Foals and shows!
Sunday 29 April 2012 8:00More foals and shows!!!!!!
Well April has definatly been a busy month for us - but we've had some fantastic foals and good results at the shows.
The foals we've had are now on the web-site and on the whole things have gone smoothly. Only one mare had problems in the form of a red bag foaling but both mother and foal are now fine. We had our first foal by the Nijhof stallion Durrant and we very impressed-he's a smashing type and really smart so I think Durrant will be on this years list of stallions to use. The Zacharov colt we've had proved us correct in using him again this year-last years fillies by him were lovely and correct, and this years colt is as good. The first of our home bred mares Calana(Calvados x Odermus) has had her first foal a fabulous Zanzibar filly-sometimes we wonder why we import semen when our own lad does such a good job!!!
As for shows where do I start - the Blue Chip was a good show for us - Balia jumped 2 classes and a final and never touched a pole and with Carl gained a 4th place in the Power final. Zanzibar had a placing out of 120 in the warm up then was placed in the Karma final. Lord Castell had a 7th place in the 1.25 qualifier outside but was unlucky in his warm up for the final-a man walked in front of him as he was about to do his final jump before going into the ring-we crashed the fence and knocked his confidence so we had a slightly sticky round - so to the man concerned I can only say next time you have a lot on your mind stay out of the collecting ring(this was his excuse for being a mobile filler)!!!
The Welsh Masters was a great show as usual-despite the weather. Balia had another fantastic show never touched a pole again and 4th in the 6yr old final. He did get a double clear in the HOYS qualifier which was then abandoned before the 3rd round, he did well to achieve this considering the ground and the fact that he was last to go so had the worst of the conditions. So after all his hard work it seems a shame if there are no horses to qualify. Zanzibar, Lord Castell and Avola all had a good first day and jumped double clear in the Ladies - Avola also managed a 5th place in the Foxhunter. Cordino M and Chagall both had double clears in the 5yr old whilst Cioletta and Lambus both had clear and 4 faults. The second day Lord Castell and Zanzibar jumped double clear in the Ladies again Avola was less fortunate and had a couple of rails down but jumped her first big water happily so a good result. Cordino jumped on the grass for the first time in the 1.15 and just had an unlucky rail running on down the hill whilst Chagall jumped another double clear in the 5yr old. Cioletta and Lambus both had 4 faults again but jumped pleasing rounds. The third day was the Ladies final and both Zanzibar and Lord Castell jumped fantastic first rounds and went clear - but we all got a little too excited for the jump off and as it was a step up for all of us I think steady would have perhaps been a better approach!!! Comedy moment of the rounds though was Zanzibar showing his true jumping brain in the first round-he put in an enormous jump into the last double(an oxer with a tray under it)which unseated me to the extent I was on his ears but he completly ignored this and proceeded to jump out over the flimsy upright and carried on the 6 forward strides to the water while I got back in the saddle and gathered my reins!!!!! The last day was the 6yr old final which Balia had his 4th in and then the 5yr old final. Both Cordino and Chagall jumped treble clears and Carl and Cordino had a 5th place and Chagall and myself were 10th.
So now we're back home and planning the next trip inbetween foaling, AI ing and riding the youngsters!! Just hoping this rain will disappear as the sheds seem to be filling up with bedraggled youngters and the 10 young foals should really be out in the field in a little Spring sunshine!!
