14/05/2019
Some very special memories from this season... (you might need to grab a cuppa for the reflections!)
Well, well, well… buses and that old saying, yep it's me again with a proper old catch up on an exciting and packed past fortnight comprising both Badminton and the Event Riders Masters.
Badminton this 2019 was a busy one indeed. With the grassroots Mitsubishi Motors Cup kicking the proceedings off on the Tuesday, that meant packing for a week, but luckily packing just for a human makes for a much easier set of logistics…until Monday afternoon when a friend calls and says, amongst a few agricultural expletives ... “Goodness knows what I've done but, by jingo it's painful! Put your riding stuff in the car you may need to ride Casper (Classicals Eurostar) in the Burghley Young Event Horse qualifier (BYEH). I dutifully packed my coaches head on with substitute riders brain in gear and set sail for the biggest horse trials the world has on offer to mentor and coach Jo Hales on her two lovely homebred mare Dawn Chorus in the MMBHT100 and Worthy Illusion In the MMBHT90, Sarah Kellard (or possibly Ian Wills!) in the BYEH 5 year old section, Imogen Murray and her amazing partnership with Ivargooden and Emily Philp and Camembert contesting their first Badminton. Phew, no pressure Willsy!
On arrival my very great mate of many years was in agony and could hardly hobble about her kitchen, this riding just may have to happen I thought! Tuesday started cold but sunny which lasted the week pretty much. First stop MMBHT dressage with Jo Hales and her homebred mare Dawn Chorus producing a lovely dressage test to take the lead on 25.8 and everyone supporting her delighted and excited. The afternoon session saw Jo riding Worthy Illusion making a few mistakes leaving them mid field and as the day closed one horse midfield and one lying in second with the leader on 25.1, all very close. Through the day I bumped into many old friends and had plenty of laughs over a glass of much needed bubbles. Wednesday arrived and was even busier. Luckily Sarah is made of the good old fashioned get on with it stuffing and was determined to compete - youth of today take note, and phew, the pressure was off me! Jo's two mares then had to Showjump and Cross country and both jumped immaculate clear rounds holding onto second place. After that fantastic result and feeling very proud, I went to the BYEH ring to give Sarah and her daughter Tor with Classicals Eurostar some support. They performed beautifully to walk away winners with top jump marks. This horse, sourced from Classical Sport horses, is just outstanding, produced quietly no doubt he'll be snapped up and become part of a professional string. I wouldn’t be surprised if in six years time he'll be scampering around the 5*. The day wrapped up with the trot up of the 5* horses, Emily and Imogen both flying through in fine style.
Thursday was a steady day of course walking, chatting, shopping (window) and prepping for Emily's dressage on Friday. They produced a nice test with some mistakes but no one stepped out of the arena to become eliminated so all good. XC day arrives with excitement, nerves and so much emotion. Having known Emily since she was a young girl in Pony Club, and the time and devotion she shows all her horses, well, Emily and Camembert truly deserved to be at Badminton to contest the toughest questions. But the name of the game is staying focused. Having walked the xc with them, as a mentor and coach you then just have to pray that the plan comes off and everyone finishes safe and sound. Bar one silly misunderstanding they absolutely flew with Emily and Bert showing how trust in this unique relationship we have with our equine athlete friends will pay off in dividends. Imogen and Ivargooden were magical coming so close to the time. Everyone was thrilled that all came home safe and sound which was confirmed at the vet inspection on Sunday morning where both girls and horses flew through the trot up and onto the showjumping. Sadly Bert and Emily had their first misunderstanding and a few rails, but take nothing away from these two - that was the first showjumping fault they have ever incurred at international events... Amazing! Imogen produced another super double clear to claim the highest riser after dressage finishing in eighth place, so much respect for both of them.
Most importantly everyone came away with smiles, experience and memories that no one can take away from them and massive congratulations goes to Piggy French for winning.
Boom. Home time. Where did that week go?!
So after Fallulah’s last run at Burnham Market where Emily and I were disappointed with the result and the way the mare went in the jumping phases, the upshot was that Fallulah was incredibly sore on the Sunday evening. We felt the mare just wasn't herself and so immediately started the search for the reason why. The only thing to have changed was the fitting of her saddle, and after a brief conversation with Andy from Spalding Saddles, a long time supporter and sponsor of Emily, Andy was there the next day to look at and adjust what seemed like a micro amount of flocking, a few more days of hot water bottles, stretches in hand work and Fallulah looked back to her ever improving self, giving Emily a ‘sit tight’ lesson in preparation for Badminton which as we know Emily and Bert didn't need!
The entry for Chatsworth CCI4*s had been made for the spring campaign of aiming for Bramham CCI4*L, so my entry conformation came through, alongside “Congratulations your horse Fallulah and rider Emily Philp have made the cut for the ERM” (event riders masters) at the said Chatsworth. Many things ran through my mind and the odd excitable turn of phrase fell out of my mouth! So on phoning Emily, who was at the time clipping Bert, to confirm what we had entered Fallulah for that she had no idea about, she was even more delighted than me - what a great bit of news to hear when you’re clipping your badminton ride! The prep for Fallulah went well for Chatsworth, the consistency in the showjumping is going from strength to strength and with Emily away for Badminton, a thank you must go to Isla for keeping the horses ticking over at home.
Unfortunately I couldn't get to Chatsworth for the ERM dressage for which we chose the backing tracks of Rollercoaster and Marry You - the up and downs of eventing and building a solid relationship in two songs!! Anyway, like an over excited pensioner I pulled over at the services to watch Emily and Fallulah preform their test on live stream, relaxed and showing some great work within the incredible atmosphere of the main arena. They were seeded second to go and finishing the dressage phase roughly mid field we were excited to see how she coped. On walking the courses it became apparent it wasn't going to be a dressage show…well, poles rolled and time penalties were added around a testing jumpers track built by Di Bodily with plenty of related distances and roll backs the placings were going up and down. Fallulah’s round was just magical with only the last plank having the lightest of rubs to fall raising their place to tenth going onto xc, in fact so slow was the plank to fall that she was through the finish before it hit the ground, oh this sport can be emotional!
In all the years I've produced and competed horses at all levels, I've never been so nervous as they headed to XC. The xc was big, bold and got more technical the further it went. Again like the showjumping it took its prisoners without prejudice with top names and experienced horses having various faults and some not finishing. Then this amazing combination take to the course. I didn't want to speak and make that comment that curses, but folks let me tell you, Emily's thought, care, hard work and love for the horses she rides shone through, her and Fallulah effortlessly covered the country from fence to fence. Emily presented each and every question to the mare in a way that gave Fallulah the time to read it then most importantly answer it with the right answer. Without ever looking rushed or unbalanced they crossed the finish line clear of jumping or flag penalties equal fastest and raising the position to top of the podium. No words can express what I could see with my own eyes, still only ten years old and one of the younger horses to take part, beyond proud, even I took a picture! As the event came to a close we got pushed down to finish an incredible fifth overall.
Fallulah and Emily have come home from this cementing more confident miles into their ever developing relationship. So all in all a fortnight where all the blood, sweat and tears came together and were well worth the winters of wondering why on earth do we do it. I hope all my friends and supporters on here at whatever level can take some hope from the evidence here from these fantastic partnerships that with bloody hard work, the right attitude and relationship with your horse based on clarity and trust, who knows where horses can take you.
Drive carefully.
Ian. x
