From the highs of Burghley, we headed to Blenheim where we had two horses, Amiro Island and Cooley Anything You Like, competing in the 4*S 8&9 year old class.
Each of the horses showed real maturity in the dressage, with the main palace arena being a bigger stage than anything either had seen to date. Amiro Island is only 8 years old, but he’s a very cool headed horse and is generally unphased by his surroundings. He also finds everything pretty easy and his flying changes, which are so often a sticking point for horses in the young horse class at Blenheim, are very natural and established.
Cooley Anything You Like, albeit a year older than his stablemate, is less experienced and less established; this was his first foray into four-star competing and he’s not quite as solid in each phase yet. That said, both horses put in strong performances in their tests and jumped well in the main area, especially Cooley Anything You Like whose jumping technique has really come on throughout the past twelve months.
The cross country course at Blenheim is a rarity in that, although only a ‘short’, it has the galloping stretches and sweeping lines of a ‘long’. Amiro Island really impressed me – his round only reinforced my suspicions that I think he will be a serious five-star campaigner in time. Having impressed around the short at Bramham in the spring, and again at Blenheim, he has little more to prove at the moment. After a decent holiday this autumn, we’ll continue to produce him without pressure with the aim of a couple of four-star long events in 2025.
Cooley Anything You Like came up with all the right answers concerning his bravery and scope, and now needs to continue to relax into a slightly easier and more refined way of travelling, so his gusto doesn’t handicap his ability and rideability. 2024 is our first season together, he arrived off the back of a long lay off and it has been a very full and fruitful year for him with a lot of change for him to take on. We still have plenty of homework to do but he’s in a very different place compared to 12 months ago and his future is looking bright.
Before my cross country, I managed to do a team course-walk for daughter Lily and her teammates who competed at Blenheim in the Pony Club jumping. They were all extremely switched on and rode very impressively, and came away with a team win – I only found out the result as I galloped past on Amiro Island shortly after, en route to the first water and spotted them heading up the lap of honour. It was a good shot in the arm to try to match up to their standards!
Blenheim is such a brilliant venue for spectators and competitors alike and it’s wonderful how they include the grassroots for both children and adults.
As the weather turns we have one more uk event, at Kelsall Hill in Cheshire, and then fly out to the US for the Maryland five-star to wrap up the 2024 season. And then everyone can breathe.