Tag: Barefoot Estates

I do love a camel

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I’m happy to say, April was good. It kicked off with a 9 hour round trip to Hampshire on the hottest weekend of the year so far. Deeply frustrating to be stuck in a car for so long, but 24 hours with Katie made it all worthwhile. On the Sunday she had invited some of my best friends from college days (yes, back in the 1980s, I’m that old!) for lunch – I couldn’t ask for a better day.

Then on to Barefoot Estates Burnham Market International. Not many people know but I have a real ‘thing’ about camels… it started when I rode one around the age of 6, the first time I ever went abroad (which reminds me, at the time I was attending a convent in East Grinstead, St Agnes & St Michael’s, and my biggest concern after arriving on foreign shores was: ‘Mum, what am I going to tell the nuns when I go back to school?’ Perplexed, she asked me to explain. ‘I’ve been above the clouds…. and there is NO heaven.’)

I can’t remember how I got around that one.

It was almost 20 years later when I was next back in the (camel) saddle, in Egypt with the White Rabbit interloper (for those that haven’t read my previous blogs, simply ignore). I even inflicted my ‘passion’ on said interloper by adopting a camel in his name.

Then, another 10 years or so later, with my ex-husband in Petra, Jordan, I spent a wedding anniversary astride a grumpy, swearing, hilarious dromedary. Given my marital status it’s not rocket science to work out which bit of that holiday made me most happy 😉

You will be forgiven for thinking I have gone off on a tangent, but no – we had camel racing, courtesy of the East Anglian Air Ambulance, Musketeer’s official charity this year, at Burnham Market. With Mitsubishi Motors Badminton, Rockingham and Saracen Feeds Houghton looming I did not step forward this time in case I fell off and bent myself, but I did take the opportunity to have a sneaky ‘bonding session’ with Bertie (pictured – isn’t he handsome?), on whom I have been promised the ride in 3 weeks time when I am a jockey at Houghton…. shameless plug: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Hilary-Manners.

It’s love. What more can I say?

Aside from that, Burnham Market was also a great weekend because a) client of almost 15 years, Oliver Townend (have I said, British number 1 for the last 3 years? Probably…) won the headline 3* class for the 10th time since 2007 b) it’s a rare feeling for an equestrian press officer to get your event mentioned in the Daily Mail, Sunday Express… and even the Daily Star (thanks to the camel/Zara Tindall combo – and to Rhiannon Rix for starring, despite wearing a jacket zipped to the neck – that must be a first for the Daily Star) c) we had fantastic spectator numbers and d) I survived the late night chat/eat/drink sessions with Lorna and my top photographer, Trevor Holt.

Post Burnham I was remarkably sociable – totally out of character for me, but it seems my Norfolk friends have sussed how to get me out of my cave. I even found myself having a ‘make-over’ with Fiona Reddick, bizarrely planned while she was checking the fit of George’s saddle during Burnham – I love a woman who multi-tasks!

So now I am packing for the ‘big one’, Badminton… I can’t wait. I leave at sparrow’s fart in the morning. Will Herr Jung do it again? After his performance in Kentucky last weekend no one can doubt he’s on form and I will never bet against the magic Sam. Time will tell… the really good news is that another client, Piggy French, is back on the Radio Badminton team for the second year… sorry Pigs, but I think it’s time we all heard this again:

Piggy’s post-cross country interview with Michael Jung at Badminton 2016 – classic Piggy!

All aboard the runaway train

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PigAs April turns in to May I always feel as though I am on a runaway train, there are nowhere near enough hours in the day and June seems a long way off.

Back to the start of the month and Barefoot Estates Burnham Market was a great success. The sun shone, there were no untoward dramas (although Andrew Nicholson hitting the deck was a heart in mouth moment), and the crowds came – we even had a future king who was spotted rolling down the side of ‘The Mound’ out on the cross country course. For the avoidance of doubt, I refer to the youngest generation here, not the helicopter pilot!

Oliver Townend yet again won the big class. He has a truly remarkable record at Burnham Market, having now won the CIC3* class an astonishing nine times: in 2007 and 2009 on Flint Curtis; 2008 Coup de Coeur; 2010 Ashdale Cruise Master; 2012 Pepper Anne; 2 x 2014 when two sections were held, Black Tie and Armada; 2015 Mr Hiho – with Armada 0.2 of a penalty behind in second place; and this year he posted another 1-2 riding Cooley Master Class and Note Worthy. Mighty impressive in anyone’s book.

Work for Blaston, Houghton and Rockingham is increasing and I head off to Mitsubishi Motors Badminton on Wednesday – with Michael Jung having won two legs of the Rolex Grand Slam, this week is going to be exciting. Both Ros Canter and Kathryn Robinson are taking on the ‘big one’ for the first time, and Manners Media is very chuffed to have a total of seven clients competing (Oliver Townend, Jeanette Brakewell, Giovanni Ugolotti, Harry Dzenis & Bill Levett). Trevor Holt is going to have his work cut out photographing that lot, on top of his other work!

