NEWS

Hungerford, England
July 17, 2014

Sorry I’ve not written in a while, here is a full update:

I have recently moved to a yard in Hungerford near Lambourn where I am trying to expand my business and take the next steps in my life. I owe a huge thank you to Nick Gauntlett for helping me find my feet when I first came to the UK but now it’s time to push forward on my own.

Finn was amazing around this year’s very tough Badminton and finished well. However as you may already know he picked up a small strain at Badminton which was discovered on a routine scan. This was very unexpected because he had been feeling so well, and disappointingly it has ruled him out of the World Championships this year. He continues to feel great and is still in full work, with the aim to be out competing in the spring if not yet this fall. I am thankful that it is only a small setback, but obviously the timing couldn’t be more unfortunate.

My young horses are going really well and have done a few pre novice runs, all very successfully. It’s great that Rascal’s owners, Mr and Mrs Patton, come and watch Rascal (Lady Valtas) regularly and are enjoying getting into eventing. My other young horse, Miss Dynamic, has always been a horse to produce and sell, and as she has proven to be a super smart little horse, it was time for me to send her on her way. Although it’s very sad for me to see her go, I am so pleased that she is a perfect match for her new rider and I am excited to see her succeed in the future.

Earlier this spring I purchased an intermediate mare from Germany and she is, in one word, amazing!! Sadly I was only beginning to get to know her, when at our third event together, she stumbled after a fence cross country and struck into her tendon on a front leg, significantly damaging it. This was an unbelievably unlucky thing to have happen, and completely devastating for me and for the horse to have our season come to a sudden halt. At this point we were really starting to click with each other and were ready for big things!! Two months on, she is now well into her rehab, and the injury is heading in the right direction. We are pleased with the healing rate and are hoping, in time, that she will return to eventing with all the promise that we left off with.

I have been asked to ride John Wrottesley’s 4 year old, Stolen Moon (Oliver), in a few BYEH classes. Oliver is showing great potential and will hopefully be liked by the judges! He has fitted in here very well and acts like he has lived here all his life.

I also have a new intermediate ride in a horse called Bruvver. With Miss Dynamic sold there was a space for a new project. The plan with Bruv is to run him round a couple of intermediates and see how we get on.

Ken (Kinnordy Rivaldo) is back up in action and is feeling fabulous (long may it last). He completed his first Open Novice at Upton House last week where he did a lovely double clear, and is aimed at Aston Le Walls Open Intermediate in early August. Although his future is being planned one week at a time, optimistically a CCI3* in the Autumn is my goal. Riding him around Upton House was a reminder of what an incredible horse he is, and I can’t help but hope to have many more rides like that.

Along with new horses and a new yard, I have a wonderful team of people helping me to achieve my goals (keep my life organized!!!). Hopefully with their help, and a touch of good luck, we will have many exciting things in the future.

Chipping Sodbury
November 5, 2013

Not too much excitement since last I wrote. Winter has arrived in force, with freezing temperatures and even a “hurricane” that, all joking aside, brought 80 mph winds and torrential rain. Equestrians across the country were split, do the field horses come in, or do you leave them out? They’re sheltered by trees, but the trees will fall down… My unscientific study showed that all the Brits brought them in and suffered mucking out extra stables. The Aussies and Kiwis stuck it out, “ah mate, it’s just a bit of rain and wind!”. Our horses all came in. I am a California softy after all!

My girls, youngsters Jess and Rascal, are growing and improving every day. Jess continues to find life oh-so easy, and has everyone wrapped around her metaphorical finger. I jumped a cross country fence the other day, and she boldly took it on, leaping sky high just because she can, and pulling her feet up to her ears!!! I wish we’d snapped a photo as the view from on top was most impressive! Rascal amazes me with her continual improvement and how easy she finds collection; possibly that is why she never made it as a racehorse. If they keep going at this rate, I think we will have a lot of fun in the spring when they go out competing. Finn is feeling full of it, rainy wind not helping, and continually testing my bronc riding skills. It’s been a good while since I’ve been riding naughty broncs, so I’ve had to up my skills in a hurry! Funny how the reflexes go with time.

