H&C

15
Sep
2009

1 Comments

Ahoy from Canada!

Shane with Lorna and Flash

This is the first blog that I have been asked to do – to be honest the whole notion of a blog is a little alien to me. Computers didn’t really enter into my life until I got married, although I can now use one to book flights to go home for hunting with the Scarteens (Black & Tans) in Limerick during the winter.

I have been told that a blog is a bit like having a chat with a friend, so here goes. I am at the Spruce Meadows Master show in Calgary, Canada at the moment. It is the final day. It has been a good trip despite no big wins. Carmena Z and Beowulf flew out here from Frankfurt last week with our head groom Catherine Woods. They travelled well and I joined them on Monday evening. Both are relatively inexperienced at this level, so it has been an invaluable show in that it has given them crucial experience on the world stage. Carmena Z (stable name Leo - Carmel & Dermot Ryan’s wonderful grey stallion, winner of the Old Lodge Queen’s Cup at Hickstead in 2008) was 7th in the Jump Off class on the first day – a great result to have on his record. Beowulf (Wolf, another grey stallion, owned by Michael Quirke from Tipperary) jumps in a speed class this morning. This is the first show that I have really asked him any questions. He has been with us for the summer, and I have taken it very slowly with him, to try and build a friendship with him. It seems to have paid off as he has been brilliant all week.

The team at home have been hard at work too. Lucy, David and Cass took 14 horses to Golden Cross show near Hailsham, East Sussex. The good news is that the open horses won a few quid. It is always encouraging to hear that we are making a profit, albeit only £36! David was particularly pleased with the six-year-old mare Andina Z by Andiamo, belonging to Keith Prescott & Regina Hamil – she won the Foxhunter class with a lovely double clear. We have another six-year-old mare by Andiamo in the yard, Ardina, she is looking very promising too.

Today the lads have travelled up to Towerlands with a different team of horses. Two of our owners, Fidelma Kehoe & Ayumi Kotani have travelled over to watch and I’ve just heard that they all performed well. I am now in a very fortunate position that when I am away on international duty I have a back up team at home that can produce and compete the horses to such a high level.

Leo and Wolf arrive back at Frankfurt on Tuesday. They will go to Cameron Hanley’s yard (fellow team member in Calgary) for a rest before the logistics team (Julia and Edward Bunn) fly out to bring the lorry home with Dermot Lennon’s horses. In fact, Leo and Wolf will be resting in Holland for the week before heading off to Athens for the Nations Cup at the end of the week.

I fly home this evening. I can’t wait to see Chloe and the girls - Darcy is only 8 weeks so I bet I’ll notice a big change in her after being away for a week!