The heat is on....

It seems unbelievable that we can be having as bad weather as we are. I am not keen on complaining or talking about the weather but this has gone beyond a joke. It seems inconceivable that we could lose Badminton, Chatsworth and Gatcombe in one season let alone the many one days at all levels around the country but we have and now can only pray that it stops before the autumn season really kicks off.

I have managed to get a few runs in and thank goodness Barbury survived. Barbury Castle has quickly established itself as one of our premier events. It is a wonderful location for spectators and competitors. Nigel Bunter, Holly Farr and the team do an unbelievable job running classes for all levels from novice through to advanced. I opted not to run any of mine in the CIC3* as I didn't feel they needed it. I was really pleased with Parklane Hawk, Lionheart, Before Time and Sea Cookie who all had a quiet run round the CIC2* in the build up to their Autumn targets. Freddie Mac just missed winning the novice, finishing second by less than a mark.

Many of the highly competitive nations used it as their final trial so it was a tense weekend for many. I came away struck once again by how strong the Kiwis look.

It was then on to Aachen for the CICO3*. Britain fielded a team comprising of my horse Neuf Des Coeurs, Laura Collett and Rayef, Francis Whittington and Sir Percival and Emily Baldwin and Drivetime.

Aachen weekend is fantastic as you have the very best of Dressage, Show Jumping and Eventing in an amazing venue with an extraordinary arena that holds thousands of people. It was definitely good for me to be in that environment ahead of London as there was real atmosphere. Neuf was third last year and followed up his Bramham CIC3* win with another really solid performance in all three phases to finish sixth. Laura Collett and Rayef looked back to their old selves and really shone to finish third and as a team we gave the Germans a run for their money to finish in a close second.

The Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe was due to be a big weekend for Before Time and Freddie Mac in the Novice Championships and I had a couple due to run in the advanced. I feel for my owners and team as it really is a highlight of the season but hopefully there is a small chance that the organisers may be able to reschedule.  We will have to wait and see.

So we are really now into the final countdown. Jackie and I went to Loughborough this week to get kitted out. This is an extraordinary day when you get all the Team clothing. It consists of everything from formal wear, trot up gear, sports track suits, trainers, towels and an iPod Nano & head phones, just touch the surface! We came home with six bags between us. I think I look more Will-I-Am than WFP in the opening ceremony gear but it sadly won't get used as no one in Team GB who is competing in the first two days of the competition is allowed to be part of it. This is because it takes so long and could affect our performance should we get too tired!

It was great to have all the team together and it was the first time Nicola Wilson had been with us after the awful news that Piggy French's DHI Topper was out injured. I am desperately sad for Piggy, having won the Test Event so convincingly and looked so good at the last the last three championships she was going to be a major player. Nicola is a great team performer and hugely competitive so we are lucky to have such a strong reserve to come in.

This week I also headed to Weymouth to be part of the torch celebrations there. Unfortunately again the weather was horrendous but the atmosphere was electric and I felt quite emotional as the flame was lit.

Lionheart is in wonderful shape, taking his work very well. We have Team Training next week where I will take him and my two reserve horses, Parklane Hawk and Neuf Des Coeurs who are being prepared as if they are going.  Both are flying.

This great event now feels very much on the horizon rather than in the future, the next two weeks are about keeping my head down working hard, without going overboard on the horses and trying to keep all of us in one piece.  After that we can only all just do our best and hope that that is good enough.

A memorable month!

What a month it has been with back to back three day events and the final selection at last. The run began with Houghton in Norfolk. I had not planned to go there but with so many cancellations the event put extra spaces available in the CIC 3* so I felt it would be a good opportunity for Lionheart, Neuf Des Coeurs and Avoca Alibi. I was thrilled with all their dressage tests, particularly Avoca Alibi as he led the Nations Cup section on a 35. I had decided to run Chilli Morning in the CCI2* too as I had wanted an intermediate run before Bramham CCI3* to get to know him better but that wasn’t going to be possible so this was the next best thing. He did a very good dressage to sit in 2^nd. 

