Blink and suddenly it’s June, then its July and the sun has finally arrived
Apologies for the radio silence, the blogs seem to have come to a crocked halt on the centre line… Life has been rather hectic since the Eventing season finally got started; typical after seemingly waiting through the longest of winters, once the season got going it’s been a whirlwind. Events have come thick and fast, albeit not all the usual venues we are used to, and I have been very lucky to continue to work with some fabulous clients, new and existing along the way.
So, although it’s a later start than we’re all used to, we’re all standing in the start box and the countdown is on - good luck to all competitors, owners, grooms, officials, volunteers and ‘togs. There’s lots to look forward to and some very exciting combinations to keep an eye on!
Eyes up, heels down and kick on!
Here’s to a safe, continuous and successful season to you all and hope to see you all out on course soon.
The countdown in on to the Tokyo Games, with less than four months now till the Eventing medals are decided…
There’s no doubting Team GBR have an embarrassment of riches to give the selectors some sleepless nights over. But this could arguably be the most competitive Olympics for some time. Leaving the GB dilemma to one side for now, here’s my quick look at the International medal contenders:
I have decided to inhale a good dose of optimism and forge onwards with my Tokyo dream…
You wouldn’t want to substitute yourself into the Team GBR selection committee; for they have many endless debates, head scratching and much deliberation ahead of them.
We are in a golden age of Eventing talent, both globally and here in Blighty; which gives us a tricky but fortuitous problem. We have a very long long-list of talent, yet only 3 team places are available and a lucky individual to take on board the plane to Tokyo.
What a year that was! A pandemic was rather an extreme way of focusing the mind. Focusing on what mattered. What was worth the effort and what was not. What stirred the soul and what no longer mattered.
We may not have had a full season, but 2020 was definitely a year to savour ‘Quality over Quantity’ all the way.
So whilst it might not be the big shindig we are all used to, Christmas has flown around the corner, presents are wrapped and there’s just the exclusive bubble to finalise…
Most of us are probably somewhat thankful to see the back of this year to be honest, so my mind has already turned towards the countdown to next season and all the stars I am eagerly awaiting to see once again.
I’ve been a really good girl, no really! I actually have this year - I’ve been socially distant all year, not just for lockdowns and I’ve done all my Eventing chores (well kinda….)
So how about a treat or two under the tree this year... Just in case you or Santa need some inspiration for what to put under the tree this year for me, or any equestrian mad friend or relative,, here’s some ideas…
Sometime’s you don’t need a lot of something for it to pack a punch - and that is definitely the case with the 2020 Eventing season.
It’s been bloody tough there’s no doubt, it’s been hard to plan with reduced press numbers permitted entry and late confirmation of attendance had me checking email accounts every 5 seconds on the run up to the big targets. But it’s been the most wonderful season in so many ways too……
Much has been written about the ‘strangest’ of years and how it’s been a shortened season - but in so many ways that hasn’t diminished the quality on display at Pau this weekend. A French adventure had always been on the grand masterplan for this season, long before we knew Covid-19 existed.
So much of 2020 hasn’t lived up to pre-season expectations. There’s been so many dreams lost this season. But one little dream remained, from the early glance at the Pau entries, one little dream emerged - could gorgeous Dan make amends for the unlucky tragedy of the Europeans last year.
September continued where August exited stage left, an action packed month with just enough spare time for a spot of seashell collecting….
Cornbury House had been murmured to be worth the wait and it was definitely that and so much more. After the doom and gloom of this Eventing year, this shiny gem emerged from the pack and really made their presence known that weekend.
You know that good things must come to the inevitable end, but when they have been this good, it’s a hard pill to swallow.
Gorgeous Gary has taken me on a memorable journey as his number one fan, he has taken me to courses I’d only ever dreamed of attending. It has been a complete pleasure to follow him all the way from the Highlands of Scotland to the French Pyrenees.
August has been a hectic month, four events, nearly 1,300 miles travelled and an unmentionable number of photos taken.
Burgham did not disappoint. A world number one. A world champion. Three past class winners. Five star winners. More entries that anyone could have imagined! Eventing bliss.
It’s a stark reality that the amazing sport that is Eventing, simply wouldn’t be viable, safe or quite frankly as much of a community spirited sport, without the thousands upon thousands of hours, donated by it’s awesome army of volunteers.
I came into volunteering not knowing all the rules and not really knowing anyone - some 5 years later, I’ve made life-long friends and have a much better understanding of the sport, the rules and a front-row seat on the best action out there. Why not get involved?!
The restart that we had all hoped and prayed for had finally come. Given the length of time that had passed since I was last at an Event, I’d be forgiven for thinking that we were starting a new season, but this was 2020 version 2.0. The wait was long and obviously completely necessary, given the global pandemic we all found ourselves living through...
But pulling into the hallowed turf of Barbury Castle, albeit a week later than originally scheduled, was just the tonic I had been hoping for.
I do still feel like the pause button has been pressed on life though - it’s so engrained in my brain that April is the Grand National, May brings Badminton, Chatsworth & Rockingham then onto Bramham in June - without these I do feel like I’m stuck in a Groundhog Day kind of loop; April fools day on repeat.
Thankfully there does seem some socially-distanced light at the end of the tunnel. British Eventing have delivered the much-needed news that after much consideration, deliberation and planning; Eventing is returning.
With the continuing restrictions, I have done the obligatory garden and house tidy, then I started the online tidy. The trawl through the archives to tidy and refresh. And this got me thinking - now I will admit the search initially started with my top 10 photographs and this became a little impossible, so that grew into 15 before settling on my 20 favourite images. The soundtrack to the afternoon would have gone ’99 photos and I can’t pick 1’!
Well some few hours later and instead of 10, I had 29 on my ‘shortlist’ - the greats of the sport, some that pull on the heartstrings and some that will just always hold a special place in my heart.
When reading the list below, you will notice a theme, one that could be used to create the ultimate Eventer - powerful, quirky, enthusiastic and brave when going XC, whilst being in true harmony with their human partner. I am a big lover of this great sport and have been lucky enough to watch many who fit the aforementioned description.
The beautifully colour-coded calendar on the fridge of all my national and international Eventing fixtures is now obsolete. Wiped out. Gone.
One by one the fixtures make the inevitable announcement, cancellation is sadly communicated.
When all the social distancing is but a weird, distant memory, we shall again begin to plan those adventures and journeys. The color-coded calendar shall be re-born and off Eventing we shall go.
Ultimately Eventers (both competitors and supporters) are a bloody tough breed, we’ve got through previous outbreaks, disasters and wartime; the sport will make it through this. We’ve weathered cancellations and abandonments before, and this time will be no different.
Whether Tokyo comes or is lost, all that matters is everyone is still here when we pick up where the season paused, be that hopefully in a few weeks or we draw stumps and start a fresh next season with renewed energy. As long as the friends I have made on this wonderful journey are here with me, that’s all that ultimately matters.
