Tag: Burnham Market International

Enough now – or I WILL emigrate

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It’s official, I have definitely turned in to a grumpy old bag. The snow was bad enough, but the incessant rain and wind through March really has had me reaching for my old school atlas, wondering where I should move to.

All in all it has been a pretty unsatisfactory few weeks. George was kept in 24/7 as the fields were prepared for Burnham Market International, so became ever more explosive with each ride. The horse that used to be happy to have a helicopter land in his field suddenly decided that on no account could he pass either a digger or even a parked land rover without making a song and dance – or should that be snort and dance. The sooner he can get back out in the field the better.

Most of the month involved being stuck in front of my computer writing article after article for my forthcoming events. I was lured out of my lair to try out a new restaurant in Burnham Market but I won’t name it because we won’t be going there again. The highlight, however, was another tick on my bucket list – a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon to see some Shakespeare.

I drove over earlier in the day, so as to have time to visit both Shakespeare’s birthplace and his grave. What a fabulous town, I will be going back for sure. Having my own, 1-1 Macbeth rendition from a very talented (and admittedly very easy on the eye) actor was an experience I will never forget, as was walking round the house where my favourite author was born and spent his early years. Incredible.

I’d found a fantastic place to stay, 5 minutes walk from pretty much everything – including the theatre where I met up with Catherine to see Macbeth, starring Christopher Eccleston and Niamh Cusack. In all honesty, she was better than him – his acting was good, but delivery less so (though maybe my mind was still on my afternoon’s encounter!). For me, however, Michael Hodgson stole the show as the porter. All in all it was a thoroughly enjoyable 36 hours.

The month wrapped up with Burnham Market International – fortunately my newly painted land rover was returned to me just in time. Night one I met Charlotte for supper – she supposedly had two horses running with Harry Meade, and then there was the annual Trevor & Lorna invasion. We got through the first two days OK, but the heavens opened again on the Friday night, and for the first time ever (this event has run since 1998) we had to abandon on Saturday morning, before the international classes got to jump. The team had worked through the night, moving fences and preparing take offs and landings but to no avail. Gutting.

Peering down the slippery slope

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February has been a funny old month, and not really one I want to repeat – though looking back, my February 2017 blog is entitled February Blues so I think perhaps this is normal.

It started with a trip to Sussex where I spent the night before Alan‘s funeral with friends. That was obviously a delight; sadly the following day wasn’t – for all sorts of reasons. Too many people I know have been having a tough time lately, I wish I had a crystal ball to see what lies ahead.

So, leaving all that behind, work has been super-busy. I’m almost tempted to count up the number of words I have written in the last 4 weeks – but might faint with exhaustion if I did. If only some of them were on my barely started novel, but that is again on the back burner.

I have, however, finally caught up with things like painting the stairs, clearing the garage (the car is now under cover for the first time since I inherited it) and steam cleaning the kitchen floor tiles – that’s 4 hours of my life I won’t get back. On the basis that I have no plans to do it again any time soon I have invested in a huge rug which now covers most of the tiles.

I’ve even done a fair bit of walking, including a lovely stomp along Thornham beach with Henry (Musketeer top commentator/ controller) and the very cute Stiltyman before a quick dip into The Lifeboat for ‘refreshments’, and a marathon 10k walk along the coastal path from Wells to Morston with Andrew (owner of Shanty), culminating in a delicious lunch at The Anchor.

Norfolk very much had her best clothes on for both occasions – hard to believe as I look out at several feet of snow – the lane is buried by drifts deeper than I am tall. I am already starting to go stir crazy and think I will be snow bound several days yet. Shame I failed to get provisions in!

Before the arrival of ‘The Beast’ there were some fun dinners, Lulu’s birthday lunch, and the Musketeer Events volunteers party. With just 4 weeks until Burnham Market International I feel very much on the slippery slope (no ski-ing pun intended…). Is it too soon to say ‘roll on October?’

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!