On Saturday he felt very solid across country. Nick Gauntlett has done a great job with him so it is just a question of building our partnership. I didn’t go fast as I could have done as I wanted him to finish feeling confident and relaxed and it was definitely job done.  The others all jumped clear rounds in the show jumping but that was when the weekend started to go wrong. I decided not to run Lionheart across country as the ground was quick enough for him but had decided to have a real go on Avoca Alibi, owned by my good friend Nicky Ryan, as he was still leading the very competitive section. He flew round the cross country and as he came through the finish I looked at my watch and was pleased to see we were inside the time. Before I had time to celebrate the biggest win of his career, over the loud speaker was announced ‘William Fox-Pitt eliminated on Avoca Alibi’. I was stunned as I had no idea what I had done.  Then it transpired I had jumped the wrong last fence. I think I was focusing so hard on getting the time that I just jumped the 2* fence that I had jumped on Saturday on Chilli. I was gutted, for the horse and for Nicky. It just felt such a waste to run him fast, all the wear and tear to make such a pony club mistake. Nicky was understandably upset but was amazing about it.

Next to go was Neuf Des Coeurs whose form this year had catapulted him into contention for the big event later this summer. I wanted him to have a quiet run round but we ended up being too quiet at the quarry step he chipped in a stride and turned over the fence at the top landing on my left leg. My first thought was not good. My knee felt terrible and the whole leg and shin crushed. Luckily he appeared fine and we limped back to the lorry. I had very little time before Chilli’s show jumping. I managed to get on him but had no grip and could only sit in the saddle. The horse was a star and in spite of me jumped round with one down to finish 6^th. We packed up and left with my tail between my legs.

Monday morning my leg looked terrible and I was struggling to walk. We were due to leave that evening with three horses for Tattersalls but I was seriously worried that I was going to have to let all my owners down. Andy Thomas and Dr Whitehead the Team GBR Physio and doctor were fantastic, as was AP McCoy who put me in touch with the jockeys doctor, Dr Pritchard, who managed to get me an appointment at 1pm with the Bath Rugby Club. They gave me an MRI and a once over to confirm that nothing was broken and there was no soft tissue damage to the knee, a huge relief. I decided to leave for Tatts on the Tuesday to give myself a chance to have some physio with Jenny Hummel my regular miracle worker. She worked her magic, I slept with the Game Ready machine on (a machine we usually use on the horses legs) and felt totally different by the time we had to leave. It was a huge team effort to get me there.

The bad luck continued though and Tattersall’s didn’t start well. Before Time didn’t travel well and couldn’t run in the 2* after a minor setback. Freddie Mac performed really well in the 1* to finish 8^th but the star of the show was Bay My Hero (Moonie). Catherine Witt’s little horse has made Tatts his own winning the 1* in 2010 and the 2* in 2011 so it was a dream to give the 3* a go this time. Tatts is a wonderful event with a great organizing team who sorely missed their long time member George Murnagh who died earlier this year of cancer. Moonie was in a great frame of mind from the start. He was second after a lovely dressage, flew round the cross country with just two time faults to take the overnight lead. He trotted up brilliantly and despite using up the fence he had in hand, jumped fantastically to claim an historic third win. He is Irish bred and it was really special that his breeder was there to watch him. I thoroughly enjoy riding him and hopefully he will make the step up to 4* this autumn at Pau.

Jackie drove back and I flew home as I needed to get back to get the chance to have a sit on my Bramham team as we were due to leave again on Tuesday. I decided to take Neuf Des Coeurs to Bramham to ride in the CIC3* as I couldn’t take him to Luhmuhlen 4* off the back of his fall at Houghton. Chilli was due to his first CCI3* with me alongside Avoca Alibi, and Lionheart was in the CIC3*, so it was another busy week. The team did a wonderful job turning the lorry around again and we were headed north up the M1 within 36 hours of getting home.

The pressure really was on at Bramham as there was a true sense of it being a final trial for the selection. The weather nearly messed the whole thing up again, it poured. By Friday the organizers were a heavy shower off cancelling, thank god they held their nerve, everyone was incredibly grateful.

