The Milligan wedding!
June is always a nice quiet month time to catch up from a busy May before the preparation starts for the Autumn three day events. July and August are always full on with plenty of one day events and team training. Lots of us were very lucky to enjoy a rare weekend off celebrating the marriage of our good friends Spike and Charlie Gardiner...now Milligan!! For us all to be able to spend a weekend together not in a field and a chance to get dressed up was a treat for us all and what an amazing weekend we had!!!
This season hasn't been an easy one with quite a few 'bumps' in the road; it was all going so well at Gatcombe for Paulank Brockagh until a few fences from home when she incurred her first ever cross country fault and unfortunately Sam and her both went down! It's always seems easy when things are going well but it's when it gets tough you realise the strength of your team around you and that's a huge credit to our team at home this year who have kept everything on the road and I certainty felt incredibly fortunate to have who we have at home!!
Happy and Brocks best of friends at Burghley
The end of season run is always exciting but also exhausting!! It's amazing going to places such as Burghley and Blenheim with beautiful houses and stunning estates, and then heading somewhere like Boekelo! We had Happy Times and Paulank Brockagh at Burghley and they both excelled themselves, Happy had such an unfortunate 20 penalties on the cross country however two clear rounds showjumping on the final day and two PB dressage tests made for a very happy weekend!!
Isle Valley at Blenheim
With the European Championships we had a nice week at home before heading to Blenheim with On the Brash and Isle Valley both contesting in their first CCI 3 stars, it's always rewarding seeing the horses you look after day in day out develop and move up through the grades. From Blenheim we headed to an event we haven't been to before, Waregem, to be a part of the Australian Nations Cup team with a fairly new ride for Sam Foxdon Sunny Jim. He isn't very experienced at this level however he tried his heart out and made him way round a very testing cross country course which proved later on in the day to catch quite a few people out!!
Angelo and one of his owners, Lady Best at Boekelo
This week we are at the amazing show that is Boekelo. One of their sponsors is the beer company Grolsch and they sure know how to put on a party and look after everyone incredibly well! A big show for our horse Angelo who is doing his first 3 Star, he is last to go in the team for the Nations Cup, and hopefully he gains a huge amount from the whole experience!!
With only two events left now it's crazy to think another whole season has gone by, making it four seasons now at Griffiths Eventing!! I look forward to the whole of November off catching up with friends and family that I've missed whilst being so busy, however unfortunately not another trip to Australia like last year having not quite built the bank balance back up after that one!!
Early starts at busy One Day Events are too cold for my dog Lily
