News

Top of the Morning to You,

 

Don’t you just love these autumn mornings? The light and colours make me feel so mellow and bring out the poet in me, but more of that later….

 

The summer has flown past with so much fun, and Fibre-Beet, I can hardly believe Team Ireland has managed to fit so much in.

 

Our first big occasion was the International Youth Championships at Bishop Burton where Minnie Haha and I had the honour of being selected for the Northern Under18 BE90 squad. I arrived on the Wednesday, clipped and scrubbed, where I was assessed by a vet and deemed fit for the trot up later that afternoon. There was a lot of buzz in the stable block, I can tell you, as everyone plaited and tarted up their charges. Tension mounted as we waited our turn and as The Old Girl put it “you can have the soundest horse in the world but you always feel anxious”.

 

No problem for us or any of the others on the squad and we all headed back to the stables ready for a leg stretch round the hacking track. Later that evening I had a visit from Francesca Garland, one of the lovely British Horse Feeds team, and Gill Chivers the YAS PC DC, who had been at the opening ceremony. I felt like a real celebrity as they patted me and wished us luck for the dressage.

 

Having had a session the previous day with “He who must be Obeyed” I felt pretty relaxed, Minnie Haha knew the test, it was in a long arena, what could possibly go wrong? Suffice to say although the support team and everyone else watching, thought we did a good test sadly the judge was not of the same opinion. “You just have to suck it up,” the stoical Old Girl told a very disappointed Minnie Haha, who had wanted to do well for the Northern Team, “Put it behind you and focus on jumping a double clear.”  

 

Friday was spent relaxing and cheering on our remaining team members in the dressage. The Old Girl kept me topped up with hydrating Fibre-Beet meals and in my perfectly placed end stable I was able to watch the comings and goings of the other teams.

 

Saturday dawned with a hive of activity, the nervous energy from the riders vibrated through the stable block. While others might not have been interested in their breakfast I tucked into my Fibre-Beet with relish, knowing the slow release energy would stand me in good stead later out on the course. Another pal of The Old Girl’s turned up to help tart me up. Mother of Mary, I have never seen so much purple shampoo applied so vigorously but I was sparkling white when I headed down to the cross country warm up. We all know this is my favourite phase and today was no different, off I sped.

 

Minnie Haha did a great job keeping an eye on the clock and we cruised round clear coming home under the time. What a welcome I received at the finish, a group of Northern Squad members, under the instruction of our coach, all set to and washed me off. I returned to the stables, after another check from the vet, cleaner than I set out! Our other team members enjoyed good rounds too so there was everything to play for the following day.

 

It was an early start on Sunday when I was led out for an assessment before the official trot up. Unable to contain myself at the thought of more excitement to come I rather let my halo slip and gave The Old Girl a hard time. She held on gamely I must say and declared “There were no issues with Billy’s soundness just his behaviour,” before giving me one of her looks! I knew better than to mess with her and meekly trotted up later for Minnie Haha. The show jumping was causing a few problems with poles falling but I felt confident, after all Bishop Burton is our local venue. Minnie Haha, if she felt nervous didn’t let it show and we posted a clear round to finish on our dressage score. Our Northern Team members all did brilliantly with the squad taking third place and an individual third too for one of the girls. It was a fantastic experience to be part of such a wonderful Northern squad, supported by great coaches and coordinators. Time will tell if Minnie Haha and I have this opportunity again…

 

Our next big event was the Pony Club Championships, held at the new venue Offchurch Bury. The Young Master felt he had unfinished business and was determined we would go well. Another test to learn, in a long arena, more trips to ‘He who must be Obeyed’… “NO, NO, NO, do it again!” rang out endlessly as we practiced. Finally a nod from His Highness and “Better” allowed us to walk but even this had to be swinging with stretch. “Mother of Mary, just give me the rein, I’ll put my head on the floor “, I muttered as The Old Girl chuckled on the side lines.  

 

The Old Girl had arranged off site stabling, through a friend of hers, which would be home for the next three days and we set off with Minnie Haha alongside to groom. It was quite a surprise to run into friends also stabled here but it made for a great time. Our dressage test was scheduled on day one with show jumping and XC on day two which made for a more relaxed event. Our test went well, although I confess to being a bit jolly in the medium canters which then effected the following movements, but I did get sparkling marks for the walk!!

 

At the end of play we were handily placed in what had been a very competitive section. The Young Master felt the competition was still wide open as the cross country course had some serious questions. It was nice to relax in the quiet yard, while the humans disappeared off for a meal I enjoyed my hydrating Fibre-Beet as the weather had hotted up again. Thankfully the following morning it was quite cool and overcast… my kind of conditions!

 

We were early on in our section and arrived in good time for the show jumping. The Young Master had his game face on, I knew only a clear round would keep him happy. I delivered, watching relief spread over the anxious faces of the support team. Naturally I danced my Irish jig back to the lorry, letting everyone know I was happy too.

 

Heading down to the cross country warm up it was clear the course was causing a lot of problems with very few clear rounds. We had a plan and we would stick to it. The first two thirds of the course ran up a long incline, after fence eight the course was peppered with combinations and nowhere to really gallop or make up time, so we had to be up on the clock early on. The Young Master stoked me up and off we went full of purpose and plenty of running, never more needing the slow-release energy from my Fibre-Beet. We had a great round, even though I say it myself, marred only by a watch malfunction. This proved not to be too costly with only 1.2 penalties accrued. Now it would be a waiting game to see where we finally finished… Slowly and surely we crept up the leader board, I kept hearing “You’re in seventh, that’s a rosette! You’re in fifth even better! Now fourth and can’t be worse than that? Wow third place, a podium spot!!”

 

What a great event the Pony Club had run at Offchurch Bury. It was wonderful to see so many friends from different areas who we hadn’t seen for so long. Everyone just seemed happy to be out and about beating the Covid blues. The icing on the cake for Team Billy Bank was winning a bucket, full of other prizes I must add, sponsored by JCB. The Old Girl cheered loudly when The Young Master was told to collect his prize on the way to the podium. We love buckets here as we simply fill them up with soaking Fibre-Beet and Speedi-Beet!!

 

I have had a little bit of down time, while The Young Master and The Old Girl have been dashing about supporting other team members. New kid on the block, Helsinki, won his arena at the Pony Club Regional Dressage Champs at Eland lodge with Miss Happy, who then became Miss Delighted when they took reserve in the eight horse ride off. Two days later they proved it wasn’t a flash in the pan winning their first ODE together at Shelford Horse Trials. I have pointed out to Helsinki he has set the bar high, but fuelled on Fibre-Beet I am sure he can continue his winning ways and the humans will continue to indulge on Krispy Kreme donuts, whatever they maybe?!

 

Other new combinations have outings planned throughout September, indeed The Old Girl and I are making our debut at Frickley… Yes after threatening to make a comeback to the competitive scene, buying some new boots too, she has entered us in the BE80. Fat Boy Slim has already told me he is planning to “whoop me”. The cheek of it… I am saying nothing but it could be a good competition. I also head to Allerton Park for a step up to Under18 BE100 with Minnie Haha.

 

So much happening and made all the easier for us with our diet of Speedi-Beet and Fibre-Beet to fuel our ambitions.

 

Keep smiling everyone!

 

Love Billy Bank x