Neuf did a wonderful test to lie in second behind Rayef and Laura Collett. Lion went well but struggled a bit with the mud. Chilli was fantastic and led the dressage with Avoca Alibi close on his tail in second. The show jumping caused a lot of trouble but Lion and Neuf jumped superb clear rounds, they really are brilliant in this phase, it is just great to go into the ring on two such good jumpers. Chilli flew round the cross country to finish bang on the optimum time, I really felt he was starting to trust me.  Avoca Alibi got tired but jumped a super clear with a few time faults.

Sunday started with poor Avoca Alibi not being able to trot up as he was very sore.  Neuf cheered us up getting back to his old self and winging round inside the time to win the CIC3*. It was a brilliant result for his owners Judy and Jeremy Skinner and Margie and David Hall who have owned him since he was 5 and have been so patient. Judy and Jeremy also own Lionheart who was fantastic, clear with a few time faults as he hadn’t run for over 7 weeks so I didn’t want to go mad. With both horses it felt very much like job done in terms of their selection for the Games.

The focus then changed to Chilli. By the time he went into the ring he had three fences in hand but I had no idea how he would cope in the situation. He got keen at times but jumped superbly and with one down won me my sixth Bramham title. It was a fantastic result and I am really looking forward to the rest of the season with him and his owner Chris Stone.

Yogi Breisner mentioned as I left that he would call me the next day re selection and that call came at 11am. It was a huge relief to hear the confirmation that I had been selected to be part of Team GB. The build up has been so long and so to hear the selectors had chosen Lionheart with Neuf Des Coeurs and Parklane Hawk as his reserves and Bay My Hero as their reserve was wonderful. I would have been thrilled to ride any one of those horses but Lion is the one that suits Greenwich the best, I hope. He is solid on the flat, is fast and a phenomenal jumper. The team is great, we all feel for Nicola Wilson who has been a good friend and team member for the last three years. But Piggy, Zara, Tina and Mary are tough, competitive and consummate professionals. We have got a lot on our plate but no stone will be left unturned in our preparation for London, I am just so pleased that it is nearly upon us, let’s hope that I can keep my horses and my team in one piece over the next few weeks so that we can do our very best.

A jam packed April and a soggy May!

Just some of the kit packed for Kentucky!

A lot has happened in the past few weeks, the biggest being just a couple of weeks ago, when Parklane Hawk won me my second Rolex Kentucky CCI**** title in America.  This was my third CCI4* win in a row, the second leg of the Rolex Grand Slam and Parkers third consecutive 3DE win (having won Blenheim CCI3*, Burghley CCI4* and now Rolex CCI4*). 

I will come back to Rolex and Badminton shortly.  The horses on the whole have been performing extremely well since my last blog.  The end of March saw us heading to Gatcombe, Somerley and Belton.  Gatcombe was relatively quiet with only three competing.  Before Time was having a run in the Intermediate with Macchiato & Deli Star Hero in the Open Intermediate.  All three horses performed very well with Deli Star Hero picking up a 7^th in his section. 

Next off was Somerley with five.  Seacookie, Parklane Hawk & Neuf Des Coeurs were having a run in the Open Intermediate with Freddie Mac in the Novice and Henton For Fun having his first run in a BE100.  Cookie was a little more settled than at Lincoln and did a good test followed by a super double clear to finish 9th.  It was nice to get a run under his belt and he feels in good form with himself.  Parker had another good run and felt ready for his CIC3* run at Burnham Market.  Smurf produced a super test to lead his section and followed this up with a good double clear to win.  It was a very hot day at Somerley and my owners were beginning to think the sun had got to my head as this was my first OI win in a very long time, more shocking was I only collected 1.2 time penalties across country.  The whole team, including myself, were a little shocked at just how quick I had gone across country, but in my defence the ground felt super and Smurf really didn’t feel like it was a chore!!  The young horses were also great, Freddie Mac finishing 2^nd in his Novice section and Henton For Fun finishing 3^rd at his first ever event.  I couldn’t have been happier with both horses as they both have a lot of improvement still to come.

