HEATHER'S RESULTS

 Sunshine Tour 

Stormy Weather

1st March 2010

Having had a few more pleasant days during midweek, we were lulled into thinking that we might now be enjoying the Sunshine Tour. Preparations were being made to jump on the grass arenas and all was looking so much more promising, until Thursday - the rains here are something else - so back on the sand arenas for the weekend.    

However we can think ourselves really lucky that we are not at Comporta, for rumour has it that they had such bad storms that all the horses had to be put back in the trucks for their own safety. We had some pretty strong winds here on Saturday, but we only got the very edge of the storm that swept into Europe. That said we had our own sound and light show on Sunday night!!!

The boys appear to be holding up well (touch wood) - there are plenty of poor horses with allergic reactions, some in the legs and some on their bodies. According to the vets here, there is something in the water that irritates them, so washing is only done as a necessity, and then just hope it stays at bay.

 Anyway they all had their day this weekend, Skinny was 8th in the 1.40m on Friday (purposely not as fast as last weekend), Eric was 7th in the 1.30m on Saturday (hopefully he is now ready to move up to the 1.40m next weekend) and Pablo, having jumped the 1.40m on Friday and Saturday, really pulled up his socks to be 3rd in the 1.30m on Sunday (there are some real speed specialists in this class).

Monday morning, after last night`s amazing thunder and lightening, has dawned with a bright blue sky, and although there are a few clouds brewing now, they are not the menacing sort that we have been experiencing. So here`s hoping that now we really can start enjoying a Sunshine Tour.

We will try to keep posting regular updates on this page during our trip to Spain and Portugal. It could, however, depend on whether we can get ourselves in 21st century - we have the necessary equipment but do we know how it works!!! If we fail, all the results for Spain can be found on www.sunshinetour.net and those for Portugal on www.equievents.com . If we succeed, we will also keep updates on facebook and put any worthwhile rounds on u-tube - but that just might be pushing it!!!!!

Anyway, we are packed and ready to go and would be more excited if we did not know just how long and tedious the journey is. However, we are excited about how well and relaxed the horses are looking - it doesn't necessarily mean that they will jump any clear rounds, but they are going as well as they have ever gone at home, if not better. So fingers crossed that we have an absence of bad luck and that we can post some good news reports!!

 DIRE STRAIT

07/01/09       Towerlands                            1.20       1st

16/05/09       Hadleigh                                  1.25       4th

25/05/09       SWSJC                                    1.30       3rd

27/05/09       Suffolk County                      1.50       2nd

10/06/09        Patchetts                                1.30       3rd

02/07/09       Royal Norfolk                         1.20       4th

06/08/09       SWSJC                                    1.25       2nd

09/08/09       SWSJC                                    1.35       1st

23/08/09       Equifest                                   Acc        4th

30/08/09       Edenbridge & Oxted             AT         6th

21/10/09       Towerlands                            1.30       2nd

10/12/09       Forest Edge                           1.30       2nd

    PABLO

  10/04/09       Vilamoura                                 INT     10th 

 17/04/09       Vilamoura                                 INT       5th

18/04/09       Vilamoura                                 INT       4th

 16/05/09       Hadleigh                                  1.25       2nd 

 17/06/09       Towerlands                             1.30       1st  

25/06/09       Lincs                                       1.30       2nd

 BALOUBET NICE & EASY

  20/11/09             Keysoe                                              1.25          5th

  11/12/09             Forest Edge                                      1.25          2nd