Coming Up

The Season...

Diary

6 December, '09

And working on the website, navigation and Out'n'About (photo) pages. Please bare with me!
The news on the breeding front has been all good, with all mares bar one getting in foal with one service (natural, fresh or frozen), and the one 'miss' getting in foal on her second service. Not bad in a dicey season.!
On the bad news side, Job had an unfortunate fall in the 1.20m class at Tauranga yesterday and has cracked his scapular. Not planning on taking much time to recover, and extremely frustrated with the set back! Bu had come on so well!
The rest of the news will have to wait for now.

18^th September, '09

Olivia has continued on her travels, so I'm back in the saddle again.
Mode and Bob are going well. Starr has just been bought back in to work, and is taking work in her stride. She's grown an inch over winter, so is now a good 16.1hh. So
Lambing is all but finished, there are only the final few to dock. Last week we did five days of docking so the horses had a good break. Thank goodness they are coping with the flush of spring grass so well!
Next week the truck is going back up to Job so that he and Bu can get out and about to a few events. I'm not sure what the plan is, but without wheels it doesn't come to much.
Megastyle and Straight Pass have sold, so they will be dropped off at there new home at Ngongataha on the way.

2^nd August, '09

Olivia and I had a great day at the Eventing Hawkes Bay winter show jumping series and the Show Hunter training day. The Equestrian Park was really busy today, with Pony Club and Western Riding Club meets as well.
Mode was entered in the 65cm, 75cm and 85cm SJ classes. First jumping outing, so it was going to be interesting to see how she coped - especially as her preperation was held up by the weather and she still hasn't done much jumping at all.
And things went well. A bit of stage fright when she first entered the arena, and an unexpected elimination after stumbling in the middle of the double. Guess the judges saw something that we didn't. Anyway, although the course wasn't completed it was good as far as it went - all new obstacles, bright colours, different striding (course couldn't be right for all, with heights from 12.2hh to 17h+ in the class).
Soon after that Olivia and Mode had a great show hunter session with Craig Vernon, with good hints for rider and horse. And a chance for Mode to jump a double, which she hadn't come across until the first course the day. And of course it was nice to have the natural jump colours.

26^th July, '09

And still playing catch-up!
Although the weather has been foul lately (shouldnn't complain, we really needed the rain), the website is taking an age to get up to date - photos taking the most time, with files to reduce, rename and upload.
Mode and Bob are coming along well, although it would be wonderful if the ground dried out enough to be a bit more intensive in their training. Jumping is coming along well regardless, just having to jump smaller, and one jump at a time - too slippery for turns! Even Mark's Mac is settling in and schooling well, though as a station hack he will probably never be asked to demonstrate the repertoire of skills he now knows.

5^th June, '09

Well, long time and no updates... No excuses, and there has been plenty to relate!
Bus' youngsters acquitted themselves well last season, with the top honours going to C. Stonehaven, who won the 3DE at Puhinui, which makes him the New Zealand National One and Three Day Event Novice Champion - he has done so well, and there really is such a limited calendar of competition for eventers. Louise kept him in work up until the Puhinui event, though he was ridden at Puhinui by Jacob Razac.
And another thumbs up to Imogen Cahill riding C.Premonition, who gained Reserve Champion at the New Zealand Pony Clubs National Dressage Championships. I'm sure they had plenty of other successes over the season, but the RC must have been a highlight.
C. Redwood was put back under saddle again after being in the breeding paddock for a few years. She started jumping and eventing at low level and is is looking promising. Unfortunately, due to unforseen circumstances, she is on market and Kylla won't be continue her run of fun.
Debs Lawton has also had a great time with C. Skye, who has also been doing dressage and eventing, with good wins and placings.

