8th December 2007 - Hartpury International

Following the tragic accident to Emma Jonathan at Hartpury, I would like to convey my thoughts and prayers to her family.

With the cross-country phase of the CCI** competition being abandoned, this was run as a combined training class.
King's Cross had performed a very nice dressage test to leave him in 9th position, and then show jumped clear to finish in 2nd place.

With the wishes of Emma's parents, the CCI*** competition did run the following day.

Boondoggle scored a personal best dressage at this level to score a mark of 50, he was unfortunately tight and tense in the show jumping incurring 16 penalties, but again was brilliant cross-country.

We now head off to Blair CCI***

5th August 2008 - Smiths Lawn

I had Brookfields Joey Perhaps and Springleaze Rhapsody in the Novice class.

Springleaze Rhapsody performed a nice dressage, but unfortunately broke in her medium trot, which earnt her a mark of 34. With one show jump down and clear cross-country this left her in 9th place.

Brookfields Joey Perhaps did a very nice test and also rolled a pole, but the decision was made not to run him cross-country as the ground wasn't all that great and he didn't need the experience.

3rd August 2008 - Berrington Hall

I took Work of Art, Boundless Flight and Starlight to Berrington Hall.

Work Of Art was competing in the Intro class, where he performed a lovely dressage test to score a mark of 20, and jumped clear show jumping. His cross-country round was marred by his reluctance to go into the water at the first time of asking, but after some persuading he did go through it. I will work on his water phobia before next time out.

Boundless Flight was in the 5 year old PN class, where he did a really nice dressage test to score a mark of 33, and jumped double clear to finish 5th.

Starlight also ran in the PN class, but in a different section. A lovely dressage earnt her a mark of 30, a clear show jumping round followed and was jumping very well cross-country until we had a silly glance off at a narrow fence, which she will learn from, and at this stage it is a learning curve for her.

2nd August 2008 - Gatcombe Festival of Eventing

Boondoggle ran in the Advanced class. I was thrilled with his calm and relaxed dressage test, as there was quite an atmosphere, and he was given a score of 33. Unfortunately the atmosphere didn't help in the show jumping, as he became a little distracted, having 3 poles down and incurring some time penalties. However,he gave me a super ride cross-country.

1st August 2008 - Gatcombe Festival of Eventing

I had 3 horses in the BYEH qualifying classes - Zindante, Boundless Flight and Work of Art.

Zindante was entered in the 4 year old class, where she excelled herself by winning it, I was thrilled with her as there were alot of horses in the 4 year old section. The prize giving was in the main arena, which Zindante found quite exciting.

Work of Art and Boundless Flight were in the 5 year old class, unfortunately both horses didn't get through to the final judging, as Work of Art had 2 fences down, and an overfresh Boundless Flight didn't show himself of to his best - this was due to him having a quite time of late due to cutting himself.

27th July 2008 - Wilton

King's Cross and General Opposition ran in the OI class. General Opposition performed a really nice dressage test, but I was disappointed with the dressage mark I was given of 35.7. He then jumped a lovely double clear to finish 3rd. King's Cross also performed a lovely test to receive a mark of 26. He unfortunately rolled a pole in the show jumping for 4 penalties, but was super cross-country to finish 5th.

My next outing is at Gatcombe this weekend, where I have Boundless Flight, Zindante and Work of Art competing in the BYEH classes, and Boondoggle who runs in the Advanced.

25th July 2008 - Mattingley

I took three horses to Mattingley to compete; Brookfield Joey Perhaps and Starlight ran in the PNP class, which consists of a Novice dressage test, show jumping at 1.10m and a PN cross-country course.

They ran in different sections and both horses recorded a dressage mark of 30 and double clear rounds, which left Starlight 3rd in her section and Brookfields Joey Perhaps 5th in his section. I was really pleased with how both horses performed.

My other ride at Mattingely was Springleaze Raphsody, a chestnut mare, who is a new ride for me, and was running in the OPN class.

Her dressage score of 25 was the best mark that she has ever received, which is very pleasing as all the hard work over the last couple of months is starting to pay off. After jumping a clear round show jumping, we just has a slight misunderstanding on the cross-country course, which was down to a new partnership not quite knowing each other.

19th July 2008 - Aston-le-Walls

Boondoggle excelled himself in the Advanced, producing a very nice dressage test, and lovely clears in both the show jumping round cross-country to win his section. I was thrilled with his show jumping as all the hard work that we have put in is paying off, as this was his first ever clear show jumping round. He will be now aimed at Blair CCI***

Brookfields Joey Perhaps is a new ride for me having only arrived at the yard the previous Sunday. He did a very nice dressage test for a score of 31, although he rolled a couple of poles in the show jumping, it was a very good round, once we get to know each other a little better it will improve, and he was super cross-country.

I have a Lottery-funded squad training session on Tuesday and will be competing at Mattingley and Wilton over the weekend.

12th July 2008 - Ascott Under Wychwood

Both Starlight and Boundless Flight were due to compete in the PN class, unfortunately Boundless Flight had to be left at home, due to him having pus in his foot.

Starlight performed a very nice dressage test for a mark of 30, rolled 2 poles in the show jumping, which I think was down to her being a little tired, but she was super cross-country and finished in 10th place.

Aston-le-Walls in my next event.

