Tag: Ros Canter

What was all the fuss about?

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zip… I say, lying through my teeth.

My trip up to Blair involved a diversion to stay with some great friends in the Borders. I don’t get to see them often, and George – one of their sons/my godson – becomes ever more gorgeous as the years go by. If I keep the Blair job, I have an excuse to visit them every year 🙂

Blair was great. The sun shone (most of the time) which after last year’s European Championships is definitely news-worthy, the internet worked almost seamlessly (ditto) and I found myself zip-wiring from the top of the Blair Castle tower in aid of Barnardo’s. Ellie Crosbie joined me in the Media Tent and Trevor & Lorna were there, taking photos of Manners Media clients Oliver Townend & Bill Levett – with the dream-team what could go wrong! Oliver was on fire – he had 7 rides, all finishing in the top 6 of their classes and Cillnabradden Evo winning the Event Rider Masters.

From Blair I back tracked down to Pitlochry before diverting east for another trip to the incredible Fealar estate. My charming host had dropped a Land Rover at the bottom of the 8 mile obstacle course, flatteringly referred to as the drive, so I could abandon the Jazz and enjoy a much speedier trip to the house than 12 months ago, arriving in time for dinner.

Sadly, with Burghley looming, I could only stay for 36 hours, but I came away feeling restored – a long, long walk, another encounter with a golden eagle, totally delicious food, slightly too much alcohol and great company. The 10 hour drive home was less enjoyable!

As last year, I stayed with the wonderful ‘Growler’ for Burghley. She received some bombshell news on the day of my arrival, so I was more pleased than ever to be there to keep her spirits up. My lasting memory is of setting mouse traps (a long story), giggling uncontrollably – the mouse didn’t stand a chance.

shantyBurghley passed in something of a blur. I can’t complain, Ellie fitted in a job in Germany in the three days between Blair and Burghley – it was all I could do not to dribble by the Sunday. Oliver, Bill, Ros Canter and Harry Dzenis were all in action, Oliver finishing as best Brit. I also met up with new client Ruth Edge to discuss her website, now she has hung up her eventing boots to focus on dressage.

I genuinely slept for a week once I was home again. It’s such bliss to actually have time to ride George most days, fly, indulge in a few massages (I have found a wonderful woman who comes to the house – heaven!), go for long beach walks and catch up with friends. Admittedly one such walk did end up with 2 fire engines, a boat and over 20 strapping men joining in the fun – poor Shanty, the Highland cow, had got herself stuck in a dyke and the only option was to call the cavalry.

I have one more job for Horse & Hound next week and that is me done for 2016. Time to finish the garden, endure a month or so of builders, and get my paintbrush out again…

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…