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Q1 Results, lost wheels and dodgy weather ... and all in the name of fun !

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:46:02 +0100

We began the year on Jan 2nd with our yearly little mini one day event at home. We had a very good day, weather was really good and loads of competitors of all ages, couple of juniors, O A P (me) and the rest.

On Sat 25th Feb was the annual Quiz Night. This year the questions were set by the White family as they were last year's winners. There was a very good turnout - at least 30 + people. There were 5 or 6 different categories and a Joker to be played. One whole table was made up from our R D A section and they were very good.

The winning table had Gemma, Kazzy, Lizzie, Simon and Linda etc - so they have the pleasure of making up the questions next year.

We Lost

We have been running BDS training days since October at Blue Barn Equestrian Centre, and our February one had a slightly different twist, although it was a beautiful sunny day, towards the end of the afternoon it all went a bit pear shaped. We had a competitor in the middle of her session and the wheel of her carriage fell off, for Sara that makes a total of 3 as she has been teaching Linda Hill and she has had 2 of her wheels come off. At different times.

Then to top it all, when it was time to go, 2 peoples vehicles wouldn't start, poor Glenda and Donna.

We would like to send Congratulations to all those who have qualified for the Indoor Championships at Keysoe, especially our Bradbourne Members seniors and juniors. The dates are 30th, 31st March and 1st April at the Keysoe College in Beds and if anyone would like to go and support our guys they would be very welcome.

The last of the Indoor events for the South East area was at a new venue - Crockstead Equestrian Centre in Halland. It is a very nice place and all our club members did brilliantly, it was only spoilt by the weather. It absolutely poured with rain all day !!!

We're back ! What an adventure ... And what a result !!!

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 20:12:59 +0100

Dear All,

Well , we are home safe and sound. What a trip, it was outstanding. The ponies did us all proud, the journey was early starts and long 12 hour travelling
days.

The ponies coped with this very well, we chopped up some apples and dropped them into the water and they all seemed very happy with that.

The stables we stayed at on the stopover were absolutely massive, I could have put the whole team in one box, it was really nice for the ponies to have a roll and a walk round.

It rained on Saturday, Sunday and Monday then got hotter and hotter. At the show the stables were in big tents where there was lots of ventilation and they could see over the
doors so that was a big bonus.

The vet check was a bit up and down but thankfully in the end all was ok.

The Dressage also went really well for us, the ponies looked really good, the Howe crew turned the team out absolutely superbly as they did throughout the whole event.

I was very pleased with the score, there are so many things that could go wrong in dressage, you may get one pony jogging, or leaning out, biting, kicking or spooking but ours just kept it together and did real good.

Cross Country On Section A the times were all good, a few hills and very stony but still all was well.

Section B, Walk sometimes we have been a few seconds to slow, but all the hard work and training at home paid off and we made the walk Ha ha !

Section E. 8 Hazards, number 1 was a bit tricky and I did an extra circle, Jack got his hind leg over the trace but luckily he got it back over and we carried on, the ponies just got better and better round the course with Tricia and Carl working very hard on the back of the carriage keeping us going in the right direction and also keeping the carriage upright.

There was a water hazard, so on went the armbands, in we went full pelt, what great fun. We carried on and finished all in one piece, then the vet check on the ponies with water and ice waiting at the end of the course because it was Sooo hot. Then we gave them a big hose down, ice on legs and feet, lavender washes all round. The ponies then came out 2 hours later a little bit tired but looking really good.

More vet checks on Sunday, then the dreaded Cones. Phillip, Sarah Mac, Les, Tricia all washing socks, plaiting again, Carl cleaning the carriage and Sara doing harness.

20 cones, thats lots with 3 slaloms, the team took on the challenge so well until I got to number 19 and down it went, it was my fault i just turned to early anxious to get through the last cone and through the finish. So exciting I could have just kept cantering around the arena forever. All the English spectators shouting and whistling, It was FANTASTIC, the little section 'A's had done it.

Our goals were :

To back up Wilf if he went wrong
To finish in one piece
Not to come last
To enjoy it
To get out there and back all in one piece
Our score to count for the team placing
and we managed to do all of these
Great Britain came 4th, I came 8th individual in the world, Best placed of the British team and they gave me the title ' Man of the Match '

What an honour we loved it so much, representing Great Britain was outstanding BUT I could not have done this without all the outstanding support that so many people have given me and the Gingers.

I am really, really very grateful to you all.

