Francesca and Georgie's Little Kingdom - A day of firsts and seconds

Phew, just got in from a super busy day out in Long Melford for the Lavenham and District Riding Club show at the gorgeous Melford Hall.
What a magnificent setting! 

B was having a weekend off from showing so Georgie and I had a swap of roles with me riding him and Georgie with the lead rein. I must say he tested me a couple of times with a few excited bucks but I sat them rather well and we didn't part company. I'll probably have sore legs in the morning though!

Any way, while we waited outside the ring Georgie and Francesca got ready for their first class which was the lead rein riders who are under 10 years of age and it seemed this was going to be a rather competitive class, as when the announcement was made to enter the ring 5 sets of riders made their way in, Francesca and Millie included.
This is Francesca second show so we're making it all fun and enjoyable and if you win then that's an added bonus! It's the taking part that counts right? 

With lot's of sprucing Millie looked super, if we do say so ourselves! Good old Smart Grooming products making her sparkle and gleam!

After a couple of minutes watching the horses make their way around the ring Georgie, Francesca and Millie were pulled into second place! There was some stiff competition so how nice to be pulled in high up!
Francesca rode Millie beautifully and without putting a foot wrong, did their presentation in front of the judge and went and did their little show.
After all 5 riders had completed their show for the judges we all watched on anxiously to see where they'd be placed and were so pleased to see they'd held onto their second spot!
The judge had commented on how well behaved Millie was and what a good lead rein pony we had! She's not always like that, honest. They don't call them Shitlands for nothing ha!

Georgie and Francesca had a brief break and a bite to eat before the small Mountain and Moreland class was called in to the ring and with this being an even bigger class, we wondered how they'd both fare.
Again after a beautiful presentation and show for the judge we watched each persons show individually and waited to see how we'd do again!
Francesca, Millie and Georgie has been pulled in to second place once again and was the highest placed lead rein rider, having been beaten to the top spot only by a teenage rider on her lovely Welsh Section C.

Now the 'serious' showing was out of the way we could have a giggle getting Millie dressed up for the fancy dress class.
Not going to lie, we were pretty darn good at fancy dress back when Georgie and I were children so we had big shoes to fill with coming up with ideas for Francesca.

Anyone remember Bill & Ben the Flowerpot Men? Well I frickin' do! Those pots were seriously uncomfortable but we were a winning machine!

So if you're 'down with the little kids' you'll know of a TV programme called Ben and Hollie's Little Kingdom and it happens to be one of Francescas favourite shows,so with a few ideas flouting around we spent Friday night making an outfit for Millie as she was going to be Gaston the Lady Bird, Georgie was to be Ben the Elf and Francesca was of course the fairy Princess Hollie!
I think it's rather good, don't you?

The judges must have also liked it as they won the fancy dress class. Still got it!

With it now really quite late and everyone absolutely shattered, horses included, we had one more fun class to finish off the day, which was 'best decorated mane' so with a surprise find of some LED lights in one of Georgie's 'junk' draws,flowers from the garden and some ribbon I plaited Millie's mane and attached everything in. 
Looked rather cute, right?

With a really nice end to the day Francesca and Georgie won that too! So our final total was 2 firsts and 2 seconds. Not bad for a mid week decision to go and everything hand made!

It was lovely to have a day of fun showing and watching the children and amateurs have a nice day out. 
Now, just to have a think of what other fancy dress outfits we can make for next time. Anyone got any suggestions?

Jakeira Polo Team - Printondemand-worldwide Cup

Afternoon, now that my brain is finally functioning on more than about 50% capacity now I've had some porridge I thought i'd write my blog post about the weekend.

Where to start really, so much happened this weekend! After a weekend of showing last weekend it was back to hanging out with my buddies in Jakeira for a weekend of partying and polo down at Silver Leys Polo Club in Bishop Stortford. I've not been there before so I was looking forward to seeing what it was like and meeting it's members.

Luckily the weather this weekend didn't disappoint as it was scorching hot and very sunny. With an afternoon match planned it meant a lay in and spent my morning packing and sorting things out ready to go.
Good old Mum and Dad lent me their tent, air mattress, pump and kitchen sink. Oh wait, no kitchen sink but they may as well have after all I borrowed, thank you to them!
The tent is pretty cool and is a large 4 person space with a bedroom compartment each end and a bit of living space in the middle, and personally I like it as it's nice and roomy!

Like a small annex really.. Sort of...

