toddies since he was knighted??)

Jenny has finally succumbed to the need to have a”proper job” and left after christmas .. sort of .. Dingo has stayed so she is still there every day. The new Jenny is Jodie Cantrill, recruited from Sheffield and probably still in shock having never worked with horses full time before. Poor Jodie!!

The horses all came back in from their field holidays – some of their own accord. No names mentioned but we looked forward to the eventing debut of the one that didnt make it over the gate! Neckstrap at the ready…

So the indoor school and the walker are in full use and everyone is very over the sledging opportunities .. bring on March and the first events. When obviously it will rain solidly until Oct. Eventing in the States anyone?

BOEKELO .. we have a proper grown up 3* horse in the yard! Lottie has not always been the easiest of rides – mentally and physically – but Sam and Hels’ hard work paid off in style in Holland where in knee-deep mud she did a 47 dressage, double clear with a few time at her first CCI***. She was bold and accurate round the cross country – and ends the season on a high. Everyone is really looking forward to 2013 even more now. Sam has been absent from the big events for a bit due to lack of horse power but fingers crossed can put that right next year.

LE LION …. NEARLY… Bag has been superb this year – only once out of the top 10 – so great things were expected at Lion. Here I would mention the driving rain and peat bog conditions but that has been standard for 2012 so just assume! His dressage test was very smart despite Bag making the decision not to attempt medium trot in such conditions despite the riders desperate please . He was lying in 4th place  with only a couple more horses to go in the dressage when the organisers gave in to the inevitable and cancelled. A deflating end to 2012 for all concerned.

DRESSAGE QUEEN .. never one to rest on her laurels, or god forbid ever go a week without competing, Sam has turned her attention to dressage, and has come to appreciate the benefits very quickly. You can very nearly always come home with money and rosettes! Kinpaddy won 4 elementary & medium classes on the trot (and canter..) LG Wellington won the only 2 mediums he competed in and Tregorn is a 70%-er in novice classes. In the unaffiliated classes the babies are cleaning up too – Baby Bonus plus 75% at Burrows Court, Gismo 79% at same venue, and Mulberry and Matilda (Welton Charis – on her very first outing since being graded premium as a 3yr at the 2011 Futurity qualifiers) were 1st and 2nd on West Wilts. At least when Sam is too old for galloping xc she can switch careers effortlessly.

LOTS OF TEARS … LG Wellington or the wonderful Boots as he is at home, has been sold. He was a real favourite in the yard and his chatty cheerful personality has left a big hole. Poor old Chris Hall, to whos yard he is going for his very lucky new owner, found himself surrounded by blubbing women when he came to pick him up. Best of luck to his new jockey – he is a really special horse.

So Jenny has her first 3DE under her belt. If questioned, she will say that she enjoyed bit of it. Dingo, ever the exhibitionist, waited until the bell rang to begin his dressage test and then trod on himself, sending a shoe flying and spectators running for cover. The nice people at Osberton reorganised Jennys dressage time to later in the day, unfortunately bang in the middle of Sam’s 2 horses in the 5yr old champs, so Jenny had to warm up on her own (worse than it sounds) and Sam had to tack up on her own (disaster…)

Despite these two traumas, Dingo did a nice test, a clear xc and just 1 down sj. 1st 3DE – tick!

Togo was great in the 5yr old champs – led the dressage on day 1 with 29 and and only passed on day 2 by a handful, 1 down sj (expensive in the end but good over a very large track) and clear inside the time xc – to finish 10th. He has ended his year looking like a really exciting prospect for future seasons. Particularly exciting for Jane Murfett and Frank Inns who own some pretty lovely horses at every level in 2013.

Teddy got a disappointing dressage mark although he went wellwhich is unusual as he is a very elegant horse that judges normally love. He went very green sj, paying more attention to the tradestand area than the fences and poles rolled but redeemed himself xc by sailing round clear.

Not one to give herself time to think (or Hels either actually) Sam drove back from Osberton on sunday night and got up at 4am on Monday to drive to Little Downham with Lottie and Bag for their last runs before their 3de’s. Both jumped double clear (sleep obviously not a requirement for the rider!) and Bag finished 2nd and is now advanced.

So the end of season road trip begins tomo – Sam, Hels, Baggles, Lottie, Ed the boyfriend (ic food, beverages and entertainment) and Susan (under her own steam despite still sporting 2 dodgy wrist injuries) set off to Boekelo (Lottie) and then head to France for Le Lion (Baggles). Jenny, Kaylee and Kelly are in charge back at base, supervised by the dogs. Good luck everyone!

A momentous occasion has finally arrived … after 3 yrs, 7 months 28 days and some hours (approximately), Jenny, the world’s hardest working working pupil, is at her first three day event since joining Mcleod Eventing. She and the evergreen Dingo (Bold Move) are at Osberton, posted up there on Weds with Nicky Roncoroni, are through the first trot up and mentally preparing for the dressage which is Friday. All fingers and toes crossed thast they continue their great form this year. GO DINGO GO!

Moreton Morrell last weekend was a mass baby outing; 4th places for Togo and Teddy (a rail down for Teddy costing him a 4th win in a row – nice of him to let others have a chance at the glory!), a hestation and an overzealous piece of fence judging for Toledo (at Badminton, we would have queried this!), another xc clear for Belisco, a debut for Baby Bonus (Kinhoumayoun) and a novice win for the mouthwateringly gorgeous Sceptre de Moreton. As flagged up by Hels on Facebook, Sceptre de Moreton won at Moreton, LG Wellington won at Wellington, so no surprises that any new purchases will be called Badminton and Burghley.

Togo and Teddy are up at Osberton supporting Dingo and strutting their stuff in the 5yr old class …

Beautiful Tommy at Moreton.