"Another successful and busy week, hence I am writing this on the way up to Bramham. I seem to spend majority of my time doing fitness work for both myself and the horses as the three days seem to be getting closer.

After Brigstock, I decided that some of the horses needed to go show jumping, so on Thursday I took my team up to Towerlands. This is now quite a trek for me but it has a good 1.30m class which makes it worth the trip. To make it worthwhile I took six horses. We took Bomber again for the clear round, which he did beautifully. I jumped Tweedy in the 1.05m and Newcomers, he jumped very well as did Harry in the Newcomers and 1.15m. I use these days as schooling rounds to make them more adjustable and careful, nearly all the horses jumped better in their second classes hence, it showed they needed the practice. Imp won the Newcomers with a lovely double clear. Amber and Kenny both jumped beautiful rounds in the Foxhunter and came third and fourth respectively. Amber really excelled herself in the 1.30m by jumping a double clear and finishing third. A very worth while day out.

On Saturday we had a dressage competition at Bedgebury in aid of the Emile Faurie foundation. It was very kindly judged by Marie-Ann Horn and the horses were marked on way of going as opposed to movements, meaning l could ride any test. So I decided to practise Jasper and Kenny's test for Lumuhlen and Bramham. Bambi did her test for the weekend and Amber her test from last weekend. Becky rode Bomber in the Prelim section of which he won. He really has a very correct way of going and a good rhythm. It was very beneficial for the horses and me even though the rain was relentless in the afternoon! I think this is a really worthwhile charity and hope we raised lots of money for them as it was very well supported.

On Sunday, I went to Borde Hill for the first time in about six years. I was seriously impressed with the transformation of the event. The ground was very good and there was a great grass cover and it was evident a lot of time had been spent on the course making it more flowing than in recent years. Imp was a superstar; he performed a great test and very relaxed double clear to come first in the BE100 open. Brian did a good test and a lovely clear round, but I decided not to run him cross country.

On Monday Tweedy did his usual 28 dressage and double clear to finish second in his BE 100 section. After walking the xc course the day before I decided the novice was so good Bertie would be ready for it. He performed a very mature test to get 31 (I still have no idea how the judge could give him such a bad mark last week!). He was green and still unbalanced in the show jumping; this was highlighted by being on a slight hill so he just rubbed two fences, but went superbly xc to finish fourth. Bambi was a little distracted in her dressage by the xc which ran fairly close to her arena but jumped her usual flawless double clear to finish fifth, she really is a seriously talented jumping mare.

Even though it was a local event we didn't get back until 7pm, but the girls did a brilliant job of cleaning and packing for Bramham. I have been looking forward to this for months and really hope it is going to be as good as I have wished for."