Firstly we would like to welcome PROTEQ equine bedding to our list of wonderful sponsors. For those of you that don't know about this product, lets tell you a bit about it. PROTEQ is all natural pine horse bedding, clean and healthy for you and your horses, cost effective, highly absorbent, comes in convenient bags ( its alot of fun setting a stable up as it presents as pellets but when you add water it grows and grows in size and becomes fine pine bedding with a fabulous smell!) PROTEQ eco-friendly- we love it !
We have the most amazing sponsors which have been by our side during our trials and tribulations for many many years, which we thank you all for. Most of all you have contributed enormously to our success on the World Eventing circuit. CopRice feeds, Bates saddles, Horseland, Ceva/Naturevet, Ecomist insect control and now PROTEQ equine bedding- Feeling Lucky!
Eventing in the late summer months is not our idea of a good time ! The season starting up with Wallaby Hill, which was hot but certainly lending itself towards Southern Highlands weather. The Huskinson 's War Hawk was third in the 3* Combined Training, Kathy Ward and Pete O'Connell's Queen Mary was fourth in her first 2*. This was followed by Sydney at SIEC- hot, hot!! The Pittards' Annapurna was in the 3* Combined Training. Stuart chose to run the horses only to fence 10 across country - due to weather, ground and that our horses have only been back after their holidays for six weeks, those hills would have been a bit tough on them so early in the season.
Annapurna (above) and War Hawk (below) at Sydney @ SIEC
With a big season coming up we will look at getting the horses qualified for Rio and then of course selections will come in 2016. With this in mind we will spend time with their training and working on the events that suit them to go the best they can.
Our first major event will be Albury CIC with Annapurna CIC***, War Hawk and Queen Mary in the CIC**. Carlchen too will also be back with Stuart on board to do his first CIC**.
Thanks to EA the National Squad clinic was much appreciated to start us off for the year. Our National coach Gareth Hughes is just a master, an enormous help for the dressage.
Gemma at Canberra
With Stuart away coaching in Western Australia, Gemma took Carlchen to Canberra to try out the 1*. Again it was a little too hot and we were glad we had only decided to take one horse! Gemma completed and came 12th in the Open - going slowly due to the heat. What a lovely horse Carlchen has turned out to be - lucky for Gemma that she gets to ride him for a while . Gemma also enjoyed that she was featured in the local Canberra Times!
The following week we chose not to go to Scone, we normally go every year but with the hot weather and the hard ground we chose to support the local dressage run by Castle Hill Show. It was a very relaxed morning, fitting five tests in. Stuart won both elementary classes with Karen a close second - Champion and Reserve Champion ! Great prizes, turned out to be cheap and cheerful plus very worthwhile!
Trot off for 1 st place !! The Huskinson 's War Hawk and The Pittard 's Annapurna - Stuart winning by 0.5% !!!!!!!!!
Calendar:
March 6th Friday: Castle Hill show. 1.25m Anna, Q, War Hawk and Pluto.
March 8th Sunday: Wallaby Hill Extravaganza. Team 1, Pluto, Q and Panamera. Team 2, Anna ,Carl and Q. Plus Eventers verse Show jumpers 1.20m Carl, Panamera and Q. 1.15m Q and Panamera.
April 4th/5th: Albury ( as mentioned previously)
April 11th/12th: SIEC showjumping 'Riders Series' TBC
April 18th/19th Equestriad (As Albury plus Pluto in the 3*)
