Over the weekend my team and I enjoyed the competition at Ankum. Without the opportunity for an international competition in January we took the chance to train and consolidate Belissimo in the GP and to ride his first GP Special at this CDN. We were well pleased with his efforts and I am continually impressed with his downright dig deep attitude to the GP challenges. When you remember that Bello was out of sport for 6 years and this week marks the beginning of our partnership just one year ago. It is unbelievable just how much Bello has learnt, how much he has developed and how far we have come together in our partnership.
Belissimo was excellent and although there were still baby mistakes and silly rider hiccups we were twice second with 68%. I am hoping to get all my mistakes out of the way now so that later in the year we are all ironed out!
Ankum is a wonderful competition with great facilities and always a wonderful and friendly atmosphere. I took the chance to take a couple of youngsters for training, compete with Belissimo and actually enjoyed a little lie in watching music videos (whats that???), in our lorry on Sunday morning after going mega hard in my stables the past few weeks. Now though, its back to work!
Following Belissimo's appearance at the stallion show last Wednesday, next up was Simba and Francy's at the K and K Cup. Unfortunately a skin allergy prevented Francy from starting (but dont worry its already under control) and my performance on Simba didnt really go as planned. We did however enjoy the show and had a great opportunity to train in a big show environment to kick start the year. Here are some photos very kindly taken by Aussie mate, rider and photographer extraordinaire, Lyndal Oatley. Thanks mate!
Last night Belissimo's first stallion show of the season kicked off at the K and K Cup in Munster. Feeling a bit tired and sickly, the last thing I felt like doing was riding around in the freezing cold at 10.00 at night- but I have to say that it was a brilliant training opportunity to fine tune our warm up and test out the 'new' piaffe that we found during the week.
Bello was the star of the show and as always we had a blast!
No rest for the wicked though. We trekked home well after midnight and were back in the stables bright and early for a final training session with Francy who will make her GP debut on Saturday and Simba!
What a year! 2011 would have to have been the most challenging year of my life. We experienced highs and lows that cannot be experienced on even the craziest rollercoaster of the world.
2011 was to be a year of building my new team and business in Germany. At the end of 2010 I relocated from Switzerland to Germany where I established a new and still very exciting relationship with Zucht and Sportpferde Schmidt, the Elmerhaus Family and their wonderful stallions. At their beautiful property in Lippetal in Westfalia, I found a new home and opportunity to start my own stable where I rent 20 boxes and have state of the art facilities at my disposal. Just 70 km down the road I also found my new trainer, Hermann Gosmeier. A breath of fresh air as well as coming back to my old “Harry Boldt” basics, I really felt that I was putting everything I possibly could in order to build up a good, solid foundation.
Well, actually, it began some 10 months ago when I first stepped on board Belissimo for a stallion show last February. If you told me at that time, (when I was just trying to motivate the old bugger to do a bit of dressage-type stuff and actually keep going past the gate), I would be riding Mechelen World Cup at Christmas time I would have laughed hysterically in your face..... But here we are which is a true testament to what a wonderful character this horse has. He has not only returned to sport but has learnt the entire GP program in less than 9 months of training.
Today, Bello and I made our international Grand Prix debut. He was fantastic and despite some silly rider lapses of concentration and riding perhaps too cautiously throughout, Bello goes tomorrow into his first GP World Cup Kur. We finished in 12th position with 66.68% and in doing so picked up our first MES qualification score for the Olympics next year.
Team HB would like to wish all our friends a wonderful and safe Christmas.
Although we are missing the snow this year, (its still plenty cold enough- dont worry!) I have a planned a traditional Christmas dinner for my Aussie team on Christmas Eve. Spirits are high in the stables. We have been working very hard but also enjoying the Christmas markets and festivities that are all around Germany at this time of year. However, there is not much time to come down.
Today we got news that Belissimo and I are on the Australian A Squad which means its really time to put the head down and come up with some scores. The time frame is very short and we basically have 8 weeks to qualify with MES, qualify inside the best 8 Aussie combinations and also ride the new special twice. This will be a big test for us but we have been training very hard and Bello is improving at an impressive rate. This week marks a new beginning in our stable as Bello and I very anxiously prepare for our international debut in Mechelen on Boxing Day. Fingers crossed that all goes well in the Grand Prix as we are super keen to test out our brand new Aussie-made, Aussie-artist freestyle. Whether we make it through this time or the next we are in for one hell of a party!
Recently founded by Camilla Palmer of NSW Australia, I am very happy and excited to be supported by this upcoming business. Birdie stocks awesome imported gloves, bags, belts and other cool accessories. This is just the beginning! Just wait and see what she has in the pipeline for the very near future. 'Like' Birdie's "Birds Equisports" facebook page and keep up to date with this new little Aussie venture!
It was with great sadness that I read that Brett Parbery's Victory Salute aka Sam was put to rest today. My team and I know only too well how difficult it is to lose your best friend. Victory Salute was an Australian champion and together with Brett made history with his amazing performances throughout 2010 in both Europe and in America at the World Equestrain Games where they were the most successful ever Australian competitors.
Our sincerest condolences to Brett, Carolyn and Team Parbs at this time. There are no words for the moment but we are all thinking of you
The year is flying by us. Winter is upon us and Christmas is around the corner. Apologies to my followers for my lack of news over the past few weeks but believe me guys- we are not sleeping.
We welcome a new team to my stables with Ben Terry from Victoria (his second trip to my stables), Vay Snyman from New Zealand, Melissa Emery from Western Australia and Zoe Saxby from Queensland. A big thank you to Bell, Ben and Vay who have worked their socks off holding up the fort over the past few weeks. I love my ANZAC stables and no matter what happens to any which one of us, this Aussie-Family feel that we have is fantastic!
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