The following report was written by Josphine, our friend in Spain!
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FRIDAY: Arrive in England. It is raining.
Drive to Hartpury. Emilio is fascinated by how green everything is. See one Eddie Stobart lorry, also green. Do not shout.
Settle Bambi in. Walk around, look at other horses, recognise a few. Admire the facilities.
Emilio learns the english words for arena, stables, good morning.
SATURDAY MORNING
Wake up. It is raining. Half an hour later the sun is shining.
Go to breakfast.
Emilio and I compare adjectives for the restaurant coffee. He learns new english phrase - Bleeeagh.
Head for the stables.
Sue arrives in pink bling jeans
It is raining. Sue has the answer.
Bambi plaited up
and prepared for the dressage.
Sun comes out just before his tests.
One thing about Bambu, and notable after seeing some of the other horses competing, is how when he enters the arena he gets an attitude of 'OK, I'm here to work' and settles into a definite determined swing.
In the background is SueW's trainer James, on a Nice Young Horse
We wander around after the tests, looking at people and horses. Eat hamburgers, exult appropriately when results are announced.
SATURDAY EVENING
It is raining.
Bambi prepared. Sarah prepared.Both look great. (predjudiced - who me?).
Watch the class prior to Sarah's parade class. This is 'tack and dress'. Well judged, with a judge from Spain. He takes time over each contestant, explaining to the audience what they were wearing, their good points, and if they had missed it in the traditional correctness. Class won by a lady riding side saddle - beautifully turned out.
Sarah's class comes in. Plenty of colour, good turnouts, an impressive line up of Portuguese riders.
Same judge.
Exult appropriately when results are announced.
SUNDAY MORNING
Bambi stressing out. Shadow playing her Invisible Super-hero part
Sun is shining. Go to breakfast and find the strongest supposed-coffee available. Echo Emilio.
Leave coffee. Leave restaurant. It is raining.
First class this morning: In-Hand class - morphology and movement - 5 and 6 year old stallions.
Good quality of contestants. No results yet, as this class is 'completed' by the Functionality later on.
Wander round, watch some classes. Eat hamburgers. Look at results sheets.
Note number 173 - this has not been auto-edited by Selkie: the horse really exists.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
Bambi performs a good Functionality. As he exits the arena, Super-Groom Aimee co-ordinates a swop over, and Sarah heads straight up to the top arena for a Riding Horse class for stallions of all ages.
Again, good level of competition. Two horses from the more advanced dressage classes, who show with extensions, collection etc. Sarah rides well, no turtling, and presents a neat mini-show appropriate for Bambi.
Third place.
Wander round, watch horses. Remember why I normally never eat hamburgers. Eat hamburgers.
Back to the Main Arena, and results for the Breed class: 4 th
Olé!
It is raining.
Sue is teaching Emilio how to say Birmingham. Emiiio says the 'Bir' syllable sounds like a sheep. Sue proceeds to give her sheep imitation, in the middle of a wet parking area.
Drive home, go out to dinner, laugh lots.
MONDAY MORNING
Emilio & I are up at 0530, and off to the airport.
It is raining.
See 3 Eddie Stobart lorries.
Too tired to shout.
See Emilio off to Malaga. Sleep all the way to Budapest.
Call Emilio to make sure he's home OK. He tells me the first thing he did when he landed in Spain was drink two coffees - one for him, one for me.
BIG thanks to Sarah and Ami, and Chris and SueW for a super-fun weekend.
