HOUGHTON

ZEUS OF RUSHALL was taking part in the Nations Cup CIC3* at this beautiful venue in Norfolk. He did a smart test in a pretty cut up arena where the mud was drying so had a similar consistency to glue! He scored 49.9 which left him 17/72. The following day we show jumped in the morning. Again the ground was drying from the huge amounts of rain but this left it very tacky and was causing many to have rails down. Jimmy  jumped a fantastic clear and really showed his scope and ability. That afternoon we went xc. The track was fairly straight forward but again the ground made it testing. Jimmy made it feel like a BE100 and finished full of running collecting just 2 time faults leaving him in 7th position (3rd best Brit).

Photo Courtesy Tim Wilkinson

Photo Courtesy Lazy Photography

ASTON LE WALLS

ZEUS OF RUSHALL had another easy run round the OI, he did a slightly unsettled test scoring 32.7 he then jumped another fantastic double clear finishing inside the time and collecting 4th place is this hotly contested section. A perfect pre run before Houghton CIC3*.

Photo courtesy Matt Nuttall

KINGTON was competing in the novice. He did a 36 test which I thought was harshly marked. He then went on to do a confident double clear taking everything in his stride. I didn't push for tie being that he wasn't competitive enough after dressage so we collected 6 time faults.

Photo Courtesy Matt Nuttall

NASEBY took part in the BE100. He did a 33 dressage, he really is improving in this phase. He then was unlucky to have one rail down. Xc he was flying and I perhaps got a little complacent, he was cheeky and had a glance off at the second last-naughty boy!! He is definitely one to watch for the future .

WITHINGTON

ZEUS OF RUSHALL did the OI at Withington as an easy run. He did a fantastic test scoring 26.4. He then jumped an amazing clear round a very testing show jumping track, he followed this up with a solid clear xc collecting 9.6 leaving us in a credible 3rd place.

HAMBLEDEN

KINGTON was in the Novice class. Due to some sat nav errors his test was a little higher marked than it should have been-38, he then jumped a fab double clear. Sadly xc my reins came undone and despite trying to do them up whilst galloping, I had to pull up and sort them out so we collected rather a lot of time faults but never the less a good run for him.

Photo Courtesy Gareth Powell

ERRIGAL HILL BOY was competing in the BE100. He warmed up well for the dressage and sadly got very distracted in the arena and decided bucking and flying changes were necessary. He scored a 39.5 which was fully deserved. He also went on to jump a great double clear picking up just 2.4 time faults.

NASEBY was also in the BE100 he did a sweet test scoring 35, sadly although actually jumping well he dislodged 4 poles. He jumped well xc to go clear although i didn't go for speed so collected 15.2 time. He is coming on well but sadly his record is not reflecting this just yet.

Photo courtesy Uptown Eventing

MILL TIME with my apprentice Michael Smyth did a fab job round there first BE100 scoring a 33.5 was unlucky to have one pole and jumped a fab clear finishing bang on the optimum time. Michael has really clicked with Moose, who will now have a small amount of time off to have his sarcoids treated.

BELTON

ZEUS OF RUSHALL started the season at Belton in Lincolnshire, a spectacular venue. He took part in the CIC3* which wasn't an ideal event to start at but with me being ill and the cancelations I had little choice. He performed a personal best in the dressage scoring 44.4, had 2 down show jumping in gale force winds and had a silly 20 xc where I wasn't sure whether his shoulders had gone through the flag or not and because of the wind I couldn't hear the fence judges so circled and re-jumped it making up the fence judges mind for them. He jumped a fab round and the score doesn't really justify how good he was.

Photo Courtesy esphotography.co.uk

PENCARDER SILVER STORM took part in the intermediate here. She was very unsettled on the box when Jimmy was taken away and when she performed her test she was very grouchy. I show jumped her and she jumped badly having four down, we then discovered she was very sore through her back most likely from crashing around on the lorry so I withdrew her. She normally jumps with such spring and loves it and today she didn't.

LARKHILL

Next stop was Larkhill horse trials. I took three horses to this event which is pretty local to me.

NASEBY was a touch excited to see the racecourse and didn't concentrate as much as he could have done in the dressage however he did not deserve the unmentionable score the judge gave him, he made up for it sj by just having one fence down. XC he had improved again from Howick but sadly had to have a look at the water, again a green mistake but very frustrating.

ERRIGAL HILL BOY was also a little excited for his test, but the judge was on my side and he scored  32.5 somehow!! He had the first fence down sj and jumped another clear xc. This has laid some ghosts to rest as October hadn't quite gone to plan when owner Simon Hall rode him here!!

KINGTON was in the novice and produced a nice test but sadly the judge obviously needed to visit specsavers!! He jumped a fab clear sj over a very technical track that was causing kots of problems. Xc he was flying until i rode like a complete muppet and put him under a fence, he is soooooo genuine but this was an impossible situation to get out of and I was furious with myself for the rest of my round. Grrrrr

HOWICK

Our next outing was to Howick just across the bridge into Wales. This is a lovely event and it is very well run.

NASEBY was doing his first BE100, he performed a nice test to score 34.5, sadly he had the first and the last sj down and was flying xc until the ditch in the coffin took him by surprise. He is still very green but is showing lots of talent and once he understands what his job is I think he will be fabulous.

ERRIGAL HILL BOY was also competing in the BE100, he is now very established at this level and managed to contain himself in the dressage to score 32. He then sj well for a clear and stormed around the xc clear and finished pretty much on the time to finish on his dressage score. This meant we had our first winner of the year, and Dougal's first win ever.

Photo Courtesyof Matt Nuttall Photography