News Room:

 

January 2012 Update

Happy New Year to everyone and lets hope it’s a great 2012 especially for our dressage team at the Olympics!

We are certainly really appreciating this incredibly mild January, lets hope it stays that way for as long as possible!

Caseys horses AEA Julius and Signeur have settled in well here at Fairfields. Julius has done three PSGs and improved every time out gaining 64%, 65% and 67% so very pleasing !

Signeur is just about to begin competing again having been castrated but is then going to go to Germany to train with Casey for a couple of months.

Pupil Natalie Brown has just had a good win at Advanced Medium with Windspiel  at Oldencraig in Surrey, particularly pleasing as it was their first outing for several months.

Kathy Bruce has just stepped up to medium level with young Delano and they are off to the winter regional’s shortly at Elementary .The combination are looking really good.

Madison Avenue (Herbie) is still resting, we sincerely hope it wont be too long before he is out and about again.

I am looking forward to holding a series of clinics here at Fairfields and also some "Improve Your Percentages" days-where riders can  come-ride a test of their choice which I will judge and then give a half hour training session to improve the combination (See  training ,clinic page)

 

October 2011- We would like to welcome Casey Stickland and her mother Jeanette to our yard this month. Casey is a talented young rider,who has based her two gorgeous prix st georges horses Seigneur and AEA Julius with us.
Casey trains with us and is aiming for "young riders" next year. They are an absolute pleasure to have here and we wish them every success.

Herbie sadly is still sidelined but hopefully will be back on the circuit before too long.
Young Luca (Don Frederico) is going well.
Pauline Jaggs and Abi Busk both have lovely new horses (found for them by us) they are both based with us and will be outing competing shortly.

 

September 2011 - I am delighted to have been sponsored by "The Tweed Jacket Company”, and can’t wait to be able to show off my terribly smart navy pinstripe show jacket! Herbie and Luca (Madison Avenue and Manhattan) wont recognise me!

Luca is growing up, he is hacking, doing polework and jumping alongside his work in the school to develop his strength and to help him to balance his very big paces. We suspect the judges are going to like him!

We had the most amazing time at the Europeans in Rotterdam. How lucky were we that we were there to witness Carl, Charlotte, Laura and Emile win Team Gold ! A totally historic occasion and one that we will never forget. Carlthen winning 2 silver medals as well was just fantastic and beautiful to watch. Colin and Nessie were great company and we didn’t eat a single supper inside as the weather was great as well!  Roll on 2012!! 

Gary has done a great job backing and bringing on Harry Potter for Mel in Kent. He goes home this week and we wish them a happy and successful future together.

We have named Ritas(Uraisa) filly foal Florence.She is gorgeous and I am happy to admit I am besotted with her!

Very sadly Ulla lost her foal whilst pregnant, however next year she will hopefully be in foal to DiMaggio and Rita by Blue Hors Hotline. Natalie and Sue Brown will be co owners of Ritas Hotline foal.

 

June 2011 - Our Floristan mare had a gorgeous black filly in the early hours of last night (July 2nd) She is big and healthy,with 2 white socks and a star and snip just like her mum!

Hopefully our Gribaldi mare Ulla will have her foal shortly as well and the foals can keep each other company.

We have a new 5 year old in co owned by us and Nessie Folwell.He is a 16 hds grey Westphalien/Holstein by Campbell(Contender) a lovely mover,he will be produced for sale this summer.

Herbie is still sidelined with his torn muscle in his hindquarters ,sadly the regionals are looking unlikely now.It will be the "Winters" for him I think.

Luca (Don Frederico) is beginning to take shape now and will be out and about before long.

Gary and I are really looking forward to going to the Europeans in Rotterdam ,17th -22nd August, we aregoing with Nessie and Colin Folwell and we cant wait!

 

May 20011 - Its been a treat to enjoy endless sunny weather and a pleasure to ride and teach !

Natalie Brown from Canterbury Kent brought 2 of her horses up to us,1 for an intensive month and a 1 for a weeks training,her mother and Aunt came too and all thoroughly enjoyed it although we now know Not to let anyone stay at the George in Newent!It is Not recommended!

