Happy New Year to my trusty, loyal blog readers (what’s the etiquette, can we still get away with saying HNY this late in Jan?, well I’m rogue all the time so why break the habit hey?!)

You find me on a freezing woodland walk, getting the steps in ahead of the new season. Enjoying the peaceful woodland, which is hopefully soothing the raging mood that my last few weekend schedules of yard shoots have been decimated by the frozen blanket that the U.K. found itself under recently.

Christmas is a distant memory, January has felt eleventy billion days long, but alas there is light at the end of what now feels like a never-ending tunnel. The new Eventing season is only 5 weeks away folks. Dust off the dressage saddle, get ready for the action to begin.

With sights turning towards the much-celebrated end of winter, my thoughts drift towards which equines I shall be excitedly looking forward to seeing each weekend.

Here’s my list of ones to look out for:

**The seasoned campaigners with 4 & 5* Aspirations:**

Ballycoog Breaker Boy

One of the main reasons I’m so excitedly looking forward to this season is the return of dear William. A few minor niggles kept him off games last season, but he’s back and the time off seems to have been beneficial to this giant son of Womanizer.

William is looking much stronger and the motivation to work & please seems to have only gone up a notch or three. William competed in the Blenheim 8&9yo class in 2021, so he’ll be getting established at the 4* with a possibility all things going welcome of an exciting step up aim for the end of the season.

Lordships Graffalo

This handsome talented chap could not have achieved more in 2022 and everyone now seems to have joined the Walter fan club (I was a founding member, just saying).

A spring target of Badminton again for this quirky yet Uber talented son of Grafenstolz is on the cards, all being well.

Ros Canter & Lordships Graffalo, FEI World Championships, Pratoni del Vivaro, September 2022

Gone are the days when Walter can quietly keep gaining the point scoring runs at 4*, as all eyes will be following him - but Michelle Saul’s beautiful bay deserves the following. Who knows what the Team GB selection path will take for the Europeans in Haras; will we see the tried and tested 5* campaigners still get those team places or will we see more 4* specialists sneak onto the team? Who knows?! But this chap surely deserves his place on the long list.

Brookfield Inocent

Another superstar to have been kept off games with a niggle for most of last season, is hopefully back with a bang will be Piggy March’s Avenches European partner Brookfield Inocent aka Big Arthur.

You’d think this season that all roads surely must be leading towards Burghley, having been a long term aim for the bay son of Inocent and touted as ‘made for Burghley’ by Piggy’s husband Tom during his young horse career.

It will be great to see the winner of Thoresby’s Eventing Spring Carnival hotly contested 4* class back on the circuit. All the talent, this boy is surely destined to be back on podiums this season so worthy of a close follow.

Valmy Biats

Valmy and Emily finished off a good season with a brilliant top 10 result at Pau CCI5*L in October. This was a brilliant run, both due to the competitive, experienced field but also a great culmination in learning from runs across the season. Emily consolatory all the learning and it paid off with a great 5* completion for the pair.

Pau’s result gives plenty of excitement for the Spring ahead for Emily, Phillipe and the fun-loving EHOS syndicate experience members - an entry for Badminton will be in the cards following a few OI and 4* pipe opener runs. Unbelievably there is still a chance to join the Event Horse Owner Syndicate’s experience in Valmy, check out details here.

Cooley Rosalent

This mare is just too cool and another regular on my pre-season horses to watch list. The striking dapple grey daughter of Valent put in another season of stellar results last year, including second place finish in the CCI4*L at Blair Castle in August and you’d think that a step up to 5* is on the agenda for the supercool Rosie.

A horse that Oliver hasn’t held back on sharing his admiration for in the past, Paul Ridgeon’s Cooley graduate completed a number of 4*’s last season including a podium finish at Bramham.

Brookfield Cavalier Cruise

This handsome dark bay gelding may have slipped under most peoples radar last season, but that won’t be the case much longer.

The cool son of Cavalier Carnival went from 2* to 4* during the course of the season, including making very light work of Blair’s 3*L in August.

Tom McEwen & Brookfield Cavalier Cruise, Land Rover Blair Castle International Horse Trials, August 2022

The gorgeous Fletcher managed to cap the season off with a 4*S qualifying run at Little Downham to set up a mouthwatering season ahead this year. A horse that has taken every step up with ease so far and he’s a horse that Tom and the Brookfield team think an awful lot of. Roll on March!

The Young Guns:

Tenz

From the first crop of Tenaraze offsprings, this tall, dark, handsome chap made notable progress last season. Rising 7, he gained valuable experience at Bicton in the final CCI2*S at the end of the season.

Ridden by the supremely talented Will Rawlin, this lovely big dark bay gelding gained plenty of confidence and experience last season. An exciting horse to follow in the Young Horse classes this season as well as consolidating his 2* experience before making the step up to Intermediate later in the Spring.

Brookfield William

This loveable chap really caught the eye last season with Tom McEwen, such a likeable attitude to his work (and partial to a snuggle) dear William notched up CCI2*S runs at Burgham and Cornbury Internationals, along with several successful Top 10 completions at Novice level.

Another well bred bay gelding to be sourced for Brookfield Equestrian, this beautiful bay son of Mermus R will definitely be one of their Young Guns to Follow this season. Surely one to complete a 2*L in the Spring, he’ll be one to look out for at the big Spring Internationals.

Cooley Killaloe

It’s hard to pick one ‘Young Gun’ from the production line of Cooley superstars, but having followed this handsome fella last season, he’d be my pick. A striking black son of Kannan based with Sophie Callard.

A stumble in the water at Rockingham halted the planned progression last season, but he’s super talented and will definitely be one to keep an eye on with Sophie this season.

Killossery Kaptain

Ah dear Benny. Benny would be the class overachiever for sure. He’s good and he knows it. The bay ISH son of CC Captain Cruis ridden by Laura Collett for all his career and looks to be another stable star for her.

A talented 7 year old, Benny finished in the top 4 placing a at every Novice and Open Novice National class he competed in last season. Benny had an educational run at Millstreet at 2* over in Ireland before stepping up to Intermediate with ease at the back end of last year.

Benny will definitely be a young horse to follow with excitement this year.

Plenty of equine stars, current and future to keep a keen eye on this season. Eventing action is less than five weeks away here in the U.K., so get those tickets booked and dust off the waterproofs, charge up the camera and get planning those must-see events.

With so many equine stars to pick from in the U.K., we’re very spoilt, do you agree with the picks above, have I missed an equine star - comment below or drop me a message to share your list.

As always thanks for reading this far, keep your chin up, the snowdrops have been spotted so winter’s end is in sight, promise! Until the next one…

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