I've had a great season with Balmoral Sensation as we get to know each other
I was very pleased to cap off a great season with a win in the CCI*** at Taupo Three Day Event riding Balmoral Sensation. In my last blog I hoped that he was going to live up to his name and, besides me taking a swim in the water jump at Sydney 3DE, he has so far done just that. I couldn’t be more pleased with how he has performed this season. We have had to get to know each other as we have gone along, which has been a big learning curve for both of us, and everything I have asked of Ritchie he has delivered. Winning the three big Autumn 3stars, HOY, Kihikihi and Taupo was pretty awesome and I was especially pleased that he didn’t have a rail all season. So nice to ride a careful horse!
In Disguise at the National Young Event Horse Championships
The rest of my team has also really stepped up this season. In Disguise, Janene Maxwell’s 4yr old half brother of Incognito out of the same Thoroughbred mare Flow Gate and by the Hannovarian Eurosport Centavos, had a great start to his eventing career. He had three CNC95 starts for a win and a second and was double clear with 70%+ dressage scores each time and then capped it off with a 3rd place in the National Young Event Horse Championships at Taupo.
Rhys and Antoinette Powell’s Sportsman II finished his season with 7th place in the CCI* at Taupo. Having had his first ever event in early February he has had a very rapid rise to 1star level including a win in the CNC* at Kihikihi and hasn’t had a jumping fault all season. He will consolidate at 1star level next season but is definitely a star for the future.
Sportsman out of the fog and into the water at Taupo (above) and with Rhys, Lydia and Ellie afterwards (below)
Quainton Labyrinth also had a great 1star season. He made the trip back from England very well late last year and, although he is still very, very full of his own importance, I am so excited about his future. He has so much ability it is scary! The fence judge at the palisade at Taupo thought so anyway as she screamed OH MY GOD as Bryn gave it his usual 3 feet of air!
It sure was foggy at Taupo! Quainton Labyrinth over the last fence on course
The Cato’s Call Me Al has made a good recovery from injury and feels as good or better than ever! Unfortunately he was not feeling like he had his mind on the job at Taupo after going beautifully at his last two runs and I pulled him up on the XC, usually his strongest phase. A disappointing end to the season for him but on his day he will be very hard to beat.
A badly timed virus put Kay Buckley’s Covorts out of Taupo Three Day where I think he had a great chance of taking out the CCN105 after a very consistent season. In hindsight though I don’t know how I would have coped with another ride at Taupo! My week consisted of constantly riding or walking courses from dawn till dusk (and a bit either side of each) and I couldn’t have made it through with out my team which was led by Lydia Beales who was on fire the whole week and kept things running smoothly. Thanks also to Ellie Nesbit and Maddy Crowe who were also grooming.
Maddy had a great week herself which started with her being named on the NZ Young Rider Trans Tasman Team and ended with her taking out the CCI* Non Championship class. A great final prep run for Melbourne where our other team members finished 2nd and 4th as well.
We are all getting very excited to head out to Melbourne next week for the Trans Tasman test. I am going as the coach and we have a very strong team in Maddy, Sarah Young, Jessica Woods and Bonnie Farrant. So look out Aussie Young Riders!
Thanks to Rhys Powell for the photos
