Back to West Wilts Equestrian Centre for a whole heap of Chedington horses and for once a fine sunny day awaited the team which was much appreciated. Suddenly the Paris Olympics seems a distant memory as the young guns come out again after their summer mini break and they all looked fresh enough for sure this morning.
The novices were first up and Jonelle had four in quick succession. Tim had just the two novices followed by three 100 horses so his day was a little more spread out. Tim and The Highlander (Ivar) posted their usual good test for a 25.3 and added a nice double clear with some 5.8 time for 10th whilst Gloire de Marchenval (Louis) scored a 30.3 and added 8 time for 9th spot. They are two really classy horses ready to do great things in 2025 and are laying the foundations for that now. Both horses had a lovely ease back into eventing and found what can be a tricky track at WWEC much within their boundaries.
Jonelle and Faerie Good Golly are well aquatinted by now and Golly was all business for a 27.3 and just 0.8 of a time after a lovey clear in the showjumping for 3rd spot, a few more points and a little bit of prize money. Full sister Faerie Usain (Maude) has made the somewhat unusual swap from Tim to Jonelle as they felt that perhaps Maude may be a better fit for Jonelle’s mares team and today was the day of reckoning.
A 30.8 dressage and an unfortunate rail was hunky dory but the last time Maude came to WWEC was when she left Tim upended head first in the ditch and pallisade cross country and headed home fast and free. Of course said ditch and palisade was in the same place in the track today so some sort of baptism of fire for the new partnership loomed. Jonelle had taken Maude off to the crazy schooling ground at Rosamund Farm where about 300 fences are crammed into a rather small area as a prep and it clearly paid off as they sailed over the ditch of doom and came home with just 2 time. Hopefully the start of a beautiful partnership.
J’Orange (Daisy) scored a 32.3 on the flat but added just 1.6 time for 6th spot in her section and Illico de l”Esques (Nico) was at his most laid back for a horizontal 33, a lazy couple of rails for 8 faults and then a lovely cross country for 3.2 time. Nico is clearly still half in holiday mood and I have no doubt that normal service will be resumed by his next outing!
Tim swapped onto his 100 horses and boy, they are green! Indy du Loir is determined he is going to be a really good event horse and he organised his frame into a 31.8 on the flat, a clear show jumping over a tricky enough track on the all weather and a great clear cross country. Indy started the year thinking he didn’t need Tim’s help as he knew it all but he is coming around to the idea that maybe a partnership is not such a bad thing after all!
Spotless has had a brief intro to eventing followed by a short holiday followed by another intro to eventing. He was still a bit wobbly on the flat for a 35 but his showjumping was probably his least spookiest yet and he manned up for a yet another clear cross country. He looks uncannily like Happy Boy which one would assume is no bad thing since Happy has wins at Le Lion d’Angers, Le Pin au Haras and Boekelo under his belt!
Monbeg Crystal Clear (Kris) is all legs and heart. A 30.5 on the flat is impressive and then he literally weaved his way around the showjumping as he cant even go straight between two fences five strides apart as he tries so hard to get his legs out of the way of the poles, maintain canter, listen to Tim, go in the right direction…..he is such a dude. Right now he is tall and weak but his heart, just like Indy and Spot, is so in the right place.
It’s actually quite special to be a part of the start of the young horses careers. For sure they don’t all make it but for those that do, it is quite the journey from events like WWEC 100 to the Championships or even 4 star. A good chunk of team Price horses start at the beginning with them and it’s actually amazing to look back and see just how many of them rocked up at places like this along the way. And when the sun is shining and everyone is smiling it’s a really good space to be in.
Tim heads off to Arville in Belgium for the weekend with Chio 20 , Dromgurrihy Gold (Dara) in the 4*S and Garcon (Tibo) in the 3*s whilst Jonelle heads home to teach, train and host Otis’s birthday party on Friday.
Happy days.