AEJC 2022

The AEJC at Hickstead in September is usually my end of the summer show. It's a show with a good feel to it - lots of opportunities to qualify for the main ring - or not in this case this year - and it's always a great time for catching up with friends before we all go our separate ways for the winter. This year I just had Billy Arietta to jump, as BE Khalissy and Askeaton are already on their holidays. As I am a little short of horse-power at the moment I did go and look at some of the horses in the Breen Equestrian Auction on the Monday before the show, one of whom I liked very much, and on the Tuesday I went to the Billy Stud to look at some horses there. I no longer want to ride four year olds, so this makes my search a little more difficult and expensive. I did love one of the mares I tried at Breen Equestrian, but I just loved Billy Breakdance quite a lot more when I tried him. He's very inexperienced for a six year old, but he has a lovely attitude and is a brave and scopey jumper. I agreed a price with William and organised to have him vetted.

I had a good first day at the show with Arietta who jumped a lovely double clear in the 1.20. We then had a fabulous evening at the Breen Equestrian Auction. What a fantastic show they put on right in the garden at Hickstead, with fabulous food and drink and the horses looking wonderful. Hopefully this will be a regular event as it was so good. The two horses I had ridden went for a little bit more than I had to spend, one to America and one staying in the UK, with the new owners looking so thrilled to get her.

On the Thursday I had Arietta in the 1.30. She warmed up really well, and I was lucky that Gemma and Gary Stevens helped me as Ellie was off taking her HGV. Unfortunately, although Arietta jumped the first fence beautifully she never took off at the second fence, leaving me to sail over on my own. I've no idea why she stopped as she is the boldest, most honest horse ever, but these things happen. My air jacket going off scared me half to death, but actually it did prevent me hurting my back and minimalised the whip lash that I would have got falling from such a height at considerable speed. I just jumped her in the Newcomers on Friday, and she jumped a lovely round. Luckily Ellie passed her HGV and so she drove us home - what luxury! Billy Breakdance passed the vet with flying colours on Thursday afternoon, so that was an exciting bit of news.

After my fall William Funnell suggested that I give Arietta a jump with them on Monday to make sure we were both feeling confident, and I had a lesson on Breakdance and collected him as well. Arietta felt her normal keen and clever self, so a great relief all round.

The weather forecast for Wednesday of week 2 was dreadful, so I decided to give myself an extra day to get to know Breakdance, and give Arietta an extra day of not jumping, and we set off to Hickstead again on the Thursday. Weather forecasting is definitely not a precise science - the weather on Wednesday was pretty OK, and the weather on Thursday was beyond belief. Luckily Arietta jumped a lovely round in the 1.20 while it was just raining lightly - sadly no video as Ellie was stopping Breakdance from breakdancing all over the lorry! I worked Breakdance in, and he was super, and was very patient waiting for his turn, but two before my turn the heavenly taps were turned full on - I turned into a bar of soap and Breakdance turned his bottom to the rain. I decided that he had been a pretty good boy and we would be sensible and go home and try to dry out for Friday. We got home to hear that the Queen had died, a very sad day indeed!

On Friday I jumped Arietta in the 1.20 again - it was a pretty strong course in Ring 3, where I had my fall, and she went beautifully, just getting very tired in the jump-off. She's had a very long year, and been such a star, so I decided to start her holiday early and not jump her on Saturday. Breakdance jumped a nice round in the 1m in ring four. He made the fences feel tiny which was very satisfactory and I decided to jump him in the Newcomers on Saturday. When I walked the course I thought it was quite strong, but he actually was a very good boy, he was a bit green and I wasn't really used to him at the beginning, but he settled and jumped the last few fences beautifully. Lots to work on, but exciting to get to grips with it all.

It was nice to go back to Hickstead to watch the Grand Prix and 1.30 Championship on Sunday, and I slipped over to see Emma and Tom, who look so well and happy out at Pookbourne Stud. In fact Mark and I have been to see them again today, and wandered over to see Colin as well, who is growing into a lovely horse. I am so grateful to Shane and Greg le Gear for making it all so easy for me, and looking after them all so beautifully.

We've had a nice quiet week at home. Arietta and Khalissy are now out together in a big field. They have settled really quickly and are the very best of friends. I am so happy that they are so relaxed together and having a proper holiday. Askeaton is coming slowly back into work - she will have about 7/8 weeks walking now, to make sure we give her the very best chance to completely recover from the very slight injury that she has had. She's been a perfect companion for Breakdance who is learning all about hacking, and it's been great for me to have plenty of time to get to know him. Hopefully I will get him to a show at the end of next week, having been schooling first.

I have been really enjoying some of the coaching I have been doing this year, and it was a real thrill to see Karen Rees and Renkum Knopfler go so well in the main ring at Hickstead. I've been helping Karen for a while now, and nobody deserves to have success as much as she does. It's been great seeing Lianne March, and Beth Hancock going really well too.

As always many thanks to Ellie and Mark for all their help, and for the fantastic support I get from my sponsors, Saracen Horse Feeds, Protexin Equine, Just Equine, MacWet Gloves and NDS Equine.