June's Round Up

M.S Team Eventing rounded May off with a trip to the darkest depths of Norfolk for Houghton Hall International.  Little Miss Ruby was certainly the star of the show picking up 5th place in a very large and highly competitive CCI*.  She was fantastic in all three phases and is now ready for her Intermediate debut at Aston late in July.

Onto June and off to Little Downham.  Shannondale Vintage (Vincent) got the weekend off to a good start with a good run around the Intermediate, finishing just outside the top 10.  A day of 'rest' and then back there on the Sunday for the BE100 with Illston Jester and Heavy Metall R in the BE90. The lovely Nigel produced a gorgeous dressage for 27 and a CLEAR show jumping!!  Sitting in 2nd place going into the cross country the whole team thought that luck was on their side. However apparently there were Nigel eating monsters lurking in the bottom of the very scary trakehner. So onto Illston, well they say a picture says a thousand words...

Imogen was absolutely fine and leapt back on to complete the course.  

With the lower levels seeming to prove a challenge the team headed up North to Catton Park - in 33 degree heat.  A weekend when most of the country were sunbathing and enjoying beers and barbecues, we were off eventing with Jess and Vincent in the Intermediate.

The sweat and sun burn were well worth it with another strong Intermediate run for Vincent, and Jess, having her first outing since April, finishing 3rd in the Open Intermediate, with a 25.9 dressage and super double clear.

It hasn't all been about eventing for the past few weeks though.  Imogen has taken the babies out to dressage and there has been a few show jumping outings too!

First it was a visit to Weston Lawns Summer Spectacular show where 4-year-old Violetta B had her first taste of British Showjumping finishing 6th in the British Novice (from 50 starters). Shannondale Vintage jumped super rounds in the 1m15 and the Fox Hunter classes and Ivar Gooden was very excited to be at his first party since Badminton with a springy double clear in the Fox! 

We are all absolutely delighted to confirm that the one and only Sir Charles is fit and raring to go again after his Badminton triumph.  In fact he's a little bit too excited for life.  He's now heading to Barbury for the CIC2*, to keep the confidence up and will then hopefully head out to Hara Du Pin and then (fingers and toes crosses) Burghley!

Back out show jumping and this time Illston had his jumping shoes on for a convincing win in the 1.05m class, redeeming himself from his antics at Little Downham. Violetta B added another double clear to her tally in the British Novice and Avocado and Scarlett jumped a lovely confident round in the 1.05m.

In between all of the show jumping fun, we headed off to Keysoe for the BYEH with new boy Sandyhills Penhill Zorro in the 4-year-old class.  And what a good boy he was at his first party with us.  A top 10 finish and a qualification - he is an incredibly smart and exciting young horse and certainly one to watch for the future.

All in all a pretty good June! July gets underway with the CIC2* at Barbury, before heading to Upton House and Aston-le-Walls.  The M.S Team will be rounding off July with a trip down to Hickstead for the Royal International Horse Show where Imogen has been invited to compete in the Eventers Challenge - stay tuned for Kim's reaction as Imogen and Vincent come off the infamous bank!