The promised rain arrived on Thursday morning. As of the lunch break it has slackened off a bit, but it still feels cold and damp, not much like June anywhere except in England! You can keep up with all the live scores here.
Carl Bouckaert rode a lovely test on Mensa – forward and flowing it was the most relaxed I’ve seen Mensa in the ring with him. They managed to maintain their rhythm despite a dog fight breaking out just outside one end of the arena, and afterwards Carl was rightfully delighted, and told me he thought it was the best test he’s done with Mensa so far. First and foremost in Carl’s mind though was his son in law, Michael Pollard and the tragic trailer accident just a couple of weeks ago, which evidently still weighs heavily. Carl hoped for a wonderful Bromont for Michael with Hanni, hoped that she’d go as well as she did in Mexico, and said that Michael will be extra motivated this weekend. Carl and his team have been based in Belgium for the last six weeks and just arrived here at Bramham last night, and he said Cyrano Z is very, very fit and fresh indeed. Having ridden his test quite early on Mensa he was heading back to get on Cyrano whose test is at 3:50 this afternoon, and laughed when he said he wasn’t sure how long he’d be on him for, but “for as long as it takes” to get him to settle down!
Madeleine Brugman for the Netherlands on Edino – pretty in pink? There is a strong European presence here at Bramham this weekend, with Belgium, France and the Netherlands being especially well-represented.
An Eventing Nation favourite, Merel Blom from the Netherlands working Umberto in the rain. I was so impressed by her, her riding and her horses when I met Merel last autumn at Galway Downs in California, and remain so. She worked her horse on her own in the rain this morning, quietly but with a plan, and they looked more like a pure dressage combination than eventers, no offence to eventers! Mixing lots of fairly forward cantering with halts to medium trots, she did most of her work outside the practice arenas.
Angus Smales was first into the CCI*** arena on It’s a Jackpot, after Karin Donckers had laid down the gauntlett with a very composed guinea pig test on Gazelle de la Brasserie, and then moved into the lead of the CIC*** on Extebaria van het Verahof shortly before lunch.
Andrew Hoy and Cheeky Calimbo – a smooth ride this morning in the CIC***
Elaine Pen (NED) rode Dostojewski, also in the CIC***
Piggy riding another very nice impressive bay horse – Kiltealy Brief in the CIC***
I didn’t see all the tests this morning but Joy Dawes, on Harbour Pilot in the CCI*** above, was the only competitor I saw wearing a helmet.
Izzy Taylor rides three in the CCI, here she is early on Thursday on her first horse Dax Van Ternieuwbeke; their test was basically mistake free and pleasing to watch so hopefully she’ll consider this a good start to the day.
One of my favourites, Italian rider Vittoria Panizzon on Borough Penny
Andrew Hoy rides his second CIC*** horse, Rolex Kentucky entrant Rutherglen in the rain
Nicola Wilson riding Applejack. She also has the incomparable Opposition Buzz in the CIC***, and she brought him out to work in front of GB Team Dressage trainer Tracie Robinson later. They didn’t do much with him, but he looks in cracking form. Even just standing when he’d finished and Tracie and Nicola were chatting, he has that charisma about him, and big ears – a sign of a genuine horse so I’ve been told. Love hi and can’t wait to see him run across country on sunday.
William Fox-Pitt worked the stallion Chilli Morning (those bridle numbers are actually BE issue and say “STALLION”!) in the arena with Tracie, and the more he got him to relax, the softer and better he looked. When they’d finished he cantered and then trotted around the outside of the arenas in big circles in a longer frame. I held onto Chilli briefly while William switched horses, and he’s very sweet and gentle, but all compact muscle up close, very strong but not as tall as I’d expected him to be.
Rodney Powell and Conair, also working with Tracie.
Just in case you might have thought this is a glamourous life! Tracie Robinson stood out in the rain all morning from 8am onwards, kept busy by a steady stream of GB’s best and brightest all keen to benefit from her expertise. While we’re talking about the weather, we just saw Bramham featured on the local BBC news which was very cool, but next up we saw the weather forecast. Everyone keeps saying how well the ground here drains, and by the looks of things it might need to – heavy rain, up to 80mm and high, damaging winds are headed our way, “We’re going to have another Osberton!” remarked one journalist here in the media tent; I’m not sure which year she was referring to but I thank God I wasn’t there, and again for my tendency to overpack – why on earth did I think I’d need wellies, rain gear, jumpers, long sleeves, puffas etc in June? Because I do! It must be almost time for Wimbledon. Go Eventing!