We finished off March up at Belton.  We stabled with Joey & Emma Newton (parents of riders Chloe & Willa) and were lucky enough to be treated to a delicious supper.  Charlie, Liv & Hannah were delighted at not having to cook in the lorry!  It was a successful weekend with all the horses performing well.  Avoca Alibi picked up a 2^nd place in his Open Intermediate section, scoring 25.9 in the dressage and jumping another double clear he is proving very consistent.  Bay My Hero felt much more settled than he did at Tweseldown and he scored 29.1 to lie in second after dressage.  He jumped a lovely double clear but I didn’t rush him across country and he finished in 10^th. Before Time was a little cheeky across country, missing the skinny out of the water half way round the course and picking up 20 penalties.  He just didn’t seem to lock on which was a real shame as he had felt really ‘on it’ to that point.  He still has some learning to do though and has a couple more runs before his CCI2* at Tattersalls.  After a good dressage and clear round show jumping I decided Lionheart didn’t need to run across country on ground that was getting quite loose in places. 

After Belton I had the exciting phone call about Chilli Morning, a 10yr old stallion who finished in the top 20 at Burghley last year.  After a disappointing run at Belton Mary King, who took over the ride from Nick Gauntlett in January, had felt that he wasn’t a horse for her so had phoned Mr Stone (Chilli’s owner) to suggest he was sent to me.  I am absolutely delighted to have another top horse in my string and am very excited about Chilli.  He is a horse who has been well produced by Nick and I hope we can forge a good partnership going forward.  We are likely to have our first run together in May and I am keen to get to know the horse.  I won’t be rushing him and no plans have been made yet for his season.

As one star joins us another one leaves us.  Just as we were all on a high about the arrival of Chilli the sad day came when we had to say goodbye to our old friend Stunning.  Stunning had been retired from eventing in 2007 and his owners George & Jane Apter had gifted him to my head girl Jackie Potts.  He had been enjoying his retirement and was a regular in the Portman hunting field as well as being a great companion at home for my more highly strung horses.  He had deteriorated dramatically and although nothing major happened he was really beginning to show his age.  Jackie made the right decision that enough was enough.  He owed us nothing so he was put to sleep at home. 

Neuf Des Coeurs is pleased
 with himself after his win at Sommerly!

April saw us heading north again, this time to Burnham Market with seven - it was a busy weekend and involved several grooms, a lot of owners and 2 horseboxes!  Parklane Hawk, Oslo & Lionheart all performed well in the CIC3*, Lion finishing 8^th, Oslo 12^th and Parker 13^th.  Parker felt really well and had a good prep run for Rolex.  Lion finished ahead of Oslo for the first time in their careers, proof of just how much he is improving.  Oslo, although a little big for his boots in the dressage and making a few costly errors, felt in great form with himself and as always both he and Lion jumped brilliantly.  Neuf Des Coeurs finished 2^nd in his Advanced section, despite picking up 18 time faults across country.  Avoca Alibi rolled his first pole of the season show jumping but again was placed in his Advances section picking up 5^th. In the Open Intermediate Before Time was much more focused across country and although he was unlucky to role two poles show jumping he actually jumped very well.  Deli Star Hero also picked up a 5^th place in his OI section with another good double clear.

After several long journeys in the lorry it was nice to stay a bit nearer to home and we had a fun few days at our local event, Portman.  I took three youngsters and all three really enjoyed the outing.  It was a good educational track and they will all have come on for it.

Weston Park was upon us in no time.  We took Seacookie, Macchiato and Bay My Hero to run in the Advanced and Deli Star Hero to run in the Open Intermediate.  Mac was the star of the day leading his section after dressage.  Moonie (Bay My Hero) finished 5^th , once again producing a solid dressage and a good double clear.  He has really grown up and I am very much looking forward to taking him CCI3* at Tattersalls.  Cookie finished 9^th in his section.  A good dressage, one pole in the show jumping and a steady run across country felt like the perfect prep for Badminton so I was very happy. 

Kentucky seems to have come round very quickly and the following week Jackie (Potts, my head girl) and Parker were on the flight to the USA.  I am very lucky in that Jackie is allowed to fly with the horses, not all grooms are so I feel very fortunate knowing my horse will have the best possible attention during his flight.  Parker is a good traveller (having been imported from New Zealand) so he took the journey well and arrived in good spirits.  After the horses arrive in New York they are put in to quarantine for 36hrs.  This is a nerve wracking time as Jackie and the other grooms are allowed no contact with the horses and they can have no exercise and so effectively have 36hrs of complete box rest, something I have never been particularly comfortable with. 

