Sunshine Tour 2022 - Week 1

The admin for the Sunshine Tour started in January, but eventually we arrived at the point where the remaining challenge was not to get COVID before we left - two days later I got COVID! Luckily I wasn’t really ill but we definitely lost a week of preparation and it has left me tired and perpetually out of breath.

We squeezed in an MOT for the horses with Ed Lyall, final physio and a very good final training session with Alex Hempleman and eventually the health papers were all done and we left just before 5.30 on Saturday morning.

The journey all went smoothly and we arrived at our first stop just south of Rouen mid-afternoon. Another eight hour journey to Belin Bêlais and then an exceptionally long day crossing the Pyrenees in thick fog to our last stop in Toledo.

The horses all travelled well, but on Wednesday morning Askeaton came out her stable lame. She has now spent hours and hours at the vets here and is back hacking, hopefully able to jump for the last two weeks. Definitely not the original plan but she has had exceptional care here.

Khalissy has jumped very well in the 1.10’s for a little bit of prize money and Billy Arietta jumped 1.20 the first two days and stepped up very well on Sunday to 1.25. She’s also won a tiny bit of prize money. Khalissy will definitely step up this week and I’ll jump Arietta tomorrow before deciding between another week at 1.20 or stepping up to 1.30.

After a busy few days it’s been nice to relax, the hacking here is lovely now, much expanded from my last visit 6 years ago, and it’s been a good chance for the horses to unwind after a very intense week of travelling and jumping.

It was great having Mark out here for the weekend for moral support and to celebrate my rather large birthday. It’s very nice to be back at a big show and to have the chance to jump so many rounds and make a proper start to the season. Brexit has made the cost and paperwork absolutely staggering, but I hope we’ll be able to get away once more this year.