Of the ponies Chrialka Daffodil had a great season with Emily Fraser, with steady improvement throughout the season, and plenty of ribbons along the way. Shizado had another good season, and although Harry had a change of owner he carried on in a winning way, getting placed first in his first ODE soon after he changed hands from Alisha Gisler to Anna Kincheff. Chilli, a son of Tonka Toy and Daffodil's brother, Dymonym, has also changed hands and will be out and about at various events too.

And last but by no means least, we have 'help' with the horses, with a lovely young French woman doing a lot of the riding and schooling of the young horses, who were backed towards the end of last year.
We went along to a recent Andrew McLean clinic held in Hastings and are using his methods in their schooling, and they are all coming along really well. (Got to get more jump poles now too). Marquise has been along to a couple of hunts, one here on the farm, and another locally. I got to the Shanley Road hunt too - first hunt in decades, and Bu was a real sweetie. Have to admit that it is years since I last galloped, and he is amazingly fast and covers ground really well

January '09

Well, the regular riding didn't go on for too long. It was great while it lasted, but I'm too wary now to ride out on young ones by myself. It was great that Mark got riding again, so I had someone to ride with, but... Mack was a b

December '08

And Starr came back, going beautifully, Bob came home after a week and has been ticking over. Wish I had more time! Mack has gone off to Murray to be bought back in, not sure how much time Mark will have too keep him in work though, he must be one of the lowest milage horses we have. Foals are growing well, and the season so far has been fairly kind. Skin and Abstract were scanned in foal, so hopefully there will be two healthy foals arrive next season for us.

14^th November, '08

Mode and Hickory came home today after being backed. They were very settled and hacked out well on arrival. Mode will be kept in work, Hickory, because of his age, will be turned out for a bit before being bought back in to work after Christmas. Mode has been very settled the whole way through, improving as time has gone on. She has been quiet from the start and should make someone a lovely hunter/all rounder, fun horse. Hickory has shown good style and plenty of scope freejumping. Both have big forward paces, that are easy to sit to. Starr has headed off to be backed, and Bob to get a bit more work too.
Bu has headed back up to Matamata and has come back in to work well. Job is pleased with the way he is going and is starting to plan his post-Christmas outings.
And although I missed out on the chrome this season, Bu sired a big leggy filly to a Rata Mill mare. Hopefully to stay bay, the filly has four very long stockings and a good not-too-wide blaze. Photos to gallery soon!
Finally, I heard on the grapevine that Louise Leonards C. Stonehaven, ridden by Jacob Razac, won the 1.15m Championship at Kihikihi last weekend. Yahoo! Next stop for them will be Puhinui.

29^th October, '08

And the last foal of the season has arrived. Megastyle has had a lovely big strong colt to Bu. I've been feeling for her over the last week because she had developed a lot of oedema - belly and legs - and was obviously uncomfortable and generally out of sorts. Needless to say she was a much happier horse this morning!
The rest of the foals are doing well, and Stell is happy with hard feed to suppliment her bucket feeds. She is getting fed twice a day and not guzzling her feed down but making it last through. We also 'walk' her a couple of times every day down the paddock to see Leith and Luminous. Leith has grown so well he towers over Stell - and being a typical colt always wants to play rough. Stell just hides behind me if she gets scared!
Bu has a couple more mares to 'do' before he heads north again. Job is wanting him back, but not if we have a lot of toing and froing if there are any misses...

On the farm most planting of summer feed crops is done, although the maize is still to be planted. Lambing is well over and the first lambs have been sold (killed out at an average weight of 19kg, for $106/ea). Calving is all but done too and the weather was great for hogget shearing. Lambs are being weaned and ewes crutched.

27^th October

Labour day, and the Hawkes Bay show is over, as is the Masterton show.
Not sure how Shaun Fannin and Shizado went overall, but they did win the EIT High Points SH class. Daffodil was at HB too, and it was very pleasing watching her go so nicely in her classes. Daffy went on to place second and third in 1m SJ classes at the Masterton show.
I've made a shortened (and still incomplete) list of wins and placings for Shaun Fannin and Shizado from last season...