I had one more competition before I flew to Kentucky to join Jackie & Parker so we packed the lorry and headed to Hambleden with three.  Henton For Fun was having his first run for new owners Tara & Pep Glen and finished 8^th in the BE100.  Billy coped with the muddy conditions quite well and will come on again for the outing.  Freddie Mac was having a qualifying run in the CIC* (ahead of his CCI* at Tattersalls at the end of May) but after doing the dressage the event was abandoned due to the weather.  This left Goldsmiths Enzo heading home without a run and me in a slightly dramatic situation as I was in need of another place to run Freddie Mac to secure his qualification!  On the journey home after  several phone calls we had managed to re route to the Novice at Bovington the next day and secured an entry in the NRF at Aston Le Walls on the final day of qualification (9^th May).     



As it happened it worked out well, Freddie Mac won at Bovington on the Sunday and I headed off to Rolex on Monday morning very relieved!

Parker had arrived at the Kentucky Horse Park (after a 16hr truck journey from New York) in very good spirits, he had lost a bit if weight but apart from that he seemed very well.  Our luggage went a miss on Monday but safely arrived at the hotel on Tuesday, much to everyone’s relief!

Having not ridden Parker for six days it was nice to get back on him and get focussed on the task ahead.  Quite often after a big event and atmosphere like Burghley a horse can come out at his next big one a little on edge and rather unsettled but Parker felt ok.  He did an excellent test on Friday morning to score 41.3 and take the lead.  I was really pleased with how he went, although as there always is with dressage there was still a little room for improvement.  One other horse went ahead of him later in the afternoon so we started cross country day in second.



William and Yogi walking the course at Kentucky

The cross-country course looked very inviting and well presented – I think everyone felt very positive about the course. I thought there were a few little areas that were going to be tricky and quite testing but probably more so for the less experienced combinations. As it turned out the course did cause a fair amount of trouble and it did so for some of the experienced combinations as well. There was a very influential fence at number nine which was the rail ditch hedge coffin combination with a very skinny triple brushed hedge coming out of the coffin on an awkward distance. That fence itself, all three parts between them, accounted for 22 errors – 22 horses were penalised there out of a total of 54 starters so that’s quite a big percentage. That fence turned out to be very much a championship four star fence and I was certainly very happy on my round to have that jump behind me. Parker gave me an excellent ride and really ate up the course giving me the feeling that he had come on from the experience at Burghley. He was feeling very confident, finished quite comfortably inside the time and went into the lead – fortunately for me Alison Springer, who had been in the lead after dressage, had a couple of time faults.

The scores at the top after the cross country were still very tight; there wasn’t a fence between the top three so it was certainly going to be tense in the show jumping!

On Sunday morning he pulled out well and flew through the trot up which is always a big relief after having tackled the cross country the day before. 

My first impression of the show jumping track was that it was quite decent! It was technical and big with a couple of spooky different looking fences. The main arena at Rolex is a big amphitheatre so the atmosphere can be electric.  The stands were a sell out so there was a lot of feel to it; the people there were creating a lot of noise so the horses were feeling a little bit of tension. Certainly Parker felt a bit tense. When you come into that arena, and you’re in the lead and everyone shouts before you start it doesn’t  help the focus; he was already on edge. Despite this he had warmed up well so I was optimistic and it was good to know that he jumped a clear round at Burghley the previous year.



William, owner Catherine Witt and
Parklane Hawk
at the Rolex prizegiving



During his round, he was a little argumentative, probably due to tension. Although he jumped very well he had a fence down which fortunately we could afford because Alison Springer had also had a fence down.   However this meant we used up our cushion, as it were, at number 6.  This is always a tense moment when you think “heck, can’t have another one now and we’ve still got another eight or nine obstacles left to jump”. It is very easy to think it could so easily disappear and any hope of winning could just evaporate like that. But fortunately Parker jumped the rest of the course really well and won by 1.7 penalties….it was quite tight!