To supplement the little operation I have going at home, I’ve been taking on as much teaching and riding as I can. I enjoy getting out freelancing and meeting people. I find it interesting how, 3 years later, I now have a very similar arrangement in England to what I had in California. Ideally someday I will have everything out of one location, but for now, any work is good work.

Potentially my most exciting news is that I have an opportunity to buy a young advanced horse that has already proven to be a winner, and all indications would say, is a world class horse with the best yet to come. I am aiming to put together a syndicate to secure his purchase, and we are up against the clock. Other interest is growing as more people learn that he is up for sale. It is an opportunity to gain a very valuable horse for the future, and for the future of the American Team. I am reaching out to anyone who might be interested, or who might have connections that would be interested in becoming a part of the team. The USEF has made huge strides with the Eventing Owners Task Force, facilitating the formation of syndicates to make ownership affordable and tax deductible, and to bring likeminded people together with the common goal of winning medals at Olympic, Pan-American, and World Championships. If anyone has any connections that would potentially be interested in owning a share or two, I would be most appreciative of an introduction. I am optimistic that we can put together enough people to make this a reality, and add another superstar to my small but exciting team.

England
September 15, 2013

Since last I wrote, my little piece of the world has been agonizingly quiet, that is until I took a sharp left turn, and I now find myself once again stretching daylight hours. That is of course the only way I’m happy. Sitting on the bench is never good for my psyche. Aachen was a hugely successful trip, and I came home, proud, energized, and feeling atop the world. We even got our picture on the cover of The Chronicle of the Horse. When I saw it, I had a momentary thought of “this is my biggest achievement yet”, but then I told myself that was shallow, and to put the Olympics back in top spot. But it’s a close second, definitely! Unfortunately, I also brought home a few injuries with me. Mercifully, they were all my own, and Finn came home in great shape, but nonetheless, I was benched. For Finn that meant we have taken an easier plan for this autumn, and for the first time since he was a six year old, he’s getting to have a season without a three-day event. I am pleased that this is a good opportunity for us to regroup, buckle down, strengthen our weaknesses, and get all our affairs in order for next year, but sitting back and watching Burghley, Blenheim, and the likes go on without us has been trying to say the least.

What does a competitor do when they can’t compete? Turn their world upside down apparently. Although I’m still based at Chescombe Farm, I have taken on a separate yard, and am setting up on my own. It’s an evolution that was inevitable, and I suppose now is as good a time as any. So from sitting, glued to my computer, studying what makes Michael, Andrew, and Jock so consistently good and how one can better them, I’ve been dislodged to go dig trenches, pressure wash, cobweb, and clean up “I don’t even want to know” mystery items. I have lots of plans to do up the tack room and grooming area, but first I need to fill those freshly done stables, which is together a stress and an opportunity. Thanks to the recommendation and efforts of a few friends, I’ve had a thoroughbred straight out of race training sent to me. It is very early days, but she’s settling in well and has a certain resemblance to Clifton Promise. Who knows?.. Seems like a good place to start! I’ve also gotten a 4 year old mare that is wise beyond her one month under saddle. She moves, she jumps, and today she even had a canter around Badminton Estate. Maybe she’ll be competing there in 5 years. Again, who knows?.. I do love the dream and endless possibilities of young horses. Finn started from just that! Hopefully I can soon have a few more empty stables filled and this whole thing will take off rather than wash away in the winter floods. There’s no better motivator than necessity.

My Aachen Experience
July 12, 2013

What an experience! Aachen was everything I had hoped it would be and more. Finn was an absolute star and the ground jury called him ‘the horse of the competition’! Although as a team we were riddled with bad luck from beginning to end, every one took the disappointments on the cheek and made the most of the opportunity to be there. It was an honour to be part of the first American team ever to be invited to Aachen and we all have grown from competing in the environment. For me, it was another conformation following our great result at Badminton that Finn and I are on to something. The little improvements that will take us from 10th to leading the field are now the finest of details, and will be the focus of our work for the next year. It was clear that Finn belongs amongst the best in the world and that we are not far now from besting them all!