End of the season

Well it's been a quiet month after what was a really exciting 2010 season so I've finally got time to update the blog.

October saw me swap roles as I went to the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky as groom for individual rider Camilla Speirs and Team Ireland. What an amazing experience, it was a privilege to see first hand world class horses in every discipline imaginable, Great Britain win their gold medal and my friend Piggy French complete her first world championship. Another highlight was seeing the great Totillas in action to win yet another gold medal in pure dressage - what a horse. The whole experience was a real inspiration to me to raise my game!

All our horses are still on their well earned rest period, in preparation for a successful 2011 campaign in the Spring. In the meantime I'm doing a lot of teaching, with weekend training events now happening regularly at Newstead. We've had three weekend sessions of clear round showjumping which is proving to be a real hit. Three rounds for £15 with advice from me included too. Do get in touch if you'd like more information about training and teaching opportunities at the yard - I'm about to start a loyalty card scheme for those who come regularly.

I've been asked to act as trainer for both Burghley Pony Club eventing and show jumping teams, so next year's teaching and campaign for success in the summer is launching with dates now scheduled for training in January.

I'll finish by saying a huge well done to my mare, Cody. I bought her in July and she went straight to Piggy French to produce with the aim of selling her after the season. They started at novice level and in just a few months amassed 32 intermediate points, finishing 1st in four of the five competitions they entered. Cody is a really talented prospect for the future.

We successfully completed our first Burghley!

It is only now that I feel I'm coming back down to earth after our Burghley debut. Dennis is chilling in the field after his mega performance, I couldn't have hoped for anything more from him, he gave the whole three phases his all.

We were so pleased to complete the full competition, especially as just 50 per cent of the field managed this. It was also great being one of just a few local riders competing. I was very chuffed with the support out there for us, thank you to everyone for their good wishes.

We set up camp at Burghley on Tuesday and Dennis immediately took to his new temporary stable. Dressage day was nerve-wracking, he was quite a handful in the warm up and traditionally this is the phase we find most difficult. But our training with Ian Woodhead and all the rehab schooling I've put in paid off - we did a super test putting us in 9th place after the first day and then 23rd on Friday.

Over the week I walked the cross country course five times and felt as prepared as I could be when we got to the starting line. That countdown to the start seemed to take forever! The course was big but not unkind and Dennis didn't seem bothered by it at all, taking everything in his stride including the noise and thousands of spectators. With it being our first four star since Luhmuhlen, I wanted to take things steady and we picked up some time faults taking three long routes. But to finish safely with no jumping penalties was a dream come true. I was disappointed with our show jumping round, Dennis put in a stop at one of the fences which isn't like him so that was definitely my fault! We had a few poles down too, something to work on for next time.

It was an awesome experience and thank you to my fantastic team who made everything run so smoothly - Kelly Aldous at Burghley and then Mel helped out too and kept everything running smoothly back at the yard. So now to start preparing for Badminton..!

A television appearance!

Very excited today as I've been contacted by the Burghley Horse Trials press office about appearing on BBC Look North. The tv crew are coming to the yard tomorrow to see me and Dennis. I'll let you know when/if we make it to the news!

Countdown to Burghley

Burghley is coming around so fast now, just two weeks to go. Dennis is going brilliantly and we have been doing alot of dressage training with my trainer Ian Woodhead and work to get really fit. That's both of us, I have taken up running which I do around Burghley Park. This means I've been able to take a peek at the jumps as they are being erected. They are huge!

We've competed a few times in the last month, with the events chosen carefully as part of our Burghley preparations. We had a nice easy run in the open intermediate at Great Witchingham on 17 July as a sweetener after the big tracks at Samur and Bramham. Last week we did the 3* at Hartpury, finishing with a good dressage score and a clear round in the show jumping. We retired on the cross country about half way round the course as I just wanted to jump a few fences and get Dennis' feet wet before the big day! It was me that needed the run... not Dennis, and I just want to preserve everything for Burghley now. He was delighted with himself, and wondered why on earth he had been stopped before he started feeling tired!

Stanley continues to go beautifully and narrowly missed qualifying for the Burghley Young Event Horse final by just a few places at most of the competitions we entered. He is now having a well-deserved break and will holiday until December. He is such a gent for a baby, I'm already looking forward to next year with him. I've also bought a new horse, a novice mare. She has gone straight to Piggy French to compete and bring on. So far Cody has only been out twice with Piggy, but won both times in the novice classes at Carlton and Sapey. She's a gem. We've sold Frog (Pinto de Toulgoat) who Piggy also rode for me. We hope he is settled and enjoying life in Somerset with his new owner.

I mustn't sign off without saying Horse and Hound did publish the story on Dennis' road to recovery over the past year - the three-page feature appeared in the Vet Clinic section of the 22 July edition and included interviews with me, my vet Neil Ashton from Oakham and Sam Rodwell our onsite physio. Dennis' press cuttings file is growing by the day! I also want to say a big thank you to my sponsors Sederholm Selected for their continuing support, and the recent boxes of goodies they have sent. We are going to look very smart at Burghley with the new rugs and goodies for Dennis and me.

Kate

Stanley

It's been a quieter few weeks at the yard following our brilliant result at Bramham, and I've been enjoying my 4 year old Stanley while Dennis has a well-deserved break.

