H&C

Since being selected as reserve for the World Equestrian Games (WEG) everything has been turned upside down! We thought we would be in for a quiet August to crack on with training, do some able-bodied competitions and hold a show for all our liveries. In fact I don't think I had a free weekend, but I had a brilliant time! I had a start and potential squad training at the beginning of August where we had Chris Porterfield judging and training us through test riding. We focused on my freestyle to music as Sacha and I had put a new floorplan together at home and wanted input. Sacha and Angela Weiss (our squad trainer) worked together and came up with a brilliant new plan ready for squad training at the beginning of September. We had Steve Wild give us some media training which was really beneficial. He told me that I talk in fifth gear and need to slow down to third - I'm just too chatty!

Windmill Farm success

Following that I went to an able-bodied competition at Windmill Farm, it was my first competition without Sacha riding him in for me. He was a little tense when he entered the arena as it felt like gail force 100! He relaxed and did a really nice test and we got 68% and won the class.

Then...back off to squad training. It was for the squad going to WEG so it was really nice to spend time with everyone and become a real team. An International Irish judge came over to go through our individual tests with us and give us a few pointers. We worked a lot on my medium trots, making sure I get a reaction and pushing him forward and bringing him back and maintaining the suppleness, therefore we found it helped working on 20m circles.

The Standard calling

I got a call whilst at squad training from Anna our PR lady for the squad. She informed me that the Evening Standard wanted to do an interview with me about two years to go until London 2012. I did the interview over the phone and had a photographer turn up at 9am the following morning. Graham Jepson was brilliant, he wanted a dramatic picture and something a bit different! He was very understanding that JP obviously wasn't used to having big lights being shone at him and massive foil boards so he took it very slowly so we could reassure JP that everything was ok and he wasn't going to be eaten by a silver monster! When we got back inside and looked through the photos we had a really hard job deciding what one to choose, they were all outstanding! The paper came out on 26th August and I had a massive picture centre fold!

Easton practice

After feeling like a model it was back to reality; we travelled up to Norwich last Thursday to Easton College. They were putting on a display of all the WEG riders freestyles and 400 people were due to watch. The idea was for it to resemble WEG, warming up outside and competing inside with an audience. It was an amazing place with outstanding facilities and they couldn't have been more hospitable!

Because of my change of floorplan my music also had to be changed, however it wasn't the final edit and I only got it back a few days before I was due to compete! JPs warm-up was FAB. He went brilliantly so I was very up for my test. I went into the arena and JP was a bit shocked and wondered where all the people had come from. It was his first experience having an audience so close and I didn't know how he would react. He was a stuperstar. He was very tense to begin with but soon relaxed and, although he didn't go as well as he did in the warm up, I was pleased that he chilled and was a good boy. We got 73% and it was fantastic preparation for the National Championships this Friday. Fingers crossed!

"It's been a busy year! Having a new partnership meant that I wanted to go to as many competitions as possible. It's ok when horses are going well at home but it's a different story when you go out - horses react to different atmospheres and no matter how good you are with nerves, riders always react to being away from home. I couldn't have wished for a better start to my year, we were going out and rarely getting under 70%, our partnership grew and grew and it was made clear that I was actually in contention for WEG (the World Equestrian Games). I was selected to ride in Germany. It was an okay trip, the first day I completely over-rode and made a few costly mistakes, although I ended up third to two top German riders.

Poxy

Then just before our National Championships at Hickstead I caught chicken pox! I'm sure that anyone who has had it as an adult can sympathise with me that it is the most horrible feeling, I was so sick, had no energy and was stuck in bed for a week! Despite this, and much to the selectors' amazement I was determined to ride because I didn't want my selection for WEG to be compromised. I obviously didn't ride that well but I did my absolute best. I was third the first day and second on the individual day with 69%, which I was over the moon with considering the circumstances. Hartpury was my last chance. I didn't think my chances for WEG were great to be honest because of me being so ill at Hickstead and I was still lacking a bit of energy and fitness. I ended up third on all three days - it was too close for comfort with only six marks between first and third on the individual day! JP was a superstar, he behaved impeccably.

WEG team announced

On the last day we had a meeting about the team for WEG. Everyone was so nervous, there were no dead certs, it was so open and there were so many combinations that had done well throughout the year. I thought that with JP and I being such a new partnership they would take people who are more established. They announced the team of seven and then it came to reserve... It seemed like such a long wait but they called out my name! I was shocked! It hadn't sunk in even an hour later. I am so so pleased to be part of it, even if I don't get to go I am so proud of JP and our achievement in our first season together. Next year it's the Europeans and London 2012 after that... So who knows...?

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