Equestrian Life September 2017 Issue

STUART BUNTINE
eventing
BURNING THE
candle at both ends!
I
hope that everyone is enjoying
the summer as much as me. We
have had family from Australia
staying, who then headed for the
Mediterranean and are now totally
convinced that our complaints about
the British summers are totally
without basis!
That said there has been a week or two
of varied weather, but looks as though
we are in for another nice spell.
I am in the middle of a crazy few
weeks. I was up at Hendersyde
(Kelso) the first weekend of the
month, I always enjoy this event, a
spectacular location and good courses.
A quick trip to Blair to walk Alec
Lochore’s courses there before back
to Hendersyde for the event where I
was TA (Technical Advisor for British
Eventing). Home Sunday night (late) a
trip to Firle (South coast) mid week, to
ensure the main arena was pegged and
roped so that the Vintage Fair (held at
Firle the following weekend) did not
park cars on it. 8 hours in the car as
the traffic around London was crazy,
home via Burton on Trent to look at,
and buy, a new trailer to house event
equipment.
London on Friday by train to meet
with a new sponsor for Osborne (this
looks positive at this point) It was
home for a weekend off, dinner with
family on Saturday evening – always
enjoyable. Then into the car and
drove to London on Sunday evening,
a stay with daughter Laura, then off
to Firle to meet with the team to peg
out arenas and trade stands – bit
frustrating as the Vintage Fair had
pulled out the arena fencing and
parked all over it!!!
Home Monday night, spent Tuesday
putting out portables for Shelford.
Wednesday in the car and drove to
Richmond to walk the course pre event
(I’m TA there), back home loaded up
the car and Anna is now driving to
Firle (I’m writing this in the car!(.
I head home Sunday night, will walk
the course at Shelford with the TA,
then off to East Midlands to fly to
Blair to TD (Technical Delegate for
the international Federation) for
the week!!!! I get home Monday,
I will have Tuesday at home, then
Richmond Wednesday, Burghley
Thursday and back to Richmond for
the event!!! At least the oil companies
will be enjoying the up surge in fuel
consumption!!!
Osberton is looming large on the
horizon and we are looking forward
to all that it has. This year we have
Brightwells (auctioneers) hosting
a sale during the event. Osberton
graduates move onto great heights as
4 of the 5 horses on the British team
at Rio were all ex competitors, so if
you want a new champion, then this is
a good place to start looking. We are
also hosting the first Working Shire
Horse Festival at the event and there
will be a side saddle display from the
Ladies from Area 12 (Notts, Lincs,
Derbys branch). This will be a great
spectacle with teams working and
parading all weekend.
The KBIS young horse championships
are always a great spectacle, I often
think that Friday is one of the best
days of competition that I watch each
year. With around 100 of the very best
4 and 5 year old horses competing, it is
sheer class in the making – Osberton
really is the place where Tomorrows
Champions are unveiled!
I hope that you will all get to come over
the weekend, the tickets are on sale and
lots of good early deals, one should never
have to pay full price on the gate.
www.osberton-horse.co.uk
www.equestrianlifemagazine.co.uk 35