LOADS AND LOADS OF LOVE

THE HOWE TEAM AND THE 5 LITTLE GINGERS.

P.S The gingers are not taking any phone calls, text - e mails, they have gone on their holidays for a very well deserved rest.

The journey down ...

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:29:39 +0100

Left nice and early on Friday to get to Dover. It was a beautiful sunny eve and the white cliffs looked very inviting and we were all in great spirits. This was soon dashed when Mr Sea France man said we didn’t have our export licence and we couldn’t travel! The atmosphere in the camp soon changed and everyone realised it was rather serious- eventually a very nice man from DEFRA turned up from Ramsgate and issued us with an emergency one. We missed the first ferry at 6.40 and ended up getting the 8.00pm. Export licence is still somewhere in the computer system. Eventually we got on the boat and the ponies were excellent and didn’t bat an eye lid at all so we left them eating hay and went and had some dinner!!!

We got off the boat driving on the right hand side and headed towards our overnight stabling. As we headed down the motorway there were road works and both our junctions we needed were closed off so we had to do another U turn a few junctions along. Eventually we found our stop over in Calais but everyone else was already tucked up in bed so we unloaded in the dark and put the ponies in the extra large stables that we could have lunged them in! Ponies settled in fine and we got into bed all 4 of us in the front of the lorry and Carl in the back and Les and Pete in their lorry.

The following morning we were all up a 5.30am. Sara fed whilst the rest of us packed all the living areas up. We loaded the ponies on the lorry and headed off in the dark heading South in France for Strasbourg. Sara at the wheel for the next 4 hours. The roads were excellent and there was hardly any traffic. We popped the music into the CD player and all started singing away ready for the next 10 hour leg of the journey! We went through Reims and headed towards Metz. Ponies munching happily in the back, Phil and Sarah snoozing in the back. After their 4 hours, Sara and Pete had done their stint of driving so the 2^nd in command took over Trish and Les. Nervously, Pete and Sara got into the passenger seats and let us take over. We got into the drive and did the next 3 hours which gave the others a chance for a sleep. The roads were amazingly quiet and we had a fantastic drive through southern France, before finally swapping over outside Strasbourg. Each time we stopped we offered the ponies a drink and most of them had one. We had this special stuff called thirst quencher which you put into the water and it makes them want to drink- it was excellent stuff.

The final leg of the journey took us into Baden-Baden race course. Trish was navigating and as we neared the final stop over tensions got a little high as we drove up a one way street and missed the turning. We finally found our stop over and unloaded the ponies into these massive stables but with doors that they could not look over. There was lots of whinnying as they could not see each other.

As the last of our fellow competitors arrived, James Broom ( 2 blow outs later!) as he put his ramp down out ran a little kitten that had snuck in and had come all the way from Calais!! After much discussion it was decided that we would ring the stables in Calais and they said they wanted the cat couriered back to them. We all had a shower with a few offers from the boys for a communal one! and had some tea (lasagne and salad)and settled down for bed early at about 9.00pm ready for the next days journey.

Early up on Sunday am at 5.30pm and it was pouring down with and blowing a gale. We did the tacho for the 2 drivers and Sara set off following Julie Camm- who was driving like a women on a mission. We stopped at the first garage only to find that they wouldn’t take HGV’s so after some reversing and causing chaos on the French roads set off on the autobahn heading towards Munich. You could barely see the lanes on the road! We had some breakfast on route and then stopped after 4 hours for Trish and Les to take over again. Sara had a kip in the back and we drove all around Munich up and down through the mountains as it was blowing a gale. George (the lorry) was getting a bit hot again so we had to have the blower on in the front. It was a really miserable day and rained the whole way. Sara took over for the last 2 hours of the journey. The final stop over was at the Glock Performance Centre and if you google it and have a look it was an amazing place. Really beautiful and the stables were stunning with solariums and wash down areas. We put the ponies out in a paddock and they went mad bucking and kicking and rolling in the mud. We then gave them a bath later and made the most of the facilities. We had shepherd’s pie for tea and lots of wine as the rain poured down and thunder and lightening struck.

Ponies slept in fly rugs as it was so warm and were protected by security guards all night.

