4 MORE HOYS TICKETS!! - Three Counties & East of England

After 2 lovely days off in Venice for Julies birthday, we frantically arrived home and prepared for the weekend.....

But firstly Julies Birthday party at Mischas in Newport - balloons, cake, great meal, fabulous company - little bit of dancing and a couple of glasses of champagne to toast the birthday girl, Lisa Jacksons new acquisition and the weekend ahead...

Bright and early Saturday we set off to Three Counties ( Huw and apparently Heather feeling a little worse for wear!!), we started the day well in the first class with Poppy Duncalf riding Claire Walls Glenhuntly Hoity Toity. He won an incredibly strong 128cms Show Pony class and then went onto take the Championship. Quick phone call to Ireland to tell Claire that she had better book her flights to HOYS - she was delighted and so were we with Poppy and Thomas!

Following this, we prized Alexa, Kati and Richard away from their new horsebox ( luxury house on wheels ) to put Alexa on Fofsway Perdita in the HOYS Show Pony First Ridden. Alexa put everything she had learned into practice - used the whole ring, kept Perdita on the bridle and pulled off a great win and a much deserved Reserve Champion.

Back home and a take away for 20 - with nearly everyone in pyjamas. Early bed, early start and off we went to East of England on Sunday morning. It was most definately to be Poppy Duncalfs weekend - after qualifying in the 128cms Show Pony on Saturday she then went onto to do the hatrick of the weekend....

Janette Bird and our own - Rhos Elise bred by David and Jill Godden of the Rhos stud was to claim Poppy's second HOYS qualification of the weekend when she was 2nd in her 138cms Show Pony class. Quite an acheivement! Call to Scotland to tell Janette that she better book her flights to HOYS -  a surprise, as Ella was only to be doing Novices all year, none of us could have guessed she was going to be such a little star.

Poppy had only just come back to the horsebox and got over her first success when she took the reins of Annandale Darcy owned by Stephanie and Jenny Leech. Unfortunately they were not there to see Poppy and Darcy do a foot perfect show and come up to win. However we all heard their cheers on the other end of the phone when we called to give them the good news. Many Thanks to Poppy for securing Darcys HOYS ticket, while Tristan practices his own foot perfect show at home ( he is nearly there!! ) .

With 7 now qualified for HOYS, Countess Choynowski prepared a feast for lunch to celebrate. Thanks to Kati and Richard for their hospitality and to Kirsty, Heather and Lisa J for all their help this weekend and to Jessie, Em and Jessica for the time they spent working in.

We have had a great weekend - brill results and lovely to spend time with everyone. (Thanks for all the birthday cards and presents)

However the weekend belongs to Poppy - her professionalism and attention to detail prevail!

Success is a huge team effort and we are lucky to have a great team!!!!!!!!!