We’d thought we’d finish the year with a bang and head to an event that I haven’t visited in person yet – Puhinui International Horse Trials in New Zealand
The flights are booked and we’re really looking forward to our first visit to the island that has produced some remarkable eventing talent. One of the first things I’m going to do is taste the water - is there something in it that encourages stickability and long legs? After that I’ll taste the Sauvignon Blanc
We certainly cover eventing in New Zealand but this is the first time I’ll be going in person. It’s all happened quite quickly and the very exciting thing is that we’ll also be taking the video equipment to film the cross country as well as reporting from the event. Some interesting problems have arisen (did you know you’re not allowed to take video camera batteries on planes as cabin luggage, especially 35 of them, and they’re not allowed in the hold either) but this is all good practice for hopefully more overseas jaunts for the camera crew next year – more about that early in 2014.
Taking the video equipment poses a particular challenge for me as I have had my baggage allowance reduced to about 4kg by the camera crew i.e. my husband. This means I’m allowed a few pairs of knickers stuffed around 26kg of tripods. In a recent blog I mentioned that I seem to look like a pack horse at events and now I also realise that I’m always photographed in the same clothes – you know, here’s me at Burghley (brown jacket, jeans, scarf), here’s me at Blenheim (brown jacket, jeans, scarf again) and here’s me in Normandy….. you get the idea
Burghley .................... looking slightly insane
Blenheim ................... Photo: Uptown Eventing
Normandy ..............................
I’m certainly not a fashion doyenne (Jenny Ruddall has nothing to fear from me) but it annoys me that my luggage always weighs a ton, yet I end wearing the same clothes. Therefore I’ve realised that most of my luggage is redundant and this is the perfect opportunity to re-think my wardrobe. I can guarantee you will be seeing me in a very limited clothing selection at Puhinui (or maybe we could Photoshop different items on to me before posting the photos?)
Anyway, apart from this minor dilemma, it’s going to be fun. Libby Law is hosting us on her home turf and the NZ wines will give me something to sip as I beaver away writing reports for you all late at night.
Last year a 20 year old pig-hunting, horse-shoeing country girl by the name of Ashleigh Mckinstry won the CCI3* on her part Kaimanawa home bred horse, Pioneer Makokomiko (no, I kid you not). Something tells me this is going to be really interesting. But this not some small, local affair; as well as the talented local riders there are some top guns flying in to say hi – Andrew Nicholson, Jock Paget, Lizzie Brown and Joe Meyer will be there so we’ll try and have a chat with some of them.
We’ll be doing a full preview of the event early next week - Puhinui here we come!
