Gosh it’s going to be a lengthy blog as I’ve so much to tell you all.
We are currently winging our way up to Scotland, a mixed party, Les and I, two dogs and 1 Swift! Becky brought us the Swift 2 weeks ago, it looked very sorry for itself and I couldn’t quite put my finger on what was wrong with it, but it’s head looked like one of those nodding dogs in the back of a car! After a few days, it didn’t look much better, its head had gone like an owl, only permanently looking backwards, not good. On a hunch I suggested we try it on antibiotics and a wormer, much to everyone’s amusement at Brodies, we picked up the meds and started it on its course. Anyway, it’s thriving and now mostly looks ahead and is staying fairly straight. The outcome is that we have a Swift to feed every few hours, so it’s had to come with us. It was difficult enough to find a hotel that took dogs (courtesy eventually of Dog’s Digs), I haven’t dared said we have a Swift as well.
Anyway, back to the story of why we are rushing up to Scotland… My gorgeous, beautiful lorry which has served me so dutifully for many years has eventually been sold.
Its been very emotional saying goodbye, but they’ve promised to love and treasure her and they are an eventing family and the father is a vet, so I think she’ll have a happy home. As I am now lorry less, we have been trawling the Internet and of course the two lorries we like are at opposite ends of the country, so we are hoofing it up to Scotland first of all to look at a very smart Iveco, 7.5 ton. I will need to be very careful not to get caught speeding – no more 40 miles an hour on A roads and no limiter, steady on!!
We’re just passing the Angel of the North, only another 200 miles…
It’s been very eventful summer at the farm with wildlife, Joe’s been bringing me a hedgehog every night, not always the same one, they love the food I’ve got them, though each to their own, it smells frightful. We have lots of baby frogs and toads in the garden and Katie brought me a wonderful one eyed toad yesterday!
By the time this goes to print, the baby Barn Owl will have fledged, it’s the first that’s been born in our nesting box and you’ll see from the photo he’s a beauty. The Nottinghamshire wildlife trust man came to ring him last Wednesday and we’ve only had 14 recorded born in Nottinghamshire this year.
We had another Swift in with us for 3 weeks earlier in the year, happy days, we were able to release him, a lovely sight to see him soaring overhead, fully restored and healthy, as we shouted our goodbyes and good luck messages, he was soon joined by half a dozen others and they continued to soar round us overhead for about 20 minutes, with their piercing calls filling the air.
We’re celebrating my nephew Luke getting married at the end of the month in France. It’s in a beautiful chateau and we’re really looking forward to it. Jenny will be on duty while we’re gone, hopefully there’ll only be the dogs, the canaries, the horses, the cats, chickens, fish hmm I guess she’ll be busy!
Student Progress
Katie McMahon
Another result! Katie passed her Health and Safety exam.
Julie Frizzell and Stan
For the Para Equestrian Open Winter Championships at Hartpury places are limited. Therefore, Julie and Stan did fantastically well when in their first Northern region para test at Bishop Burton, they were placed 1st in their first test and 3rd with 62.9% in harder, second test. Terrific results Julie as now playing with the big boys!
Tracy O’Connar
Major spook on 1st test cost them dearly, but they still gained a creditable 4th place with 64.4%. Won the second test with 73.04%.
Last weekend, another win!! Then second, again, really good scores! Tracey’s on a roll….. Whoop whoop!
Sue Fynney and Higgins
She’s just done her first intro a test and got 63.91 and came 4th.
Anne Marie Smith with Ozzie
Ozzie’s first test 69.1% Anne Marie happy, happy, happy!
Georgina Bird
Georgina’s test results over the last few weeks. 11/08 elms farm, Chris Pappa 68.33 2nd prelim 14. 11/08 elms farm, Julie Corrigan 68.33 1st prelim 13. 24/08 Prof equine Ruby Wetherall 67.9 3rd novice 28. 24/08 prof equine judge not sure 69.5 5th prelim 7. This weekend we didn’t do brilliantly but were placed in each test. Georgina is going to send you the videos as we didn’t think that her tests were that bad. 31/8 Royal London prelim 12 Susan bullock 66 4th. Prelim 13 Ann brown 65.8 final qualifier 8th out of 22 and the final prelim 18 Sharon Marshall 66.2 7th out of 18.
Mandy Denley and Binks……..
Continue to do well and are doing lots of hard work prior to the Nationals Championships in September at Stoneleigh. We wish them every success.
Jennifer Baker
Achieved her Stage 4… WHAT A RESULT!! Well done Jennifer, you should be feeling very, very proud of yourself.
Isla Oprych
Isla passed her BHS Stage 3, again huge congratulations, a fabulous result.
Karen Dodwell
P14 67.50 N28…62.92!! Our 1st 2 BD points! 1.9.13
Helen Turkdogen and Leon
63% (2nd) and 68% (1st). Four eights in test 2
Katie Lovell
Hi Vikki, appears you have worked a minor miracle – Katie and Blue in equal first after dressage at Richmond on 28.5! One down in sj to finish 4th – over the moon. Thank you so much.
Watch out for future blogs including; judging in Jersey, Assessing in Scotland for British Dressage Scotland, Judging the BYRDS under 25’s Championships at Sheepgate and lots, lots more.
