Kate Sanderson’s Exciting Year…

First of all I couldn’t wait for the 2017 to start, not only had I qualified for Badminton, but I had to wait 5 whole months over the winter before I could wear my snazzy new colours that I designed myself at the back end of the 2016 season in that I never got to have a run in! And then the first event we had planned for 2017 was abandoned (Burgham) which meant waiting another 4 weeks, and all I wanted was to go out looking the part in my new colours!

The season started off with a bang, and my colours proved lucky as ever which they have done since 2013- Where the first time wearing my SXC colours then, lead to my first ever BE win, since then I’ve been so skeptical over my colours. The lucky charm hadn’t wore off this year when we started the season on a win (22.3!) at Breckenbrough on Arkmire Mr Slipper. I didn’t think things could get any better, when out of my first 5 BE runs this year, I managed to win 4 on two separate rides- It still seems surreal to this day! I had the most amazing blast at Badminton in May, finishing in the top half, and I had the absolute ride of a lifetime around a seriously technical XC track. After the spring I took a little bit of a step back from the eventing circuit- I had a manic spring and just felt I needed a little bit of a quieter few months to then focus on my youngster to enjoy some low-key and experience outings on him. I then found I had 9 horses in my care mid-summer, with 7/8 in work and 3 to sell all managing them on my own, so time and funds just became a bit tight! I’ve since become a bit of a dressage diva, and found my love for matchy-matchy sets (yes!). Last month we returned from the Native Pony BD champs with my super 5yo Hillgarth Rachelian who was 7th in the championships, and my 4yo Hillgarth Golden Opportunity who went for his first big experience away from home. With all the hunter trials also now over, my SXC set is now packed away in the cupboard, ready to come back out in April 2018!