Time is flying along very quickly at the moment and we are going from 1 event to the next at alarming speed with what seems like very few days to regroup in between!
We had a very successful weekend with the babies, Archie (Arise Cavalier), Skippy (Abakala Flagmount) and Daffy (So Amazing) all making their British Eventing (BE) debuts at Bovington in the BE90 on Saturday. Amazingly it was my 1st ever BE90 and this is my 9th season eventing but I guess there is a first time for everything.
Archie was rather excited in his dressage test and tried out a new trick to test me, but he wasn’t disgraced and then redeemed himself with a lovely double clear, a pleasing start to his career.
Skippy did a beautiful test for a 26 and considering it was only his 2nd time ever in a dressage arena it was very encouraging. He has the most fantastic and calm nature and is a pleasure to work with. He just rolled one pole showjumping and also jumped a lovely clear cross-country. Next for these 2 is a step up in level for the BE100 at Bicton.
Daffy also did a lovely double clear, a good start to her eventing career too.
The following day I had Kitkat (Another Breakfast, above) at Hambleden in the open intermediate on Easter Sunday. We had a rather alarming journey there with a seriously heavy thunder storm breaking out over our heads at 1 point and some torrential rain, but thankfully when we arrived it wasn’t as bad and I managed not to get too wet.
Kitkat did an OK test for a 32, moments of tension spoiling some really good work. He should have showjumped clear, but I got a little excited and took a stride out to the triple bar, which wasn’t very kind on him, he tried his hardest to clear it but hit the back rail for 4 faults. Otherwise he jumped a lovely round.
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
He was great cross-country, but I was testing new brakes so just took it steady to make sure he was listening to me. It was a good testing course, the ground was perfect and we had a clear round. He now heads to Withington advanced.
I have Myrtle (In Vogue II) at Bicton today (Friday) in the novice along with Archie and Skippy in the BE100.
Rosie
Full report of Hambleden in the H&H issue currently on sale, dated 24 April.
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.