We've been competing in the Burghley Young Event Horse classes, and Stanley's just getting better and better with results ranging from 9th at Houghton, 6th at Milton Keynes and then 3rd at Barbury Castle. He was also pulled in 2nd after the gallop phase at both Milton Keynes and Barbury Castle, which just shows he’s made for the job! We have three more chances at qualifying and making it to the final at Burghley in September, I'm keeping my fingers crossed – it’s a tough competition to qualify for. The main thing is Stanley seems to be enjoying himself, and it’s great education for his future career.

Dennis is back in work now and we are gearing up for Burghley. It feels great even to qualify again after all the problems he's had, so we'll see how the preparation goes. Horse and Hound have been in touch and want to do a feature on the recovery and treatment process over the last year, hopefully something will publish in the next few weeks. They've interviewed me, the vets at Oakham and our on-site physiotherapist Sam, who have all played major roles.

I've got some super new horses in for schooling and it is good to be able to hand them back to their owners reformed characters!

Kate

15th at Bramham

I said I’d let you know when the Your Horse feature on Dennis appeared and it’s in this month’s (June) edition. A five-page special in the magazine’s Real life section. We’re really pleased with it, the writer captures our story well and Dennis’ journey back to recovery after the devastating fall at Luhmuhlen last year. It was a difficult winter, but worth every minute of time Sam and I spent on helping him to get better.

And what a recovery. We have had a fantastic summer so far, culminating in being placed 15th at Bramham CCI 3* last week. That made my long trip to Saumur (France) seem like a distant memory where an error on course led to elimination! Dennis was awesome - definitely back to his old self. Bramham means we’ve regained 4* qualification, we’ll see how it goes but maybe Burghley isn’t just a dream this year after all…

The youngsters are both going well and were really good boys in the Burghley Young Event Horse class at Houghton. Stanley came ninth and Bert was just outside the top 10, I am really pleased with them.

We are looking forward to Camilla returning soon from a five week break back home in Ireland and my teaching is getting busy with Pony Club summer season approaching. We also have two new superb staff, Kelly Aldous and Mel Houlden. Which is about all our news for now.

Kate

Brilliant result for Camilla

What an amazing week it’s been. I felt very privileged to accompany Camilla and Jiff to their first Badminton, we are enjoying every minute of having team Speirs on the yard. And then for the pair of them to do so well, finishing 14th at their first four star event. It was amazing! Congratulations to them both, it was very emotional watching Camilla pick up the HSBC young rider award for best placed under 25 year old.

While Jiff is having a well-earned rest in the field we have been playing catch-up on the yard, with me preparing for a trip to the CCI*** at Saumur in France with Dennis. He is soon to be the focus of a feature in Your Horse magazine, about his therapy and competition come-back this summer. We will let you know when it publishes.

Kate

April post

Zep at Burnham Market

It has been a busy April for all of us at Newstead Farm Stables, and next week it's Badminton!

The horses have been going really well, with a number of notable achievements. Dennis and I completed our first advanced and three star runs of the season, at Weston Park and Belton. Dennis really enjoyed himself and it is a great feeling to have him back on form less than a year since his fall at Luhmuhlen last year. Fingers crossed the season continues like this for us.

Zep, who I am riding for owner Gaynor Green, is going well and we came first at our second outing which was the pre-novice at Burnham Market. He did a stunning dressage.

Camilla's Badminton preparations were off to a great start with her and Jiff coming fourth at the CIC*** at Burnham Market. Horse and Hound included a brilliant pic of the the two of them cross country earlier in the month.

We were all sad to see Ciaran Glynn return to Ireland last week after spending the month with us. He packed in some great results, including finishing eighth at Belton in the three star on Killossery Kruisita.

The next time you hear from me will probably be post Badminton. We're all wishing Camilla the very best of luck for her first run there.

Kate

First post on the new website and Dennis is competing again!

Dennis and Kate at Oasby in March. Good start to the season with a double clear in our first competition since the horse fall at Luhmuhlen


Camilla Speirs and Portersize Just a Jiff

My first entry into our blog since the website went live earlier this month and I have good news to share. My advanced horse, Dennis, has jumped double clear at his first two events this season! This is after breaking his back at Luhmuhlen last summer, and a diagnosis from vets that he may never event again. It has been a long rehabilitation process with Sam our physio playing a central role, but he was brilliant around the Novice course at Oasby and then in the Intermediate at Lincolnshire. Fingers crossed this performance continues, and he will cope with being back at Advanced level at Weston Park in April.

We welcomed two new faces to Newstead Farm Stables in March too. Camilla Speirs, Ireland's top U25 event rider, is stabling her horses with us and helping on the yard for the 2010 season. Ciaran Glynn from Killossary Stud near Dublin has also joined us for the month. Camilla was placed 4th in the Under 25 Intermediate section at Lincoln, which puts her on a good footing for her Badminton preparation! Ciaran has also got off to a great start with a couple of placings with his young horses Killossary Harvey, and Don't Tell Punch in their first Intermediate runs at Great Witchingham. We will keep you updated on our progress.

Final news, Sam is offering half price physio sessions for April. These are for human clientele, and for the initial session. Contact her for more information on 07879 645025.

Kate