So after putting the tent up we got the horses ready for their first match. They hadn't played against this team before so it was going to be interesting to see how everyone fared.
The match kicked off and it soon became apparent it was going to a scrappy sort of match rather than fast and wide open. By that I mean the ball spends half it's time under the ponies legs rather than being hit long and fast. These matches can be a little frustrating for players as it's hard fishing a ball from under your or someone else's pony.
Alas the team did what they could to open up the game and with the 7 minutes per chukka whizzed by and each one more and more goals were racking up, it became apparent that Jakeira we're going to be the winners, so with the final whistle Jakeira came away victorious 7 goals to 1 against the Wycombe Wonderers .

50 Shades of Grey?

It was a wonderful result after an off weekend the weekend before and I think confidences we're rebooted and everyone glad to be back on form. The ponies were washed down, equipment packed away ready for the next days match and ponies taken to their paddock for the night to settle in.
With everything sorted we could have a drink and get ready for the party, which had already started by the time we got there!
Everyone absolutely starving were straight to the hog roast for a bun and some yummy roasted pork! Delicious! Thank you for having us Richard!

I won't go into the shenanigans of the night, but after a pretty good, if not absolutely arctic, nights sleep I woke to bright sunshine and what felt like I was actually cooking it was so hot in the tent. Freezing at night boiling in the morning, what's up with that? So much for a lay in! But now everyone being awake in the morning sunlight the day was started nursing sore heads, taking some pain killers and heading off to the nearest cafe for a fry up! I've not had one in literally about 2 years so it was so good!

Everyone's bellies now full of yummy fried breakfast we made our way back to Silver Leys for a morning of watching the polo in the sun, and how it was glorious!
Well done to all the other teams who played, it was really enjoyable watching some wonderful fast polo.

Minutes ticked by and in no time it was nearing time for Jakeira to play their finals match to see who would win the Printondemand-worldwide plate.
The ponies now were well rested and with full bellies were bought in and brushed, bandaged and tacked up, they did look rather smart as usual don't you think?

2.45 pm was the time of the match so the team made their way out on the pitch for a little team talk before the whistle blew to commence the match. 
After the previous says scrappy 'tip tap' back and forth game it was nice to see that this was not going to be like that and Jakeira and the printondemand juniors were make it a great fast moving match with lots to watch while on the edge of your seat. Or like me if you prefer to stand, who can't sit down from nerves and anticipation!
Much to the credit of the the printondemand juniors who played really well, trying so hard to keep Jakeira away from the goal posts but alas couldn't as when then final whistle blew Jakeira they walked away from the match the winners 7 goals to 2.

Go Francis and Elvis go! Hot on his heels being chased by Marcus Cork

Maybe 7 is their lucky number this weekend?

It was nice to see everyone stick around for prize giving and having a good chat about their matches and how they enjoyed the day. Good to see! 
With the day now getting late and everything already packed away earlier it was time to load up the horses and take them home after a very tiring weekend -  they deserved it.
The sun drained everyone yesterday, so getting home and into a cold shower felt glorious!

Thank you everyone at Silver Leys for being so nice and welcoming, hopefully we'll be back soon. Thank you as ever to Carl and Jo for having me along, I always enjoy it! And for Francis, Emma, Emily and Steph just because! 
Again well done to everyone who played this weekend, you all did amazingly!

Until next time... Sophie x

Wayland Show - A Case of The 2nds

After not showing for weeks Georgie and I spending Saturday afternoon bathing, trimming and overall making Beanie look like a shiny fluff-ball.

Legs being whitened with Smart Grooming Leg and Body Whitener

We hadn't been showing since Hickstead and that weekend of Hickstead was so disastrous it didn't even warrant a blog post. First Beanie banged his hip mysteriously in the field and took a lump of hair off, then got there to find our ring was has hard as concrete and rutty as a field that it was thoroughly under whelming (well it was to be anyway, not sure how Georgie felt).

So 7 am came, and after plaiting up and packing the car, we headed off to Wayland Show in Norfolk. We'd been last year and really enjoyed it and found it to be a nice atmosphered country show.
We arrived to Beanie being very on his toes, perhaps he thought he'd become a happy hacker after doing not very much for the last 3 weeks but he was full of energy!
Lisa and I went off to the show secretary to get Georgie's number and find out an estimated start time for the ROR Challenge class. Well thinking it would start about 10 am couldn't have been more wrong as there was only 1 entry in the working hunter pony so all hands on deck to get B and Georgie ready in time.

He must have picked up on the rushed vibes because even after Georgie had got on he was very spritely! 
Now, when Beanie get excited from jumping he bucks on landing, and after a couple of jumps did an almighty buck and unseated Georgie just before she was about to go into the ring!
"Wonderful" I thought sarcastically, this is setting the tone for the day!

