Many thanks to Jacky Green of Maizey Manor Farm for sending us an update from across the pond. Sinead Halpin and Manoir de Carneville seem to be enjoying their time at Maizey Manor, and have put their dancing shoes on to go to a schooling dressage show (earning 70%). Thanks for writing, Jacky, and thank you for reading.
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From Jacky:
Speed Dating Dressage…..
Sinead Halpin and Tate have fitted in seamlessly to Maizey Manor Farm and despite the disappearance of megagroom Meg who has absconded back to the US for her sister’s wedding we managed to get Tate to a dressage competition all on our own. Tricky business that packing the truck with a saddle and a bridle but we managed ok. Tate then proceeded to impress top dressage judge Lady Inchcape for a 70% in the 4 star Olympic test and if anyone watching the video thinks we could not be bothered to plait they are a) right and b) its technically unaffiliated so no one does! A good trend to set me thinks, far too much plaiting in eventing as it is.
For most of the guys there yesterday it was their first competition ride through the four star Olympic test and at 4 and a half minutes it’s a whopping 3 and a half minutes shorter than the one and two star tests! Two ways of looking at this, less time to mess up and less time to impress the judges! Its like speed dating dressage….
Much excitement that the rest of the US crew have moved into the luxurious surroundings of Eddie Stibbe’s Lavender Hill base although so far we have only caught up with Will Faudree who came straight to Maizey Manor from the plane. Whether his sat nav was still set to “last destination” in England or he really did want to come and say hi is questionable but it was good to see him and catch up with all the news and he did tell us that since he is personally responsible for Missy until Nat VC arrives on Sunday he was a little nervous but he had been sent with two trunks, one of which clearly stated “not to be touched until Nat’s arrival” so its good to know Nat still wears the trousers at Gavlin Farm.
Rumour has it that the US team goes to Barbury on Tuesday which is a little odd as even the Irish, the odd Scot and the occasional Frog do not rock up until Thursday. On the plus side since we have stuck Sinead on every spare young horse we have in the generous gesture of not letting her succumb to “one horse madness” we might be able to pull in a couple of breakers for Boyd and Phillip to play with whilst they are stabled over the hill!
