Amani Phantasie, owned by Brett and Nicole Christie, winner of the 5yr old Young Event Horse Championships
It has been some time since my last blog. So much has happened I really don’t know where to start!
Following our trip to Taupo in May, we packed up and headed back to WA for Trumby (Legal Star) to have a few weeks R&R, and so I could get back to work and back to riding some of my other horses that were left behind. This year seems to be flying by so fast I feel like I hadn’t been home very long before I was starting to pack up and plan my next trip across the country in preparation for Adelaide.
Left - Trumby at Alcoa CIC3* (Photo:Jessamy Walsh) and Right - Two Chances in the Pegasus Showjumping Open 1.25
For the few months I was in Western Australia there was certainly enough to keep me busy. We had events at Gidgegannup CNC, Perth Horse Trials CIC and Alcoa CIC, as well as showjumping on just about every weekend we weren’t eventing, dressage training tests at Brookleigh on Friday evenings, the Young Event Horse Championships, the Young Show Jump Horse Championships and a total of 11 horses in work. All this plus my morning job riding racehorses and a quick trip to Germany for my brother’s wedding - it’s no wonder the year seems like its flying by!
Trumby at Alcoa CIC3* Photo Emma Tunnecliffe
Trumby had his first run back since Taupo at Alcoa in the CIC3*, finishing 4th having just added some time penalties to his dressage score. Our run at Alcoa wasn’t without its drama when Trumby’s breastplate snapped over a bounce at fence 7! The next few jumps were touch and go as to whether I kept going or not but by this stage Trumby had forgotten about the flapping breastplate so we continued on and finished the course. Phew!
After Alcoa the time had come to head off on yet another four day trip to NSW. I guess you could say that one of the advantages to driving back and forth across the country is the different places that you get to see. This trip took me to the lovely Hunter Valley to stay with Craig and Prue Barrett at Sandhills for our final weeks before Adelaide. We travelled up to Tamworth last weekend for our last outing before we leave and we finished third in the CT4*. Trumby is feeling great and we are certainly getting a lot out of our time here at Sandhills. With less than two weeks to go the countdown to Adelaide is on and Trumby and I are looking forward to taking on our fourth Adelaide CCI4****!
Trumby having a rest at Mundrabilla Station on the way to NSW and enjoying his time at Sandhills
