Doonaveeragh Emma. Silver Tour Grand Prix.

Week three got off to a good start with Catokyo jumping another clear in the 6 year olds to finish equal first. She jumped beautifully on Wednesday in the final as well, just having a naughty moment between fences 3 & 4 but never stopping or touching a fence. On Thursday she was a very good girl, but very tired. She went to Spain jumping Newcomers and has now jumped 1.25 and 1.30 consistently. The way international young horse courses are built encourages the horses to keep a forward rhythm, and they don't need pulling about on technical distances, dog legs and turns. She jumped in three different rings every week and got used to her very busy surroundings. She will now have a few weeks in the field to consolidate what she has learned and hopefully keep progressing through the summer.

Emma jumped brilliantly on Thursday and Friday being placed 9th on Thursday and finishing just out of the placings on Friday, a class of 125 starters where 5 seconds covered the first 34 horses. Unfortunately she was very wound up on Saturday and had two fences down in the last line. For her tiredness is inclined to result in hysteria. It is very hard for such a hot horse to miss her normal routine of going out in the field and hacking. However, she did jump brilliantly and makes a strong 1.40 feel easy so we might try a few slightly bigger classes as the summer progresses.

Benny jumped a strong 1.40 on Friday. I was a bit tentative resulting in making him very cross by having one down. He jumped a fabulous clear for one time fault and a place on Friday and finished with just four faults and a time fault in the Grand Prix yesterday which was a full up 1.40. Although he has jumped a few bigger classes Benny doesn't have much consistent experience of jumping 1.40 and above and I am absolutely thrilled to bits with the way he has jumped and learned to trust me over the past few months. He is a truly sweet horse, a real bloke compared to my girls and so different but we all love him.

Benny 1.40 Grand Prix - Week 3

Steff was able to fly over for the final weekend and my lovely friend Sarah Jane Tillard and her friend Lance also flew out to support us which was absolutely fabulous.

Claire and I left Oliva at 5.30 this morning , plus two extra horses, belonging to Alice Watson, one dog and Emilie Jackson so we are stacked to the roof.

All being well we will be home on Wednesday afternoon. So many thanks to Claire who has been a total star. It was a lovely show and the horses were great.

I had a last ride on the beach on Saturday on Catokyo who actually went in the water.

Many thanks to David Simpson who gave me some valuable help and good advice from Trevor Breen. As always with international shows new friends were met and made and I now have plenty of food for thought as I plan the season ahead.

MET week 3