Lots of pupils have now qualified for the summer regionals which is great,these include Pauline Jaggs,Shelley Stutchbury,Jill Taylor,Nicky Harrison,Kathy Bruce,Vicky Cunningham and Natalie Brown. We still have a month to qualify so keep working hard if you still need a few more points!

Herbie has qualified for open medium but our attempt to qualify for advanced medium has been thwarted by a strained muscle in his hindquarters the day after winning at Abbey at the end of April. Hopefully with the help of brilliant physio Marnie he will soon be fit again. At least this has given me more time to devote to Luca our Don Frederico youngster,who is coming on well.

 

April 2011 -Herbie(Madison Avenue) scored 75% at Hartpury winning the open medium in March .Gary and I were delighted and can only thank Carl Hester and Dot Willis for their amazing training and invaluable help.

Pupils in Kent- Nicky Harrison and Mona and Shelley Stutchbury both had good wins at Open Medium and Open Elementary level in March,Congratulations!

Herbie won at Allens Hill and has now qualified for the summer regional championships (open medium)- He was 2nd in the advanced medium qualifier.

Pauline Jaggs also had a very successful day at elementary level with "Bertie" at the same show.(Pauline keeps her 3 horses on training livery with us)

 

March 2011 - Madison Avenue (Herbie) and Sue competed for the first time since the Nationals last September at Allens Hill,Pershore on 4th March 11. They won both open medium classes with percentages that take them well on the way to qualifying for the Summer Regional Championships.

Pupil Kathy Bruce and Fryendals Delano won the Elementary 59 at Oldencraig Surrey on 20th Feb 11 with 65.31% at only their second attempt at Elementary.

Jill Taylor and Baby Welton continue their successes now at Elementary level and are winning regularly! At Bedgebury in Kent on27th Feb 11 they won Elementary 59 and were 2nd in Elementary 43 with 66%.

Natalie Brown riding her own Granville won both mediums at Stilebridge Barn ,Kent on 12th Feb 11 with 68% and the qualifier with 69%

An exciting start to the season!

February 2011 - Spring is showing signs of approaching thank goodness!
Gary and I have just returned from 10 days holiday in Dahab,Egypt(fortunately nowhere near Cairo!) which was excellent and just what we needed,sunshine ,relaxation and beach!

Several new horses have arrived- a lovely small Don Frederico youngster ,"Luca",to produce, co owned by us and Jenny Gillett.

Pauline Esselmont has a new Danish horse,"Atol",who is also looking like an exciting
prospect for the coming season along side "Bertie" and "Chilli"

Herbie will start his competition season shortly at Medium level which I am really looking
forward to.

My pupils in Kent are still increasing ! I have decided to do 4 days consecutively per month ,rather than travel fortnightly which makes Herbies and the other horses training quite difficult with a lack of continuity.
I would just like to sincerely thank Kaye and Pat Williams,Nessie and Colin Folwell and several others for regularly providing fabulous B and B in Kent! I couldnt do it without you!

Our Gribaldi and Floristan mares are looking good and very in foal- so exciting times ahead!

January 2011 - New year,New horses. Jenny Gillett and ourselves have bought a 5 year old Don Frederico gelding to produce ,which we are excited about!.We are looking forward now to a busy spring season,with the yard expanding , both brood mares in foal and teaching both here and in Kent increasing!

Herbie will be out contesting Medium classes shortly

December 2010 - Congratulations to Jill Taylor and Baby Welton ! They scored no less than 80% at Speedgate on October 10th 2010 in Novice 22 and qualified well and truly for the Novice Winter Regional Championships 2011 with 5 wins in a row all well over 66%!

Jill is a longtime pupil and friend of Sue and Gary,who found Baby Welton for Jill.The mare was purchased from Sam and Linda Barr of the famous Welton Stud at Hartpury,Gloucestershire. Jill has fortnightly lessons with Sue.

Congratulations also to Kathy Bruce and Delano they too have qualified for the Novice Winter Regional Championships 2011
Delano was purchased from Peder Damgaard of "Danish Horses" as a 4 year old and with Sues monthly help they are enjoying great success now.

To Vicky Cunningham and Chunky Monkey ,Rachel Smith and Lily, Lois Price and Henry and any other combinations who have qualified,Good Luck at your respective regionals!

