Kate’s Winning Streak…

With just 30 days left of 2019 it’s time to reflect on the past year. It’s been a cracking year in many respects, Hartpury was a real highlight back in April and since my last blog I was eager as ever to get back out eventing having missed the adrenaline buzz.

Unfortunately our season didn’t really begin and it was already over- we didn’t get our first run until Frenchfields (2) which was in August. By the time I got Elle eventing fit after Hartpury summer had arrived and the ground was like concrete, which is a huge no-no following Elle’s previous OCD surgery she had in 2017.

I had intended to go straight out at BE90 at Frenchfields,  but about two weeks prior to the run Elle was diagnosed with grade two ulcers so I just went out at BE80 to be safe. Having just started treatment I didn’t expect much, but she went to produce a 27 dressage and double clear to win the section giving us a BE80RF qualification  for Burghley next year.

Then as soon as the ground had softened up perfectly it was over in and instant, and the other events I had planned to run at were abandoned due to heavy rain, so I think I had the shortest season ever with just one event!

In October we made the long trip back up to Morris in Glasgow to drag out the white breeches (and this time I got to try out my new White Sparkle breeches) and navy jacket again to return back to our dressage for the last ever Area Finals. I had both Hillgarth Rachelian and Orinocos Dee For Dancing entered. For Dee it was a huge learning curve, she has never done a stay away show before and she’s usually a nightmare to handle when she travelled with another horse, but both girls surprised me! Dee did a sweet test but by far not her best and her excitement got the better of her in the canter work but she still finished a respectable 5th. I never imagined Dee would get there so anything else was an achievement.

Elle on the other hand pulled it out the bag once again, by this point she had been scooped clear of ulcers just 8 weeks on. She produced a lovely test, just one mistake in a medium only to go and win the Novice silver on 70.2% meaning we had qualified for Hartpury for a second year running!

Since then all the horses have had a bit of down time, Elle and Dram had a break while they waited for their new saddles to be made and have since just returned to some work again. We are getting settled into a VERY wet and soggy winter and I have since turned my attention to bringing Ross Prince back into work who will be going out and seeing the world over the next few months with aims to event next year.

I’ve been very lucky to have now started training with Jane Green and we are both excited about Elle’s future. I hope to step back up to elementary over winter and look at having a go at medium- eeek!

I’m already looking at the BE 2020 calendar and plotting which events I can fit around BD and when. But my main aim is to qualify for Badminton 2021 and Burghley 2020!