Upon entering the ring he was both on his toes and had his eyes on stalks, all of us having no idea how he'd get on. The vast majority of horses had been stopping at fence 2 that we prayed he wouldn't follow suit. It wasn't a particularly horrible fence in itself but the landing was basically dead into a corner and you had to turn on a 90 degree angle and a stride later was fence 3. 
He got in there and after a big jump over fence 1 I thought "maybe he'd be so exuberant he wouldn't even look at the fence or landed and just fly over it", but I was wrong.
He stopped and oggled it thoroughly digging in his heels but Georgie kicked on and refused to be defeated and got him over it. 
Now over what I thought was the 'bogie' fence I thought she'd be fine, although not being very focused and looking all over the place he was jumping ok. Georgie has finished the course and made her way to the first of two bonus fences when, at the very last moment, Beanie put in a naughty run out. Georgie turned and represented but he was having absolutely none of it. After presenting him at it a final time and riding positively he stopped a third time and was subsequently eliminated.

Not going to lie, I was really hacked off. I'm not a morning person as it is so for Beanie to a completely birk in his first class of the day wasn't exactly the best of a 5am day start.
We got back to the box for Georgie to exclaim "im entering him in his riding horse class, he can be punished by poncing!". 
Beanie is a very good all-rounder and enjoys his jumping, so Georgie competes him in the challenge classes so he doesn't get bored of showing. So for him to misbehave in a class that was supposed to be some fun for him, she was one unimpressed owner!
Fortunately the class wasn't too long away so we could have some refreshments and change his bridle and saddle over. He was re-turned out beautifully (if I do say so myself) and off we went to the ring.

He's a quirky one that horse cause after a break he was in a totally different mindset.
he was chilled, responsive and happy. Shortly after the call for competitors we're asked to make their way into the ring for the class to start.
It was like watching a totally different horse. He was floating around the ring, being responsive to Georgies aids and carrying himself beautifully and light in Georgie's hands.
He really did look a picture.

All of us were watching on longingly and were pleased to be pulled into seconds place for the judging.
To be fair to B he gave the judge a beautiful ride, but just as she was riding him the motorcross display started. I actually love motorcross but the sound of a 4 stroke scrambler just as the judge was riding was the last thing I wanted to hear.
Sadly just as the judge asked for canter a bike revved while doing a huge flip and he jumped but other than that the judges ride was spotless.
The display got louder and louder with the commentator practically shouting something inaudible over the commentary system he was so excited and more and more bikes took to the air for very cool tricks, but frustratingly Beanie could hear it but not see it.
He did trot up smoothly for the conformation judge, if not a bit on his toes.
We were all pleased to see Beanie had held his place in second and come away with a rosette and some prize money.
That's better than being disqualified! Our minds were now focused on the Retraining of Racehorses and Tattersalls Open Show horse class after lunch.

In much better spirits than before we had a lunch sitting in the sun chatting, while Beanie munched away at his hay net while sunning his back.
He was really very shiny! Perhaps he thought he was done for the day?

Everyone feeling much better after some food and drink we tacked B up for a third time and prayed he hadn't had enough for the day. It was getting increasingly hot as the sun beamed down so just prayed it stayed cool. I don't think any horse likes showing in boiling hot weather!

The ROR class was big, with approximately 18 horses in it and they all looking spectacularly turned out. This would be a tough class!
At the last minute there was a judge change which through some people but the original judge was replaced with a charming older gentleman who, as we found out, was a kind gentle rider which just what we like.
After a nice go around, to which B didn't disappoint, he was pulled into third place.

Photo by Diss Event Photography

Much like before, Beanie gave the judge a lovely round, and with no displays this time he was faultless - He really did go lovely. He had beautiful self carriage and nice even paces, lengthening nicely when the judge asked for a bit more in the canter as well as bringing him back beautifully in working canter. Georgie and I grinned, feeling so proud of this big ginger horse who was bit of a silly sausage earlier in the day. Honestly, It was like watching a different horse!

Watching on anxiously after the conformation judging we were really pleased to be pulled into second and qualifying for next years ROR final at Hickstead! It was like a repeat of last years class at Wayland where Georgie was second too!
B had redeemed himself then and was no longer in Georgie's bad books!

          Photo by Diss Event Photography
 
After the riding horse class Georgie was approached by a well known producer and asked to ride one of his horses in the ridden championship. They had 2 horses qualify and only one rider! Obviously this is a big compliment to be asked to ride, to which she accepted, so a quick rush outside the ring, jumped on and rode having never sat on it before.
She evidently gave it a nice ride as it was pulled in reserve ridden champion!
It was a lovely horse!

It was now 5 oclock in the evening, so after packing up quick sharpe we head off home in the car with lots of chat about the day and how it all went!
After a really crappy start it ended really well! See you in June Hickstead!
We currently aren't sure what our next show is as Mum and Dad move house, Beanie and Millie move to a new yard and Georgie goes on holiday!
Fingers crossed it Gransden!

Sophie x