Me sitting on Marg Warwick's horse Rocco in a white out! I have now left the snow for the sunshine
Gosh, was my last update really four months ago?! Say it's not so! (sorry to tell you Kate but it really was four months ago!)
Well the eventing year has finally ended here on the east coast of America. I had a pretty good year with Cole having three great 3* runs ending up seventh at Fair Hill CIC and 11th at Bromont CCI. He'll head to Kentucky CCI4* next April.
Liberty was also great with a fifth at Bromont, hopefully he'll go to Saumur, France in the Spring. Looking back I’ve been pretty lucky all year with top placings or wins on all of my regular rides.
An interesting fact statistic is by mid year I was the only rider in America to be in the top 25 riding ‘only’ off the track horses … I guess I have a type!
Currently I'm sitting at an airport in LA awaiting a flight home to Brisbane. This will be a quick trip home so that:
A) I can get a tan
B) I can check on all the baby horses mum has been looking after for the last 2 years and
C) give my accent the tune up it needs!
A Regardez Moi youngster of mine in his first snow with a student on board
My timing could not have been better as we had our first snow yesterday in DC. Whilst this a spectacular sight to behold, it's a pain to work in. But I got to enjoy the best of both worlds, I had fun slipping and sliding and throwing snowballs with everyone for 10 hours, then got to leave before it turned to ice and/or slush and head towards the sun! Hopefully by the time I return on the 23rd it'll be back to sunshine and no snow! The average night time temperature at the moment is about -6 and the day time temperature is about 1 or 2.
My dog Sunny, born and bred in Maitland and probably wishing she were still there - in spite of her rug!
Needless to say everyone is excited for me to return as that means it'll be time to head to the warmer climes of down south! Working horses at this time of the year mostly involves endless circles of an indoor arena with overexcited, underworked, athletic horses while snow slides from the roof above you. Not fun! All the horses are also extremely hairy as they don't get clipped until just before we head south. Again, another reason to leave and let Rhiannon Bosma take over the reins for a couple of weeks!
Sunny, me, Emily Pryzborowski, Digger the cattle dog and Rhiannon Bosma hanging out in the snow
As I mentioned, I'm waiting in LA airport, and when you have a nine hour wait between flights I did what anyone would do - exited the airport and went off to explore the local area. The local area here just happens to be Beverly Hills, where ALL the stars live. So I went and took a look around. After surviving the mad Russian taxi driver I found myself on Rodeo Drive. Quick note anyone planning on a trip here, it's pronounced rodaaayo, not rodeo. You'll thank me if you ever have visit this area. My first stop was the hotel Pretty Woman was filmed at. I have to say it was quite fancy, and in the time I ate my lunch opposite it I saw nothing to change my mind on it's fanciness! How many Mercedes, Acura's, Bentley's and Audi's can you fit in one street? A LOT! Let me tell you that for nothing!
Late lunch overlooking the Pretty Woman Hotel on Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills.
So after running into Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (they do bang on about the adoption stuff) and drinking with George Clooney I'm now back at the airport awaiting my flight in the Qantas lounge I can't tell you just how exciting it is to hear 'normal' accents! Obviously by that I mean Aussie accents. That is other than Rhiannon, Boyd, Ryan, Dom and Phillip … but they get a bit monotonous after a while!
When I get home I'll be helping mum in the shop by flipping burgers and cooking chips. I'll also be teaching a bit as well as catching up with friends. I hope to be able to bring you some great photos from the take away shop...!
Hope everyone has a great Christmas and Alison, so sorry to miss my deadline … four times over!
