Bicton

Yesterday was officially the end of our 2018 UK season, it was the last event we will be at this year, can’t believe it has come around so quickly

It was a great note to finish on.  Helen Feld had done a fantastic job getting everything together because to take over from Alton at such late notice cannot have been easy by any means. I also owe Miranda Collett a huge debt of gratitude for managing to fit my various horses in, she did work wonders.

 

The day started off with Crunchie and Isa who very luckily got a last minute slot in the BE100.  Crunchie with all his fans and followers was obviously the favourite and quite amazingly finished 5th.  He did a very sweet test and got a 32, his dressage will come on dramatically, but at the moment he is not able to get another mark.  He then wonderfully show jumped clear, picking up all his legs at all the fences.  I hadn’t hoped he would be ready to get it all enough together yet to jump a clear round so we were all very excited.  He then popped around the cross country very comfortably. From Calmsden he learned to jump corners and canter in water, and he got better all the way round, and must have taken on an enormous amount in one day, he will be shattered today and is having a well earned holiday until Christmas.  It will be very interesting to see how he comes out next year but I would imagine we will be a very different animal.  Lindy amazingly, but totally unsurprisingly, made it down to Bicton from Wetherby, it was great she was there.  She loved seeing Crunchie out again, and to top it all managed to go and stay with Cathy Butler at Salcombe and have a sunset boat ride to top her day.

 

Inspiring Isa also had a good day starting off with a 33 dressage, it was a lot better than at Calmsden.  Lots will improve, she is by no means established in the dressage but she has got a lot of potential that we will be developing in the winter.  She then jumped another beautiful clear in the show jumping, she does find that bit very easy, she is very naturally balanced and careful so it is certainly her phase to enjoy.  She also sailed around the cross county course very happily, her eyes also started out on stalks a bit but by the end she was making out she was an old hand.  She is also going to have a well earned break.  Sadly Federico Vezzani couldn’t make it but he will get all the videos we took next week.

 

It was great to have Summer at Fernhill out for his third run, and he has really come on well each time.  His dressage was loads better and he scored 24, he show jumped really well and clear, and gave me a great ride cross county with a few time faults to finish 10th.  He has come on so well this summer it is hard to remember the horse he was a few months ago.  He is a real worker and enjoys his job, and has been lots of fun to get back in action.  He was HC in his section but he would have been 10th.

 

Secret Night was also having his third run back, he did a very pleasant dressage, nothing wrong, and scored 28.  He then did a very easy double clear to round off his season in the best possible way.

 

Helen designed three excellent courses, they all asked some nice questions and rode really well.  The ground was spot on and I was very pleased to have gone the right way, having had to walk three courses in a day.

 

So Internationally the last one for me is Pau and we are off on Monday night with Little Fire for his first 4*.  We are going across on the Portsmouth to Caen ferry and driving down through the day.  We will hopefully arrive Tuesday evening before it gets too dark, having had a few pit stops and walks on the way.

 

The trot up is on Thursday and it will be all go.  Let’s hope Pau has had some rain, but sadly I am sure I am dreaming.

 

 

William Carey Photography