Finally we can go to shows, and the scramble to get entries in is on. Rather than rush straight off to a show I booked into Hickstead for a few training rounds. Brian Cassidy and I shared the arena for two hours which worked absolutely perfectly. Ben Townley had built a lovely straightforward course, ideal to get us all back into action and thinking forward again and all the horses jumped really well. I then set off for the training shows at Pyecombe on Good Friday and Easter Monday. These made a really good start to getting back into competition. Unfortunately the new COVID restrictions mean that the indoor school cannot be used for warming up which made life a little bit difficult on Friday, but there was no arena eventing on the Monday which made life so much easier. Keith Bristow built nice straightforward courses which weren’t significantly bigger in the jump-off and these shows provided a really good chance to blow away the cobwebs and see how the horses had come out after such a long break from competition. Askeaton hadn’t jumped at a show since October which is a long time out of the ring for a younger horse.

All the horses jumped well, Khalissy a little bit more forward than I would have liked, but still careful and clear. Heidi was spot on both days and jumped her first 1.30 on Monday for just one fence in the jump-off, but made it feel very easy and well within her scope.

Askeaton felt a little bit rusty in the 1.20 on the Friday, just jumping a bit fresh and high, but she jumped clear in the 1.30 on both Friday and Monday, and feels grown up and confident, so I’m looking forward to see where we go this year. I think I am feeling rather a lot more rusty than the horses and probably need to sharpen up my competition game quite a lot!

The lorry obviously found the whole idea overwhelming as the prop-shaft bearings went on the way to Pyecombe on Friday, necessitating my first ever use of my roadside rescue cover, and a good deal of very slick rescuing - so thank you to the NFU and to Stepney Commercials in Burgess Hill who had the lorry mended by Friday, and to Shane Breen who lent me one of his little Overlander Lorries for Monday. Mark, April and I were so impressed with the lorry, so well built and enough room for two horses and everything we needed.

We were lucky enough to see both the girls over Easter which was just lovely. Luckily Easter Sunday was a lovely day, so we actually did eat lunch outside and had the children in the garden all day. It’s a year since Rory has been able to play in the garden here, and it’s just so nice to be able to look forward to seeing these two grow up over the summer this year. Lila is sweet and smiley now, and was happy outside in the pram while we ate and chatted. Fingers crossed we are actually going to get our summer bucket and spade holiday in Devon this year - we have already had to upgrade to a bigger house due to having and extra person, Lila, in the family since we originally booked in 2019.

On Friday we got the eagerly awaited call from Bea Fuller to say that Emma had had a little colt during the night. Mark and I popped over to see him on Friday afternoon. He is absolutely lovely, quite leggy, and still a bit weak on his back legs, but full of fun and Emma is absolutely sweet and brilliant with him.

It seemed like a busy week getting ready for another show, once again at Pyecombe on Sunday. Unfortunately it was very cold and windy, and with the current COVID rules putting the indoor school out of bounds for warming up, I just jumped Khalissy who found the whole thing too exciting and went home again. Opting for a training session with Trevor Breen on Tuesday as a more beneficial alternative.

I had a really good lesson with Trevor, apparently getting less rusty as the morning progressed and feeling really ready for a show at Felbridge on Sunday. The show at Felbridge on Sunday, was just a lovely show. We were able to warm up in the lovely big school up by the house, and then had plenty of time at the practice jump. The show was really well attended, with 52 in the 1.30, so the courses were really up to height, the Newcomers looked enormous, so it was an ideal show to step up our game before our first international at Chard next week. All the horses jumped well, but Khalissy was the star of the show jumping her first Foxhunter for a double clear, and she went absolutely beautifully too, this has been a long and slightly bumpy road, so I was particularly thrilled with her. Heidi was unlucky to have the last fence in the Foxhunter and Askeaton jumped well in the 1.30.

I have, of course, done a lot more foal staring this week, Emma is doing really well and he is getting stronger and stronger. We are off to our first international show of the year next week, so I will leave them in the expert care of Bea Fuller until we come home, but I can’t wait to have them home - wasting lots of everybody’s time!

I am so impressed that both Chard and Wellington have stepped up so quickly to run international shows so soon after the return of play this year. It is a major organisational feat to be up and running and providing such much needed shows in such a short time, and I am sure all the riders are as grateful as I am to have brilliant shows at home, especially when the joint hurdles of COVID and Brexit are making overseas travel too expensive and time consuming for many of us. I am really looking forward to Chard, slightly daunted by the job of packing up the lorry after six months of taking stuff out of it, but very eager to get the horses to a stay away show. We seem to be doing really well this year for international shows, with the prospect of two internationals at Bolesworth, Chepstow back in the calendar, South View, Keysoe and a new show at Kelsall Hill, and hot off the press a “for this year only” CSI2* at Hickstead at the Royal International. Never say never - BS and the show centres are to be thoroughly congratulated for quick action and commitment. Let’s hope these shows are all well supported (reports of very busy entries at Chard, Wellington and Bolesworth 1 are a great start) and the sign of the UK turning what looked like a bit of a dismal outlook at the beginning of the year into a triumph.

Many thanks to everyone who makes this possible, especially Mark and April, and Saracen Horse Feeds, MacWet Gloves, Just Equine, Premier Performance CZ, Horse Pilot and Stride Management who support and encourage me.

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