March 2009 - Posts

Trials and frustrations

The trials and frustrations of training a pointer are hitting home! We have been very lucky as Storm has always been very easy to train but he has not been his usual self this season. Although he was third at Great Trethew last time out it was a poor third and jockey Richard Woollacott was very disappointed. We have since had him blood tested and had his back looked at and it would seem that there has been a bit of a problem in his wither area, which in turn affected his white blood cells. Anyway hopefully it is all sorted now and he seems in fine fettle - we won't know more til he runs again and hopefully he will appreciate better ground - I am now dithering over where that will be. I just wish Storm could talk, it would be much easier.
Anyway Pippa and I made the most of the good weather to clear a track up through the woods which we used last season to canter up and it was great going up there again on Monday before having a spin up the gallop.
Ponies are no less complicated! Ted was off his feed after racing at Buckfastleigh so we have been tempting him to eat by adding bruised oats to his food - amazingly he can pick them out and leave the cubes! He had a few days off out in the field afterwards and we picked up his work again this weekend with Upcott Cross on the horizon. It is a shame there isn't a D and C pony race fixture this weekend, as it is a long time for the children to keep riding every day when the next race seems so far away.
 Champagne Charlie has been sold and is now schoolmastering a nine year old boy called Daniel in all things Pony Club and we hope they have a very successful time together. The bad news for Ted is that, apart from missing Charlie out in the field, he will now have to have a bash at polocrosse! Should be fun to watch.
 

Axe Vale Hunt Supporters Club forthcoming events

Saturday, April  4
End of Season Supper with 'The Generation Game' Entertainment
7.30 for 8.00 pm at Colyton Town Hall
Please book in with Eric Pomeroy or Ross Wilmington
 
Sunday, April 5
Pleasure Ride starting from Whitegate, Colyton Hill (just past the Point to Point Course towards Colyton).
Contact Carolyn Selley 01404 871543
 
Sunday, April 26
Point to Point and pony racing at Stafford Cross, Seaton.

Sunday, May 3
Open Horse & Dog Show, Elverway Farm, Branscombe
Contact Becky Dormor 07967 374948
 

East Devon pony club hunter trial results

HT results Bicton March 8th 2009 HT results Bicton March 8th 2009 Registered Charities No: 1050146 Page 1 of 3 09/03/2009 © 2009 East Devon Hunt Pony Club Class 1 1st 57 Harry Harding/Toya Inspiration 2nd 138 Abi Sparks/Brenin 3rd 112 Alice Crocker/Just Jack 4th 81 Nicola Mornson/Sapphire & Diamonds 5th 143 Jessica Hoare/Spring 6th 11 Jenny Williams/Lucca 7th 16 Rachel De Bradeny/Riversdale Springtime. 8th 97 Kathryn Parish/Lulu 8th 15 Katie Lobb/Rosie 9th 90 Elise Littlewood/Hanna Class 2 1st 5 Charlotte Ball/Toffee 2nd 169 Taggy Forester-Bennett/Showtime 2 3rd 196 Sam Nicholls/Dogo 4th 98 Katie Parish/Just Paradise 5th 187 Abigail Crabbe/Diamond Geejen 6th 178 Clare Harvey/Star 7th 44 Lauren Allanson-Bailey/Honey Pie 8th 100 Sally Turner/Anna 9th 115 Sam Knott/Spirit 10th 159 Alastair Littlewood/Stroller Class 3 1st 145/155 Andrea Riggs/Charlie 2nd 135 Laura Summers 3rd 126 Lizzie Potts/Straight Air 4th 148 Sylvia Littlejohns/Muli 5th 160 Billie-Ann Warren/Rally 6th 137 Anthony Rainwater/Magpie 7th 134 Vicky Pincombe/Pikey 8th 110 Sophie Allen/Lowman 9th 206 Heidi Cruickshank/Kublai Khan 10th 19 Carol Thompson/Titus Class 4 1st 155/157 Andria Riggs/Leigh Riggs 2nd 196/198 Sam Nicholas/? 3rd 148/149 Sylvia Littlejohns/Stacy Littlejohns 4th 93/94 Kate Stevens/George Alsop 5th 66/67 Shelley Griffiths/Louise Gulliford 6th 239/240 Anna East/Tasha Puddy 7th 187/123 Abigail Crabbe/Adi Greenwood 8th 245/37 Leigh Gething/Flora Fraser HT results Bicton March 8th 2009 HT results Bicton March 8th 2009 Registered Charities No: 1050146 Page 2 of 3 09/03/2009 © 2009 East Devon Hunt Pony Club Class 5 1st 66 Shelley Griffiths/Honey Row Lady 2nd 240 Tasha Puddy/Tough Queen U.S.A 3rd 248 Philippa Kerry/Ingles 4th 36 Michaela While/Shalimar 5th 30 Laura Shillam/Connor 6th 217 Katie Garner/Narramore Atlanta 7th 262 Hettie Bayley/Harmony 8th 176 Lauren Reed/Honeybee 9th 207 Rhianna Parke-Yates/Hughie Class 6 1st 167 Gemma Down/Sirsalvador 2nd 46 Suzanne Allanson-Bailey/ 3rd 222 Angela Browne/Inching West 4th 241 Jeremy Brown/Walker 5th 250 Will Greenslade/Baldrick 6th 263 Pippa Perry/Irish Auk 7th 82 Nicola Morrison/Tiger Lily 8th 259 Emily Monger/Game on 9th 247 Emma Custance-Baker/Heron 10th 215 Mandy Salmon/Roan Boy Class 7 1st 253 Emily Burns/Camdratrs Figalr 2nd 241 Jeremy Brown/Walker 3rd 250 Will Greenslade/Baldrick 4th 248 Phillipa Kerry/Jingles 5th 249 Kathryn Little/Ideal 6th 221 Henry Richards/Brit Ceuars Brand 7th 154 Julie Luxton/Stormhill Antelope 8th 252 George Lethbridge 9th 118 James Lothard 10th 260 Cristelle Durrant Class 8 1st 185 Josie Bryford/Lightning 1st 195 George Selley/George 2nd 38 Marha Keats/Carlie 3rd 121 Tara Bashford/Polo 4th 188 Elle Slade/Penny 5th 53 Anna Johannson/Shadow 6th 78 Imogen Griffith/Rossi 7th 183 Sophie Mae Weston/Maisy HT results Bicton March 8th 2009 HT results Bicton March 8th 2009 Registered Charities No: 1050146 Page 3 of 3 09/03/2009 © 2009 East Devon Hunt Pony Club Class 9 1st 124 James McLachlan/Showman 2nd 195 Georgia Selley/George 3rd 130 Indra Ecle/Tango 4th 83 Bryony Sanders/Master Mitch 5th 95 Alice Derryman/Woody 6th 73/72 Emma Nantzas/Bailey 7th 6 Rhiannon Tewson/Paddington Bear 8th 193 George Perrington/Glory 9th 185 Jane Brinford/Lightening Class 10 1st 99 Katie Turner/Sorbay 2nd 101 Alex Funnel/Monkey Class 11 1st 183 Sophie Mae Weston/Maisy 2nd 225 Rosie Hattersley/Abbie 3rd 96 Katherine Perchard-Richards/Woody 4th 6 Rhiannon Tewson/Paddington Bear 5th 79 Sophie Griffin/Bonnie 6th 198 Harriet McGoverin/Charile Class 12 1st 83/84 Bryony Saunders/Master Nitch Eleanor Saunders/Thunder Class 13 1st 161/4? Charlie Hart/Arnie 2nd 198 Harriett McGovern/Charlie 3rd 23 Carron Saunders/Belle