It was a race in the morning who could leave first and Anna and Julie left at 7am. We left about 7.30 and headed into the Karawanken Tunnel which was 6 miles long through the mountains. It was absolutely blowing a gale and lashing down with rain and thunder and lightening. We carried on through the mountains headed into Slovenia and then into Italy. Eventually we arrived at show ground about 11.30ish and were waved in by a very wet Slovenian guy. The ponies were unloaded and had their temps taken and were checked by the official vet. It was absolutely pouring down and luckily the showground is hard standing! They had travelled very well and looked good. They are in stable block 6 with stallions opposite and the girls are now in season. Parking on the campsite was the size of a postage stamp and there were rather heated tempers as everyone tried to get their spot. We are wedged in and have a hornets nest in the tree next door!! All Brits are now parked with bunting flying and camps set up and tea urns on the go. We have put up all the GB flags on the lorries and red, white and blue tape on the carriages! We then checked out the hotels and had some beers with James Broome and his dad and saw the Lipica stallions been herded through the camp site. We then had a lovely chicken dinner cooked by Lesley and lots of wine. Ponies were taken for a good walk and had some grass. We have all now settled in and got the base camp sorted out.

Tues am Sara has been for a drive with 2 pairs and ponies are definitely feeling very fresh. They are going to have a good drive this afternoon in the main arena with all the spooky flags.

The big day HAS arrived ! WE ARE OFF !

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 12:04:54 +0100

Well finally, the big day has arrived.

The horse box has been washed and cleaned, everyone has packed and the ponies sorted. Bless them, they think they are going to a party after all the pampering they have had in the last few days ! It's just that the party might take a little longer to get there than they anticipate .... I'm sure we'll be hearing plenty whinnying from the Gingers asking "are we nearly there yet?".

We only have 3 hours to go before we leave Bradbourne to catch a 6.40pm ferry to Calais. We will be stopping overnight in Calais before the long journey to Slovenia. Fingers crossed the croissants are decent and the coffee strong to keep us going.

We will of course keep you posted on how things go. Thank you once again for all your support over recent weeks. It really has been a team effort, even to get to this stage.

Lets hope we can bring back a medal !

We're just about done - T minus zero days and counting !

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:50:04 +0100

Well its time and all the packing has started ready for the off on Friday and guess what as Big as my Lorry is were not sure we are going to get it all in !!

All the ponies are looking so good, they were clipped on Monday and had a bath yesterday , Sara and Trisha were also clipped yesterday. Thursday was also Vet's inspection day to make sure everything was fine and we were all fit to travel (obviously Sara and Trish didn't need an inspection!).

Arm bands packed for all the ponies and Sara has packed her new sports bra - its only from Rigby and Peller, woohoo !

Even Pete Edmed has had his hair cut too ?

Loads more packing and last minute cleaning before the big off. Very excited !

16 days and counting ..... ! From Amble

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:35:51 +0100

Well folks, we're all quaking in our soon to be re-shod shoes. We only have 16 days before we head for Slovenia.... can you believe it ?

All eyes will be on us, so we have plenty to do in two weeks. We are off to Windsor Park on Sunday 4th to keep ourselves trim and to iron out any last minute issues. We will be so focused on listening to Sara that we might even forget to doff our brow bands at the Queen, should she be there.

I was a very brave pony and had my flu jab yesterday. The vet said I was very well behaved most of the time :)

We will all be re-shod on Monday. There is no point being groomed to within an inch of our lives, tack gleaming, carriage spotless, the team wearing immaculate clothing and then have shoes that are all raggedy and hanging off ! We may be small and cocky but we certainly want to look and feel the part.

After our new shoes are fitted we will be off on Mon late afternoon until Wednesday to do some more last minute training especially as thanks to Marisa's mum's back is much better.

We'll post again soon.

In the meantime, see you around :)))

x Amble & The Team x

A massive 'Thank You' to all of you with connections to Bradbourne ...

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:24:01 +0100

We want to give a massive thank you to everyone who has kindly supported us so far with the Gingers fund to the Pony Worlds. The generosity of everyone at the Bradbourne has been overwhelming and we are extremely grateful to you all.

We will be keeping people posted about our progress when we go abroad via the website and will add a blog about our progress and include some pictures so keep checking the site.

If you want to be kept informed, click on the RRS link on this page and you will get notified when we have added a new blog.

Thank you to all of you who came to the Bradbourne One Day Event

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:24:31 +0100

What an amazing weekend?! For those of you who came to the celebrations on the Saturday night, through to the One Day Event on the Sunday.

We've qualified !!! We're off to Slovenia !!!!

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 21:13:23 +0100

We did it !! We have qualified for the World Driving Championships, and Team Ginja is heading off to Slovenia in September. We are all excited and really looking forward to showing the world what we are capable of.