This weekend begins a very busy and important six weeks. Today was the last opportunity to qualify Tony for the GAIG championships which will be held in Lexington, VA in October. And qualify he did! He scored a respectable 65% followed by an impressive 72%! Which I believe was the highest score of the day. I was so happy with how he felt. He's new to third level and still finds collection a challenge but I thought he tried very very hard today. This was also his last show before the BLM Championships in NJ in October. Alex McLeod sits her A rating test tomorrow (Sunday) as the youngest rider (the only still in her teens!) in the group to be tested. It's extraordinary the riding skills required for this level but I really think she'll be fine. If she is, it's because of my teaching, if she's not, it's because she went on holidays over summer!!!!

We leave on Tuesday for the American Eventing Championships in Chicago, IL. I'm riding Patrick McCuan's Mario and am feeling confident. Last weekend we competed at Loudoun Horse Trials and I was over the moon with how great he felt. Good dressage, super cross country and clear show jumping. We had a few time faults on the cross country which cost us first or second place but I was very happy with my decision to look after him for next week. I am taking him on Monday to a racetrack to do a little galloping, a skill he's yet to master! Abby Gibbon with her lovely bay mare Prima is also coming to Chicago with us and should be fairly competitive. After the AEC's we have Plantation CIC at the end of September. Buddha was has been impressing me more and more. His cross country is amazing and he's great in the show jump arena. For such a young horse he's showing a lot of maturity. Joe and Krista Hubschman's Lois is also another horse I'm really impressed with. Clear cross country and show jumping at her first novice start and only her second time out. Her dressage needs some work, but as a four year old she has time for that! I will keep you updated on our progress as we go!

Rachel and Payday

Between eventing I've kept very busy in the last few weeks. Boo made a very successful jump up to training level at Fair Hill with clear show jumping and cross country. He followed that at Waredaca with a 4th, finishing on his dressage score. Lois Lane made her debut finishing on her dressage score. Definately an eventer, she LOVES her job! Rachel Berlage with her horse Payday have had an awesome few weeks by placing in all three of her recognised events. They have certainly overcome their fear of ditches! Abby Gibbon also stepped up to training level with a 2nd at Loch Moy and a win at Difficult Run. Amy Gaynor has been doing well with Jake showjumping him over the summer. Her hard work is paying off with a much more rideable horse.
Tony, the wonder dressage horse, had a very good weekend by qualifying for the BLM's at third level and in the process winning yet another blue ribbon. I love riding this horse and am very excited for the championships we have coming up in October. Next on the schedule is eventing at Loudoun with Mario, Lois and Boo, then it's dressage with Tony, AEC's with Mario followed by Middleburg Horse Trials.
Thanks for reading and have fun with your horses!

Time to Shine!

Monty the wonder pony!

It's important to keep the jumping skills fine tuned so yesterday Alex MacLeod (my working student) and I headed to Virginia to compete in a show jumping competition. Me with Mario and Boo and Alex with Monty and Wes. Alex has had Monty since before she reach the pedals in her car and has trained him the whole way along, in the process winning national show jumping championships. So it was no surprise that she won her division on him, however it was a surprise just how much she won by. Let's just say that in the jump off she could have sat down and had a cup of tea and still won! Wes also did well by jumping clear in his first time at a show since he hurt himself.



Mario was the superstar of the day winning both of the big classes in style, along the way winning champion! He jumped super and didn't touch a rail all day. Boo jumped in two classes coming second in one and having an unfortunate rail in the other. All in all it was a very productive day were both the horses and riders had positive rides. Thanks for stopping by!

More Blue Ribbons!

Tony and I had another fantastic win in Lexington, VA, qualifying him for the BLM Championships in the process. His progress through the levels has so far been filled with blue ribbons and this one is one of the most rewarding as the classes were pretty big and the horses and riders tough to beat. The good news keeps on coming this week with the news that Patrick McCuan's Mario and I have qualified for the American Eventing Championships to be held in Chicago. Rhythm and Blues has also qualified for the Young Event Horse Championships.

I'm excited with the newest addition to my team, a chestnut mare by the name of Lois. At four years of age she has a big future ahead of her. One of the most athletic horses I've seen in a long time, her jump is exciting and with her natural movement and great work ethic will have her in the ribbons in no time.

Amy Gaynor has been going well with her own Jake, winning some blue ribbons lately. Abby Gibbon with her mare Prima won second place at Maryland Horse Trials on the weekend, losing only in a count back. Alex Macleod is doing a great job with all of my horses and providing great entertainment throughout the day!

Thanks for taking the time to read my updates, we're enjoying quite a lot of success at the moment! Take care and have fun with your horses!

This is one of the busiest times of the year for me with a combination of competitions and teaching. This is also one of my favourite times of the year! Rachel Berlage and Alex Macleod have both been spending summer with me working and riding which is hugely beneficial to all of us. Rachel is making leaps and bounds in her riding with Payday proving to be a prize winner already, and Rachel showing her bravado with her feats of courage riding whilst less than in perfect health!! Alex is one of the hardest working, most dedicated young riders I've met and am excited to have have her working and riding for me.

I look forward to bringing you my results from the coming weekend with Rocco, Mario and Tony. Happy 4th of July!

When will it stop raining!

This week has beenvery busy with shows. I had a successful show at Plantation riding Mario, Tuck adn Boo into placings in all of their classes. The going was very wet for the showjumping and I was embarrased to be towed into yet another competition! Although practically everyone had to be. I was very happy with how my horses jumped, especially cross country.

Seneca Valley PC event was also very wet, particularly on the cross country. Harmony finished on her dressage score and Boo also jumped well adding only a green rail to his score. He is a super horse and has a great future.

On Wednesday I took Mario and Boo to Swan Lake A rated show jumping show. Boo was good but Mario was super jumping clean in the 1.15 round. Pilot error (missing a jump) cost him first place, we still ended up a respectable third tho. Yet another show that was in the rain, we were faced with the probability of being towed out. Thru some expert driving (mine) and a bit of luck, plus about 10 attempts, I managed to make it out without the help of a tractor! Now the truck and trailer just look as they've been off roading and will mean I'll be spending my day off at the car wash! Next week is Surefire event with Tuck, Boo and Mario.

Alex MacLeod and Arrow have had a fantastic season topped off with a second at the Virginia CCI. She finished on her dressage score in a class where the top five places didn't change.
Walking the course at VHT.

These juniors really can ride! The cross country was tough but fair and the show jumping was big and requird bold riding. It was a great experience for Alex to jump in the coleseum with a crowd and atmosphere.

Another success for us has been Abby Gibbon and her fantastic mare, Prima. They won the Area II Adult Amateur Scholarship. They've been making leaps and bounds and are a hugely exciting combination. Prima's not a big horse, (just don't tell her that!) but certainly has unlimited potential.

Abby and Prima winning at Shawan Downs.

I look forward to bringing you more stories of both my personal success and that of our team over the coming weeks.