Top of the Morning to you,
Not wanting to be a weather bore, as there is plenty of them around, but April has lived up to its reputation of showers, showers and more showers – which being from the Emerald Isle doesn’t bother me too much but how everyone else moans! However, never to be deterred we have had a few trips around the country having fun and success on the way.
Our trip to Addington Manor for the Pony Club Winter Showjumping Nationals saw some good craic with other team members there too. The Young Master was in determined mode and let the hand brake off in the speed class to finish in seventh place from a very competitive field.
Although the Leprechauns kept their distance this year we didn’t make the jump off in the Winter League, twas a Tardis I saw, I’m sure of it, and I rolled a pole. In fact there has been some strange goings on lately involving Daleks, Spaceships and Cyber men, but more of that later.
Fancy Piece has officially left the fold and moved in permanently with Team Ireland’s junior jockey, Lucy Jones. Their new partnership started brilliantly with a trip to the School’s Final at Bury Farm. Another strange phenomenon occurred that weekend, according to the Old Girl, when the sun made more than just a guest appearance!
Fancy Piece, who has never been to a championship previously, fuelled by Fibre-Beet and well hydrated, jumped a fantastic double clear! Hickstead has now been mentioned, leaving the young Master and I to fend for ourselves at our first event of the year, BE100 at Bishop Burton at the end of May. Not sure how I feel about playing second fiddle!
The Old Girl returned from Bury Farm with more than just a tan and spoke fondly of Gary and Sarah who had a fantastic stand selling all manner of great things. In true Yorkshire fashion she had “done a deal” on several items and is already talking about what she might buy at Hickstead… huh, well while they might be having fun in Sussex the Young Master is gearing up for the event of the year in September… FantastiCon, an extravaganza organised by one of my other sponsors Fantastic Books Publishing.
FantastiCon is a hands-on, join-in-the-fun convention featuring all his favourite Sci-Fi shows, virtual reality gaming, Lasertag, stage shows, NERF wars, live music, exotic beasts and even one or two horses. A weekend event for all the family at Cleethorpes Leisure Centre, September 1 and 2, 2018.
With all this going on around us, Daleks in the garage, whatever next? It was no surprise our recent outing at Bishop Burton BS did not go quite to plan. Determined not to be upstaged by Fancy Piece the Young Master decided we were ready for a Royal International qualifier which if all went well would necessitate a trip to Hickstead. It wasn’t the height of the fences (1.20m part way round) that proved a problem but all the exotic creatures that joined me in the ring. Although they might have appeared after I nearly fell and the Young Master banged his head. Enough to say we did not go cross country schooling the next day as we both had thumping headaches!!
Happy to say we are both back on track for a busy month in May with a Pony Club team (yippee) trip to Chatsworth Horse Trials and our first one day event of the season at Bishop Burton, assuming the beast from the East keeps a low profile!
So remember if you want fleet feet, eat Fibre-Beet.
Keep smiling,
Billy Bank
