CSI1* Chard 2022

It was lovely to be back at Chard for the second running of their CSI. So many improvements have been made in the last 12 months. Lovely tented stabling and a new warm up arena with breathtaking views over the valley below. Jane Gregory and her team even managed a 100% improvement in the weather.

Having left home at 6am to beat the M25 traffic April arrived before me and the stables were all beautifully set up when I arrived at about 10. April got the horses trotted up very quickly and then we let them settle before riding them all in the afternoon. Somerset is proper dairy cow country, so there were acres of delicious grass for them to graze on in the afternoon.

I didn't jump until the afternoon on Friday, so I rode Askeaton and Arietta in the morning. Khalissy was jumping at about 12 so she just got a good warm up before her class. Khalissy jumped in the Silver Tour Two Phase and jumped a super round to finish just outside the prize money - she was a little bit hard to turn on the first jump-off turn. Both Askeaton and Arietta jumped in the Gold Tour 1.25 Two Phase. Askeaton warmed up well, perhaps a little bit fresh, and jumped the first four fences really beautifully, but flatly refused to jump the 5th fence which was a double. Arietta then was a little bit strong and wild in the same class, resulting in four faults at the second fence - particularly irritating in a two phase as we didn't get to jump the jump-off part. A bit of head scratching about Askeaton ensued. She had been a bit quiet in the stable and perhaps she was in season, perhaps I was a tiny bit deep to the fence, but it is very unlike her to refuse to play. I had a lovely pub supper with Trevor Breen and David Simpson, and watching the Nations Cup in Lisbon reminded me that even the best riders can have some pretty bad days.

I jumped late again on Saturday, but rode them all in the morning. Askeaton went straight to bed after I had ridden her and didn't get up for an hour, so I decided not to jump her. Both Khalissy and Arietta jumped in the Gold Tour, the 1.25 Speed. Arietta was unlucky to have a pole coming out of the double, and Khalissy was a little star - I thought it was a strong enough course for her, and she stormed round to finish 11th. I had a lovely evening with my friend Sarah Jane Tillard and felt relatively relaxed about Sunday.

I got to the show early to give the horses a leg stretch. Askeaton felt in exceptionally good form so I decided to jump her in the Silver Tour Grand Prix. Once again she warmed up well, but this time only agreed to jump the first fence. She felt as though she was being pretty cheeky, but they can't talk, so who knows. We'll go quietly at home, and jump a smaller class at Felbridge and go from there. She jumped brilliantly in Chepstow the previous weekend. I thought the course was a perfect test for Khalissy, strong enough, but not too huge, and she jumped a fantastic clear round, followed by a clear in a very competitive jump-off to finish 6th. A really good weekend for her with four clears out of four rounds. I just had Arietta left for the Gold Tour Grand Prix. Another very good course from Ben Townley with plenty to jump and a very technical final line. Unfortunately Arietta had the second fence (this was the bogey fence in both finals) and then jumped a lovely round. A very educational weekend for her round some great courses, she is learning all the time, and I am learning more about riding her. It was lovely that both Sarah Jane and my lovely godmother Lavinia Grant-Ives were both able to come and watch and catch up.

We had a very late night by the time we got back to Sussex, so we have had three quiet days here while we all recharge our batteries for Felbridge's three day show this weekend.

As always many thanks to April for all her hard work, there was a lot of walking and running around, and as happens so often, we were either twiddling our thumbs or doing everything at the same time!

Thank you also to my brilliant sponsors: Saracen Horse Feeds, Protexin Equine, Just Equine, MacWet Gloves and NDS Equine for all your help

Chard is definitely a show to keep in the calendar. Jane Gregory and her team have done a brilliant job of developing the showground, and the atmosphere is very relaxed and "can-do". They gave a lovely welcome party on Thursday evenin.g and it was lovely to catch up with so many friends.