My domestic arrangements have changed a little so I’m also trying to ‘sort’ stuff, get the garden under control and fit in some riding. I seem to have a new skill to add to my CV – mole catcher. The cats have become very adept at catching the critters and bringing them in for a party, but they then lose interest; a large funnel and table mat seems to be the optimum ‘release kit’.

I’ve finally got airborne again, after a six month break – it’s always a relief to discover you can still land successfully (not least for the poor person sitting beside me)! I’ve even been seen at ‘Action Dave’ work out classes – I’m astonished that I pay for the privilege of enduring such torture. Let’s hope it becomes less painful in time.

April Fool

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ImageWith tomorrow being the first of April I am hoping that I’m not the fool to believe that the horrors of the last few months might now be behind me. My wonderful brother lost his long battle with cancer three weeks ago leaving us all, his wife and son especially, heartbroken – I think it’s the first time I have practically had to shove my way out of a funeral at the end of the service, there were so many people packed in wanting to say their goodbyes. A testament to the man he was.

I’m still very much prone to unexpected outbreaks of tears, but work is now so busy that at least I’m distracted. This weekend it’s the Barefoot Estates Burnham Market International Horse Trials, for which I am press officer. Media interest is keener than ever this year thanks to William Fox-Pitt making it his comeback venue – it will be great to see him back out on a horse.

I will also have the opportunity to catch up with lots of web clients. Oliver Townend, Bill Levett, Jeanette Brakewell, Giovanni Ugolotti & Kathryn Robinson, Ros Canter, Emily Baldwin and Georgie Spence are all riding, making it hard to know who to be cheering on most – I can see a sore throat on the horizon. Trevor Holt will have his work cut out taking photos (when I first set up Eventing Worldwide web magazine – yikes, 10 years ago – my regular photographers brief was ‘just get every horse at every fence’… beats me why any of them stuck with me). Trevor & Lorna will be staying the weekend at Manners Media HQ so I must remember to get in some nurofen and vitamin pills!

Writing commissions tick along and work for Equi-Trek Blair International, Houghton International and Rockingham International is also gathering pace. I’ve been to meetings at both Rockingham and Badminton in the last month – Houghton is easy, I only live 5 miles from the Musketeer office so can pop in there most days 🙂

George (the horse) has had his steroid injection and, judging by his exuberance when I got on him yesterday, he is feeling very well. Fingers, legs and eyes crossed that he stays sound. He’s convinced the tents, flags and cross country fences that he can see (he is stabled at Burnham Market Eventing Centre) are all for him and wants to know when he can go and strut his stuff. Heaven knows what he’ll be like when the tannoy starts up…

More B’s: Blair, Blaston & Barefoot

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GeorgeWhy do so many of my work-related events and connections start with a B? Badminton, Burghley, Burnham Market… and now there are more…

It’s been pretty full on for the last few weeks, with some great news on the work front. I did get the job as press officer for Blaston, a lovely country show near Market Harborough which runs on the last Sunday of June. It’s something a bit different for me and I am really looking forward to it.

On a rather bigger scale (I am the master of understatement) I have also been appointed press officer for Blair International Horse Trials. I have huge shoes to fill, taking over from the super-efficient and lovely Bridget at JB Promotions, but fortunately the ‘dream team’, aka Ellie and Nina who I work with at both Badminton and Burghley, have agreed to join me in the Highlands. I appreciate Alec Lochore‘s faith in me, good to know that despite holding the same role at both Burnham Market and Houghton Internationals he isn’t sick of the sight of me!

On the subject of Burnham Market, Sam has signed a fabulous title sponsor, Barefoot Estates, a new boutique estate agency on the north Norfolk coast. Meetings and plans for Burnham Market have been ramping up, and we are really pleased to be hosting the first leg of the Shearwater Insurance Tri-Star Grand Slam. Regular 3* Burnham winner, and Manners Media client, Oliver Townend, has four horses entered as he bids for an early advantage towards that £50,000 top prize.

Web-wise I dropped in to see Brook & Kathy Staples when I was last in Sussex, to discuss a new site for them – they have moved yard so it’s time to get everything back on track. Neil has moved the Blair site to our servers, and we should have a new interior design site on line before too long. And best not forget, huge congratulations to Piggy French and Tom March on their impending addition to Team French (I’m talking 2-legged not 4 here – due in August I think).

I’m loving the longer days and getting out on George, albeit still in walk. I think we may be looking at another steroid injection to try and resolve the problem – he is not impressed when I hack around the main Burnham Market cross country field (off the course obviously!) and don’t let him ‘play’.

My event season starts this weekend when I head off to Isleham for Horse & Hound – I don’t think I have missed an Isleham since around 2002 which is rather scary. And how is it March and I have yet to finish painting my kitchen – which I started last April? It’s not that big!