One thing about my life it is not dull. I planned to write this last Monday after the Harvey CNC but instead I have been flat out with sheep.

Anthony Archer our stud classer and a farmer from Tassie  has been down home since Monday getting our stud rams sorted for sale and classing up ewes. We had intended to do all the older ewes as well as the hogget’s but a most welcome rain event put paid to do the older sheep. It did also slow down silage making but that is also all done and went very well. Lets hope the sheep like it come summer.

The rams were pretty exciting. It is really starting to get there in terms of big-framed soft wooled sheep.

Anyway back to the Harvey CNC Ben pony continues to Continue reading →

On the weekend of the 17/18^th of September I took Nikki Brooks’ Parkiarrup Illicit Liaison (Ben pony) and Simon and Rebecca Bell’s Belfast Mojito (Mojo) to the Alcoa Fairbridge CNC. Ben pony was in the 3* and Mojo in the 2*.

Ben pony was a good boy doing a 48 dressage to be 9 points in the lead after dressage. It is getting easier for him as my pelvis regains some strength and looseness.  We then had a fabulous xc run. We were 5 seconds over time which is unlike us but he is nowhere near as fit as I would normally have him at this stage of the year so I didn’t push him I only let him gallop at the speed he wanted. Then a clear show jump round. Conditions for SJ were a little torrid the rain seemed to be nearly horizontal and the second jump blew over as I was about 6 strides away from it. The organisers very kindly asked if I wanted to wait till it cleared but as I said if it does that at London they won’t give us the opportunity to start again so I used it as a training opportunity.

So a nice win by some 15 penalties for Ben pony while Mojo was also a very good boy. I had to ride him before Ben so it was my first XC run since March. A silly stop XC as the jockey waited for the pain as I jumped down the drop into the water. I was pleasantly surprised to discover Continue reading →