• Flat Hunter - 2 X 1st, 1 X 2nd, 2 X 3rd, 1 X 4th
• Champion Hunter - 1 X Supreme, 2 X Champion, 2 X Reserve
• Working Hunter - 4 X 1st, 2 X 2nd
• Champion Working Hunter - 1 X Supreme, 3 X Champion, 1 X Reserve
• Open Show Hunter - 4 X 1st, 4 X 2nd, 1 X 4th
• Welcome Hunter - 1 X 1st, 2 X 4th
• Equitation - 1 X 1st
• EIT High Points Championship Show Hunter series - 6 X 1st, 1 X 2nd, 2 X 4th, 1 X 5th, won series overall
• Supreme Champion Show Hunter
• Champion Show Hunter
• Show Jumping - 1st in 80cm class, 4th in 85cm class
• Paced and Mannered - 1 X 1st, 3 X 2nd, 1 X 3rd, 1 X 4th
• In-hand dry mare - 1 X 1st
• Unity - 1 X 1st
• Open Pony - 1 X 2nd

You can see why they won the Performance Prize last season...

20^th October

The second last foal arrived - Abstract has had a pretty filly to Bu, dark brown with hind sock and star - seems like this is the year of single hind socks and stars!
Giselle foaled yesterday, a pretty bay filly. So the last of Prince Ferdinand's foals have arrived. She broke the mould a bit, with the standard star but with both hind socks. Giselle is coping with motherhood well - have to admit that since Starr rejected Stellar I have been hoping that everything would go well with the rest of the season.

16^th October

Foaling has gone well, except for one hiccup - a 'non-maternal' mare. Starr decided that motherhood just wasn't her thing, so her filly by Prince Ferdinand is being hand reared - so that's taking up a bit of time! Stellar is the loveliest wee thing, and has taken quite readily to bucket feeding - I mean, at least the bucket doesn't try to kick, bite or pummel her into the ground, which must be quite a relief for Stell after her mothers nastiness.
And there are another three foals 'on the ground'. Luminous has a lovely colt foal by Zibu. Rosita has a colt by Prince Ferdinand and Straight Pass foaled today too - and yes it's another colt!
And the competition season is well under way. Jacob Razac had a mixed weekend at the 2DE at Flaxmere Equestrian Park, with a 6th placing on Airthrey Glenfiddich in the Training class - and an unfortunate 'E' in the Novice class on C. Stonehaven. After leading from the dressage, going clear in the show jumping, they managed a course error in the cross country. Ooh! What could have been a 1^st became an 'E', darned flags! Jacob also had a 4th in the 1.15m class at Woodhill Sands a few weeks ago on Stonehaven, about the second time he rode him. They are heading to Puhinui and Northland too.
Big has also had a start in the 7yo SJ series. Lisa Coupe is riding him for Glen Beal this season. He placed 2nd in his only class so far.
I've heard that wee Harry is looking good, but not sure of competitions for him.
Tonka Toy and Taylor Mason won the 1.05m class at the Pukahu show and may have had other placings too. Taylor is planning to start Tonka Toy in GP classes this season.
Daffodil - Tonka Toy's little sister has made her debut with Emily Fraser. They placed at their first outing - a Pony Club day - and then at Pukahu Show got 4th place in both 80 and 90 cm SJ classes on the Sunday. They have also had a great time at a recent Pony Club event, coming home with two cups (for Best Rider and also the Derby) and placings in the 85cm SJ and also the turnout class. Well done!
And Madeline Riordan has recently taken the lease on Harmony after her pony sadly broke down and now needs time out to heal. Madeline and Harmony had a Pony Club Gymkhana last weekend and placed reserve in the Unity
I'm sure Shaun Fannin has also picked up a ribbon or two already, and there are a few more out there I have to chase up.
Shaun and Shizado won the Performance Prize last season, after amassing a good stock of cups, sashes, ribbons, rosettes and rugs!