Barnaby wins at Buckfastleigh

We endured monsoon like downpours in the hour before the first pony race was due off at the DVHH point to point at Buckfastleigh and the tack check in the paddock was certainly an experience! Fortunately the rain stopped in time for the 138 race. All eyes were on Hannah Welch who won the Mid devon race and she got a cracking start. Hot on her heels was her cousin Barnaby Treneer on Talponciau Perfect Print and Pippa Glanville on Ravara Super Ted. These three made a break for it along the back straight and were soon clear. Rounding the home turned Hannah pushed Bronze Lawrence for home but was just beaten by Barnaby who was registering his first pony race win. Pippa finished third and there was harsh luck for the fast finishing Victoria Sleep whose pony was spooked by an onrushing supporter in the crowd and unseated her close home. It was great to see Imogen Darke, 9, having her first ride on her lovely pony Grantley April Showers and it wont be long before we see her again. Her dad Ross trained the winner of the members' race for 18 year old Ian Hargreaves to have his first ride and first win just 40 minutes later so they had a busy day. Rachel Leyshon strolled home in the 148 race, her pony Total Eclipse having already won at the Carmarthenshire this season. It won't be long before Bronwyn Buttery and Ginger Biscuit are flying the flag for the Modbury Harriers though and it was good to see Josie Gordon have a great ride on Whinney Widget to finish third. Unfortunately there is a break in the season now until the Eggesford on April 11 and it is a shame that one of the meetings in between don't hold pony races. Well done to everyone who took part as we know you all ended up freezing cold and soaking wet - I hope noone was off school with a cold on Monday!

Buckfastleigh pony races

All is set for Buckfastleigh pony races at noon tomorrow - Sunday March 8. non runners are Robert Hawker and Isobel Hunt but there is almost a full house and competitive racing is assured.

New fences unveiled

The new hunter trial fences at Bicton Arena are unveiled this Sunday when the East Devon Hunt branch of the Pony club hold their annual event. Always a busy day, it is bound to be even more popular this time.
 Also on Sunday is the second of the Devon and Cornwall Area PTP pony races at Buckfastleigh (first race off at noon).

Socialising at Ottery

There were many great things about this year's Ottery St Mary point to point which always gives a chance to catchup with old friends. The course was changed and featured a new look open ditch and there were three fences in the railway straight and only two in the home run which had a dramatic effect on the day. Racing was much more fluent and there were no last fence fallers. The fences were impressive and up to height and a fitting tribute to retiring clerk of the course Bill Trump and course builder Andy Ross. The weather was springlike and the standard of horses taking part led to competitive racing throughout.
 Ben and Mark Moore had their first year as Clerks of the Scales and did really well, coping with all the stresses of weighing in and out the jockeys before and after each race. One absentee was course owner and racing character Oliver Carter,who is currently in hospital, but his family played a message from him over the loudspeaker. As he boomed "Hello, it's Oliver Carter here' all the regular racegoers looked at each other and said in unison "pick up all your litter!"
 Local winners included Bill and Sue Trump's horse McSolo in the members' race, Kathy Stuart's Kenickie, and the Gundry/Walkter trained pair Restlesss Harry and Labarynth - not bad to see four of the 10 prizes stay close to home.
 It was also a treat to see Southwestern back to his best in the men's open and the horse is now qualified to take his chance in the Cheltenham Foxhunters. If you haven't been to a point to point before why not give it a try. It is a great day out. Pack a picnic, take more warm clothes than you imagine you might need and you will have a whole heap of fun.