South of England Show

Doonaveeragh Emma 1.35

The South of England Show has long been one if my favourites. It’s a proper county show: horses, cattle, sheep, combines, tractors and hounds for starters. On the Thursday I took Kvint for the HOYS Grade C Qualifier and Emma for thé 1.35 with Askeaton to keep Kvint company as he won’t settle on the Lorry on his own. Kvint jumped a lovely clear in the warm up class and was unlucky to be one of 2 horses to jump in the rain in the Grade C just having 4 faults when he slipped on a corner. I then had a little ride round and jumped Askeaton in the warm up. She was pretty amazed by all that was going on and fairly bouncy, but will have gained some valuable experience from seeing it all. Emma then jumped the fastest jump-off round in the 1.35 only to have the last fence!  

Perhaps we should have quit after day one! My lovely step-mother, Zandra, and her friend David Brookes arrived on Thursday evening. They both love the show and their boundless enthusiasm is wonderful. Kvint jumped another nice round in the 1.30 for 4 faults, but Emma was very unsettled and had a very unusual stop in the 1.40. 

On Saturday I withdrew Emma from the 1.40 in the main ring and jumped them both in the 1.30. Emma jumped well until I failed to make a good plan to the last and Kvint had one down. All in all not my best ever effort, and I feel sorry for my helpers Steff, Camilla and Izzy when we have a rubbish day. They all work so hard to keep the horses happy and well and make my life easy.

However, everything paled into insignificance with the knowledge that Jack Dodd tragically died from the injuries he sustained in his car accident. I cannot even begin to imagine the disbelief and pain of his parents, family and close friends, as they come to terms with their loss. 

Kvint. Grade C Qualifier