It was great to get my eventing season started last weekend at Aldon International. It is my most local event, being less than a 10min drive away, and one of my favourites. The going is always fantastic and the Batten, Mackenzie-Green and Dick families put a huge amount of effort into running it, supported by volunteers from the Cattistock Hunt. We are so lucky to have such great support teams that enable our events to run and we really must remember to thank organisers to show them how much we appreciate their hard work.
My weekend started with two in the BE100 for Emma Fisher. They are two gorgeous big hunters and had only done their first dressage, showjumping and cross-country rounds the weekend before at Moreton 90cm unaffiliated. They were being thrown in the deep end here, but were fantastic. After being slightly green in the showjumping, they popped round the cross-country like old pros. There is definitely no better place than the hunting field to make a horse bold, brave and forward!
I then had Archie (Arise Cavalier) and Ruby (Rubabell Cruise) in the novice and the main man, Kitkat (Another Breakfast), running in the open novice on his first outing since May last year.
Archie (pictured top) warmed up beautifully for his dressage, but unfortunately decided he had had enough of behaving himself and was rather exuberant and cheeky in his test which spoilt his mark. He then jumped superbly in the showjumping, just picking up four faults when he spooked and shot sideways. He redeemed himself completely on the cross-country jumping a lovely clear with a handful of time faults. I’m really excited about this year with him, although we will be taking things slowly as it would be very easy to get carried away when he finds the jumping so easy.
Ruby was the star of the weekend, doing a much more consistent test than she produced last year, thanks to lots of help from Hannah Biggs over the winter. A slight blip in the canter kept her out of the 20s, but I was still pleased with her mark of 31.8pen. She then jumped an effortless double clear and finished second, which means she is now intermediate on points and timed perfectly as she steps up to that level next time out at Somerley.
Kitkat just about contained himself throughout, but I had forgotten how exceedingly badly behaved he is to handle on the ground at events… He does like to march all over you. He definitely thinks he is in charge and that you should go wherever he wants to go! Thankfully he is OK once I am on board and did a really sweet test for 28.3 and jumped a lovely double clear to finish fifth.
It was a really pleasing start for all of them and even better that the whole weekend was blessed by beautiful weather. These three are out again at Somerley next week.
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Rosie
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Rosie Fry has been blogging for Horse & Hound since shortly after she left university to concentrate on eventing full time in July 2013. She is the sister of National Hunt trainer Harry Fry and helps school and exercise his horses when time allows.