8th July 2008 - Upton House

Zindante ran in the 4 year old class. She did a very nice dressage test for a mark of 31, was clear show jumping, and was going very well over a very tricky cross-country course, until coming to the Bullfinch fence, where she had 2 stops, due to the fact that she didn't understand what was required of her and having never seen a bullfinch, how to negogiate it, but on the 3rd attempt she did jump it - this was very much a baby mistake and will learn from it.

This weekend I am at Ascott under Wychwood with the baby horses and then at Aston-le-Walls with Boondoggle and a new novice horse, Brookfield Joey Perhaps.

7th July 2008 - Tweseldown

General Opposistion hasn't been out for a while and I ran him in the OI class.

He did a very nice dressage for a mark of 33, he rolled a couple of poles in the show jumping, but was fantastic cross-country, finishing in 3rd place, 1 mark behind the winner.

5th July 2008 - Barbury Castle

I had King's Cross and Boondoggle competing at Barbury Castle International event. King's Cross ran in the CIC**, where he did a lovely dressage test for a mark of 45, which left him in 3rd position, he then jumped a lovely show jumping round and was unfortunate to roll a pole, he was fantastic around the cross-country course incurring only 0.4 time penalties to finish in 3rd place.

Boondoggle ran in the CIC***. He performed his dressage on Saturday afternoon and got quite upset by the windy conditions, and therefore didn't get a particuarly good mark. Although he had 4 show jumps down, he in fact jumped quite well. He went very well cross-country, taking all the direct routes, and finishing very confidently and full of running. He finished 1/2 way down the order of this very large class.

4th July 2008 - 1/07/08 Shipton Moyne

I rode a number of young horses at Shipton Moyne.

Boundless Flight and Starlight were in the PN class and they both produced nice dressage tests and jumped super double clear rounds to finish 7th and 6th respectively. I am really thrilled by the way these two horses are coming along, they felt very grown up on the cross-country phase, and they move up to Novice level, before the end of the season.

I rode Zindante in the 4 year old class, where she performed a lovely dressage to score a mark of 23, and then jumped a double clear to win the class. This super little mare is owned by myself, and is for sale to an owner, or alternatively is available for lease by an individual or company with me retaining the ride.

I also rode Work of Art, a coloured stallion owned by John Masden in the Intro class. He did a very nice dressage to score 26 and jumped a double clear, we had to compete HC, due to me riding at Advanced level. As he combines stud duties with him competing at the moment, I only ride him two or three times a week, and he will only compete at a few events throughout this season, but he may do more next year.

This weekend I am at Barbury International, where I ride King's Cross in the CIC** and Boondoggle in the CIC***

22nd June 2008 - Salperton Horse Trials

I rode three horses at Salperton - Boundless Flight and Starlight in the PN section and Boondoggle in the OI section.

Boundless Flight and Starlight both performed very nice and smooth dressage tests, and jumped double clears to finish 5th and 6th in their respective sections. I am very pleased with how they are both progressing.

Boondoogle also did a good dressage for a mark of 36, he unfortunately reverted to his old 'form' in the show jumping, having 2 fences down, and although went very well cross-country, he incurred 20 penalties, when he missed a 'skinny' which was the 3rd element of a step fence, when he tripped up at the last step.

This week I am attending Lottery training with a few horses, and my next competition is Shipton Moyne, with the PN horses.

15th June 2008 - Longleat International

I rode both Boondoggle and King's Cross in the CIC**. Boondoggle excelled himself in the dressage to score a mark of 42, he then jumped clear, which I was thrilled with and feel the penny is finally dropping with this phase, and he then jumped a lovely cross-country round to finish in 2nd place.

King's Cross, he did a very nice dressage to score a mark of 45, had a pole down show jumping for 4 faults, and then jumped a superb cross-country round to finish in 6th place.

This weekend I am at Salperton where I have Boondoggle and General Opposition in the OI class and Boundless Flight and Starlight in the PN class.

10th June 2008 - West Wilts

I rode Zidante in the 4 year old class, where she performed a very nice dressage test for a mark of 35 and jumped a double clear to finish 4th. I had both Boundless Flight and Starlight in the PN class.

Boundless Flight scored a mark of 28 in his dressage test, which was very pleasing, had 4 faults in the show jumping, but jumped clear cross-country to finish 7th.

Starlight had a score of 31 in the dressage, jumped a lovely clear round, but picked up 20 penalties on the cross-country with a green mistake, which she will have learnt from.

29th May 2008 - Houghton Hall

I took three horses to Houghton Hall - Walk On Fire was entered in the CCI* and General Opposition and Boondoggle in the CCI**

Walk on Fire performed a dressage test that earnt him a mark of 49. He jumped a lovely clear cross-country round, which was a step up in class for him, so was really pleased with him. The following day he had two show jumps down, which I put down to a combination of greeness and a little tiredness. He will now have a short break, with the aim of him contesting a few Intermediates later on in the Summer.

General Opposition trotted up sound at the trot up, but must have knocked himself in his stable overnight, even though his legs were bandaged, as the following morning, when I went to work him, I found him to be unsound - he is fine now, so just very annoying.

I had originally hoped to take Boondoggle to Bramham CCI***, but found that he wasn't qualified, so he was competing at Houghton to obtain a qualifying score for a 3 star event later on this year.

His dressage earnt him a mark of 50, and was super cross-country, clear inside the time. The following day in the show jumping, although he had 2 fences down, it was a massive improvement, and I felt he was very rideable in the ring, which hasn't always been the case.

He is now entered for Longleat CIC** and Barbury CIC***

All the best, Kitty