Parker arrived home safely and will now have three weeks’ holiday before his build up for the autumn season which will hopefully include either Burghley or the main event later this year! He won’t compete again now until the end of June; maybe Salperton, Barbury or Aston-le-Walls – depending on how he’s doing. 

It was such devastating news for everybody that Badminton and Chatsworth have been cancelled due to the ridiculously wet weather England has been experiencing.  It’s put a dampner – quite literally - on the season. So many people from all angles are affected and 2012 in many instances will be all the tougher because of it.

It’s sad for Rolex that they’ve had to miss out on the media interest that would be generated now by my contesting the Rolex crown at Badminton but they are carrying it forward to Badminton 2013 and it could be very interesting in fact – there’s a chance that two riders could be competing for the Rolex Grand Slam at Badminton next year if the same person wins this year’s Burghley and Rolex 2013.  This means I may be in a position to concentrate more on Badminton next year because this year I have been saving my two best horses for that special competition later this year.  So, the dream is still alive!

So what next?

With Chatsworth cancelled we have made entries at Houghton, not an event we had scheduled in the programme and we will head to Luhmuehlen with the two Badminton entered horses (Neuf Des Coeurs and Seacookies) and will wait for selectors to come up with the contingency plan for the others!

An exciting start to the season for Team Fox-Pitt!

So here we are at the end of March and the winter seems well behind us.  We have done plenty of team training, show jumping and dressage and all of the horses have now had their first run of the season.  Things are progressing well.



William has his full team
ready for start of the season



After various delays we were very happy to have our full team of staff in place just in time for the first event. Olivia Loiacono and Kelly Prather, both four-star riders from USA, have joined us as riders for the 2012 season.  Olivia has come with her horse, Subway, and is aiming for Badminton while Kelly will be competing a couple of my younger horses.  They have settled in and the team seems to be working very well together which is always a relief.

The 2012 season started well at Moreton with everyone more or less behaving themselves.  I had a busy day with two in the Open BE100 and three in the Novice – nothing like jumping in at the deep end after the winter break!  They were all a little fresh in their dressage tests but jumped well and I picked up our first points and prizes for the year with Dubai Cruise finishing 3^rd in his Novice section (a new ride for me this season) and Blue River finishing 5^th in his Open BE100 section, so I couldn’t have been happier. Sadly, the first abandoned event came in the first weekend of the season as Moreton had to cancel their second day due to heavy overnight rain.  This meant the two youngsters in the BE100 would have to wait to make their season debuts – quietly I was rather relieved as conditions would have been no fun!

Off to a flying start at Moreton



From Moreton we headed to Tweseldown, although this year only for two days which made a nice change.  Driving through the gates of Tweseldown racecourse has become somewhat of a habit in March and I shocked my team by announcing that this was the 29^th successive year I had made the journey.  A lot of laughter followed!  The novice horses were a little more settled from their run at Moreton and Dubai Cruise improved again to win his section.  A relief to get the first win under our belt!  The others I took a little steadier but all jumped double clear.  I had five of the older horses in the Intermediate and Open Intermediate and again I couldn’t have been happier with how they went.  Gaucho has come out feeling really great this year and jumped a super double clear.  Blair CCI* winner Before Time was having his first outing for new owner Mandy Gray.  He was a little fresh and rolled a pole show jumping but jumped a super but steady clear across country. Deli Star Hero (another new ride for me this year) and Bay My Hero were both unlucky to have a fence down show jumping but gave me lovely rides across country and Avoca Alibi, who has done really well this winter, jumped a lovely double clear to finish 8^th.

It was then time for Cheltenham.  Although a busy time of year I always try to get a day off to support Alice (my wife is a presenter for Channel 4 racing) and I had the luxury of being a guest in Mark Corbett’s box on the Wednesday.  It was superb racing and is always great to catch up with friends.  However the party was short lived and I headed off to Aldon on Friday with the younger lot.  Dubai Cruise impressed again, picking up 10 time penalties across country yet still finishing 3^rd in his Novice section and consequently upgrading to intermediate.  I will hand the ride over to Kelly for the rest of the season and she should have some fun with him.  Goldsmiths Enzo seems to have really grown up this winter and I was delighted with his 2^nd in the BE100.  He is a horse I bought as a 3yr old and being so big we have bought him on very slowly and he is another who Kelly will get to have a bit of fun with.  Freddie Mac and Blue River both rolled a pole show jumping and I didn’t rush them across country but was pleased with how they went. 

