Happy New Year! Well here we are in 2015 and we are heading at speed towards the new eventing season. It feels like only yesterday I was doing my last event at Aldon. How time flies!
The past few weeks of the Christmas/New Year period have gone by in quite a blur with plenty of hunting, racing and partying to keep us busy.
In my last blog I was just off to watch Rock On Ruby, trained by my brother Harry, run at Cheltenham and, well, what an absolute star he is. He won that day then went back there on New Year’s Day and won again with Noel Fehily on board each time.
The horse is so tough and a real credit to Harry, Ciara and the whole team. It was obviously very fitting and special that Harry and Ciara’s baby, Ruby, was there both times to watch him.
Hunting in Ireland
I also managed to squeeze in a fantastic weekend away in Ireland with my brothers, George and Jamie, just before Christmas.
We went over for a day’s hunting with the Kilkenny Foxhounds, very kindly organised by Neil Walsh. I had a great little cob called George to look after me and thankfully he knew what he was doing…some of the drains we jumped were fairly hairy and large! It wouldn’t be hunting for the faint hearted that’s for sure!
I have been over to Ireland to hunt before, but it was great to go over again and get some more Irish experience.
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We were also really spoilt to have a tour round Ballylinch Stud, home to some very well known racing stallions. Most notably, Lope De Vega, a flat stallion and Beat Hollow, a dual-purpose stallion who, the six times Cheltenham festival winner, Quevega, is in foal to.
Our eventing blogger has a successful last run and looks forward to a busy winter of racing and hunting
Big Buck’s and Denman
The Monday after we returned from Ireland we were back out hunting with the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale jumping over what we are used to — hedges!
It was a very special day because we were very privileged to have two legends of National Hunt racing —Big Buck’s and Denman — out with us, As the meet was hosted by their former trainer, Paul Nicholls, it was all very fitting. They looked absolutely magnificent and seem to be really enjoying their new lives, which was just fantastic to see.
My eventers are all well and we will be off to our first competition of 2015 this week: some British Showjumping at West Wilts.
With the next couple of weeks filling up with dressage, showjumping competitions and the usual training regime, I’m really excited to kick things off!
Fingers crossed this year is a good one and I’m really looking forward to sharing the highs and lows with you all once again.
Rosie
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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.
