Burnham Market in Norfolk has not always been the happiest hunting ground for team Birch, compacted by the fact it is a flipping long way away. Last year was fraught with lorry malfunctions and crashes in the collecting ring but 2016 made up for all that with THE COURT JESTER winning the hugely competitive CIC**. He produced the best test he and Sammi have done, to score 39, and then jumped double clear with only 2 time faults to win by a margin. Proof if it were needed that Sammi may now be a mum, but she can still put her foot down across country without passing out.

HUNTER VALLEY ran in the CIC*** and not to be outdone, he touched just one rail and steamed round clear XC to finish in the top half.

Not a bad day at the office for someone coming back from a year off to have a baby.