November 2010 - Suddenly its winter,out with the thick jumpers and warm coats! Herbie and I both have colds
and so no shows for a little while yet.We have been training at home for a while now and so perhaps in December we will get out and compete. I seem to find myself doing lots of judging at the moment which I enjoy but there never seems time to do both!
We are looking forward to Pauline Esslemont-Jaggs lovely new horse arriving from Denmark shortly and we all thorougly enjoyed the "horse shopping" experience.

October 10 - We had a slightly disappointing Nationals this year,Herbie and I made two silly mistakes,
jogging in the medium walk and then a muddled canter strike off.With five judges you cant afford any mistakes
and so we were lucky to still gain 67%.Especially as one judge had us on 61%!! Fortunately the others were nearer 69% and so without the mistakes we would have been right up there! Thats life!
We have been busy with several extra horses in for schooling and short intensive courses which seem to go down well.
My clinics in Kent continue to snowball and it is lovely staying with good friends while I am there.

September 2010 - Herbie (Madison Avenue) has qualified for the Dressage Deluxe National Chanmpionships again! This time at Open Elementary. We qualified at Keysoe, coming 3rd with 69.9%. We are really looking foward to going to the Nationals again, it is always the highlight of most dressage riders year.

We are throughly enjoying living in Newent and love our new yard. We look foward to welcoming new clients now for lessons, livery and training.

 

August 2010 - August is going to be a manic month for us! Firstly we are moving on August 7th.Although it is only 15 miles away it will still be a major manouver with 7 horses,a yearling ,2 broodmares and a foal .3 dogs
and us! I am judging at various regional championships around the country and competing at Keysoe
Regionals with Madison Avenue,I am pleased with the way he is going at the moment ,so fingers crossed!
I am lucky to be having weekly lessons with Carl(Hester) on Herbie at the moment.

Aachen CHIO 2010,on July 13th Jenny Gillett,Gilly Fry,Joe Gallant and I took ourselves off to Aachen which
has become a bit of an annual pilgrimage! It was a vintage trip this time,with fabulous weather,superb world
class dressage(including Totilas,Parzival and Mistal Horjis) and then in the evenings eating in beautiful Aachen City always Al Fresco!We all came home inspired and preparing for next years trip.

July 2010 - Gary riding Jenny Gillett's Starfighter had a win at Allens Hill at Elementary in May and a good 2nd at Abbey in June with almost 68%, neither had competed for 2 years and so all involved were very pleased.

Sue and Madison Avenue have qualified at Elementary for the summer regional’s and have had some 70% plus scores at medium level. Carl Hester’s help continues to be invaluable as does Dot Willis who works is in at competition when she can.

Sue has been asked to take regular clinics in Aberdeen  - contact numbers to be found on the training – clinic page.

Corbeau, our yearling, co owned by Sue and Natalie Brown is looking good at Sam and Linda Barr’s Welton Stud.

Our 2 Broodmares Ulla by Gabaldi and Rita by Floristan have returned to Denmark to be covered by Newman, a lovely up and coming young Danish stallion.Ulla has just produced a stunning black colt foal

 

June 2010 - This weekend i had a lesson on Herbie with Carl, Saturday morning (fab) then dashed over to Addington for a Grand Prix judge training course with David Trott (excellent). on Sunday we went to Hunters E.C. at Cirencester with Herbie - as mentioned below and came home with 2 firsts. Dot Willis came over to help me warm up which was, of course, great help. So all in all a very good weekend.

MAY 16, 2010 - Our competition season has begun well, with Madison Avenue (Herbie) and Sue winning 5 elementary tests in succession! with two 71% plus scores, we are delighted with him. He will now compete at medium level.

it has been fun riding at 3 venues that are totally new to us - Burrows Court, Allens Hill near Worcester and Hunters E.C. Cirencester. all the organisers have been extremly welcoming, which is lovely.

 

APRIL 2010 - We are looking forward to the start of the new competition season, now that the warmer weather is here!

Herbie will be contesting elementary and medium classes, with Sue. Whilst Gary is looking forward to taking Jenny Gillett’s Starfighter out, also at elementary and medium.

One of brood mares, Ulla by Gribaldi, is due to foal soon. Watch this space!

Corbeau, last years foal from our other Florestan move, is now a handsome black yearling, staying at Sam & Linda Barr of the Welton Stud at Hartpury.