Well it certainly had been an extremely busy bank holiday filled with everything horsey as usual! On the Saturday we were off to Brand Hall with Candy first to do her first BE novice... EEEEKKKKK ! It might not of looked the best on paper in comparison to her 4 double clears in a row but she really did try that day and I was so proud of her. She was on the lazy side in the dressage, and looking back at the video I blame myself for scoring a 38 when I know she has the ability to get much higher marks after the 29.5 she scored in a BE100 the weekend before. Still I was pleased it was under 40 so onto the show jumping we went! The course was causing problem after problem. Within the space of 10 minutes I had seen two people fall off... I went in fairly positive as I know show jumping is Candy's strong phase. To be fair to her it was horrible weather, the ground was slippery on top but hard underneath, again looking back at the video she was disunited going into the planks and tapped the top one, the other fence she touched was the first part of a two upright double, maybe the fact she just was a bit eager going into it meant she couldn't get her front hoof up high enough. We came out with 8 faults but wasn't to disheartened as it happens and there wasn't many people jumping much better with only 7 clear in the whole section. 

The cross country seemed to worry me the most that day, maybe because I was about to tackle a Novice on a horse I have brought on myself from a 4yo not knowing if she could do it, and it was my first Novice without Puzzle!! The course again was coursing problems especially the trakehner in the woods. It had lots of combinations and seemed to be a very fast moving course with lots of time penalties catching people out. I think Candy was in the top 10 fastest around the track and we were even over by 17 seconds! 

Candy really did prove to me how awesome she really is by jumping every fence spot on, it felt like we had been working towards this ever since I got her as a 4yo and for her to complete this tough Novice really made me realise she can go a lot further then I first thought. I felt like such a proud mum (minus the child obviously!) So a very positive first Novice, with Skipton lined up in 2 weeks. 

Back we went to Brand Hall for a second day in a row of Eventing. This time it was the turn of My Harlequin Lady and it was her first BE 4 year old qualifier which runs over the BE90 course. 

We gave her the fantastic Blue Chip instant calmer before travelling as she can get a bit upset on her own without Candy. We got there very early so had plenty of time to warm up for dressage. With a 4yo its hard to judge exactly how long they need! Well it turned out we had far too much time! After 15 minutes she was going lovely and we were ready to go in, however we still had over half an hours wait so we took her back to the box and got her back out just 5 minutes before to find someone had pushed in front (typical!) so another 5 minutes wait and we finally got to go in. By this time she had totally switched off, it didn't help with the weather-non stop rain in both our faces. (just what we needed, a 4yo doing dressage in one of those tight grass arenas!) Anyway put it this way it wasn't the test I had hoped for scoring 38. We moved onto show jumping and she did such a lovely round just touching one pole which I think was more my fault cutting to the double a little bit tight. I was really pleased though as only one went clear in the section the rest had 8 and 12 faults. 

The cross country looked small (probably because I had just done the huge novice the day before!) so I was confident especially after how well she did at Eland Lodge. Well it was just like riding Puzzle, what a joy she was, straight as anything with nothing phasing her what so ever. She finished 5th which I was extremely pleased with. If there was a ribbon for highest placed amateur rider we would have won it! 

2 days off for Candy then she was off representing Barlow pony club at Arena UK doing the Hickstead Team 1.10/1.15 qualifier. My team consisted of myself, Learna Frost, Katie Patrick and Charlotte Heath Smith. We did the 1m05 to warm up first going through into the second round with nil penalties. Unfortunately in the jump off we knocked a few poles between us and just missed out on the placings coming 7th. Candy did a lovely double clear, which was probably owed to Holly for coming over to warm us up, she really is amazing- she can spot the smallest problem and fix it in seconds. With Holly's help it set us up well for the Hickstead round. 

The Hickstead qualifier was causing a fair few issues with other pony club teams, but we all went in positive, Candy was up first and she just knocked one fence- the first part of a double. Katie was next and she again just touched a pole, Learna was third to go and she jumped a super clear round which she was so pleased about.  Charlotte was last to go with a lot of pressure on her shoulders as it stood that we we would only take through 4 faults if she was to jump clear. Unfortunately it didn't quite go our way and she rubbed 2 poles so we went through on 8 faults which wasn't good enough to qualify so we didn't have to jump off. We all had a super day and loved supporting each other, it was great fun. We look to have a similar team for the Area Eventing in July fingers crossed we get selected.

Wednesday I was teaching for the Barlow at an all day rally held at Unthank, it was great fun as they were all dressed up with the jubilee spirit in mind. Its always difficult to teach a group with different abilities, I had half the group very eager to jump everything and the other half not so much. Considering their frisky ponies they all were fantastic and we only had two minor falls, both of which were slow motion ones. Phew! 

Back to reality now-work! 

This year has just been simply incredible for me and we are only half way through. I remember the day when I got my first sponsor Global Herbs and it was such an amazing feeling and achievement for them to even acknowledge me, never mind want me to join their program.

I must say I am slightly sad that I will no longer be on their reward scheme after signing my new contract with Blue Chip, but I will always speak very highly of their products and who knows what the future may bring, I just know I have made a fabulous friend in a great company and I have really enjoyed representing & promoting them in every way I could. 

Its not often that young riders get approached by companies asking them to be part of their team, but when Little Chalk Horse contacted me I was absolutely delighted for them to sponsor me offering a personally designed unique logo for my clothing as well a full wardrobe of their own LCH designs which I have modelled for them on their website www.littlechalkhorse.co.uk.

Since joining the LCH team, not only have a gained lovely clothing, but I have made the most fantastic generous friends in Sarah & Simon the creator's & owners of LCH. 
They have visited me at competitions, regularly keeping up to date with my progress and showing such an interest in both myself and the horses. In fact there hasn't really been a day pass by that we haven't spoken or joked about something. To have someone that you never knew, believe that you can do it makes all the difference. They really have showed me what a true friend & supporter is like to have and I feel very lucky to have found them. 

Recently we decided to push the Little Chalk Horse Facebook page which a few days ago only had 6 likes. I put forward an idea of finding another member for team LCH that could also help promote this great company into the equestrian world. So we came up with a prize of £150 worth of clothing, with the winners own logo design made especially for them and the chance to be LCH next sponsored rider. A week later the facebook page stands at a whopping 3,736 likes with 141 entries into the competition. We did not anticipate this must interest, its has been so overwhelming for LCH but a good overwhelming feeling! You can vote for your favourite entrant by clicking this link https://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-Chalk-Horse/116601751749560?sk=app_254553244581393. The top 20 with the most votes will go through to the LCH judge where one lucky person will win this fantastic prize.