Olivia was having her first run in the UK with her horse Subway.  After all the stress getting her and her horse here, it is good to have got them off the mark.  He was a little fresh and very pleased to be at a party but her schedule is at least now on track for Badminton – let’s just hope, now that her entry is accepted.

On that note, Rolex and Badminton entries are in and so now it really feels like we are back into the swing of things properly.  Parklane Hawk I hope will head to Kentucky and at the moment it is looking like Seacookie & Neuf Des Coeurs will head to Badminton.

The weekend before last saw my five main horses have their first outing.  Seacookie was a little tense in the dressage but jumped a super clear show jumping.  He was having his first run for 10 months and is a little behind the others so I decided not to run him across country.  Oslo was first in at 8.30am but performed a lovely test to lie 2nd.  He jumped a superb clear show jumping and I didn’t rush him across country but he finished a good 3^rd.  I was delighted with Neuf Des Coeurs, he did a fantastic test to score 26.4 and lead his section.  He then jumped a good double clear but again I didn’t rush him across country and he finished just outside the top ten.  Parklane Hawk and Lionheart both did nice tests and rolled a pole show jumping but gave me excellent rides across country.

Oslo- unimpressed with his early start!

It is great to have the season well underway and exciting times lie ahead.   Next we are heading off to Gatcombe, Somerley, Belton and Burnham Market and it is scary to think it is just 4 weeks to the first CCI4* of the year – Kentucky Rolex.

Meet the Fox-Pitt Eventing team......

2011 seems to have disappeared into a haze and the 3^rd January arrived all too quickly!  After an enjoyable Christmas with my parents in Kent and New Year with Alice’s parents in Gloucestershire it was time to get back to work.

During the winter months everything slows down a little and the staff changes occur while it’s quiet.  The end of 2011 saw us wave goodbye to riders Louise Bloomer, who has gone home to Ireland after two years with us to run her own yard and Italian rider Dan Bizzarro has set up base in Hampshire so we wish them both well.  Jackie, Charlie & Fred were on duty during November & December and kept very cheery despite the wet weather!!  January saw Jason return, back with us for his third season.  He enjoyed 6 weeks at the Funnels over the winter which was a nice change of scene for him.  New team member Tom Grant has started and seems to be fitting into things well.  Hannah is back in the office after a two week break over Christmas and will continue to work a four day week until things get busier in February.  We are awaiting the arrival of our two new riders, Kelly Prather & Olivia Loiacono, two CCI4* riders from the USA.  Visas are proving complicated but we hope to have them settled by mid-February.

The horses have all started their walking and the first few weeks are always quite exciting with fresh, well rested horses.  We are definitely drawing straws for the nicer rides.  Although so far we have only had one faller, bets are on Neuf Des Coeurs dispatching Jason in the near future!  It is a fun time of year for me and exciting to see which horses have come on over the winter but for the staff it is as busy as ever with woolly coats to be clipped and long manes to be pulled to turn the grubby gremlins back into event horses!!

Before Time, Gaucho and Henton For Fun enjoying a good scratch!

Over the coming weeks there is plenty to look forward to.  We have Team Training starting in February and plenty of dressage and show jumping shows to attend, as well as fitting in visits from all the owners to see their respective horses.   The Press hype ahead of what will be an exciting season is picking up too so there will be plenty to keep us all busy.  It is scary to think it is only six weeks before the first events start – where does the time go!   

The sad news for 2012 is I don’t have Cool Mountain to ride.  He suffered a minor injury in Luhmuhlen last year and unfortunately will miss the 2012 season.  This was quite a blow for myself and the team, he was so consistent at Championship level and he was my ‘banker’, for the 2012 season ahead.  But on the up side, Parklane Hawk, Oslo & Lionheart really upped their games in the back end of last season so all three have a very real chance of selection and I would be delighted to be riding any one of them come July.