After weeks of drying ground Rockingham got a months worth of rain in the preceeding few days before it which was pretty much universally welcomed! Apart from the hassle of getting the horseboxes stuck and waiting for tractors to pull them out the event did everything they could do to keep the show on the road which was much appreciated.

Sammi started off with 2 dressage tests on Thursday before returning for the jumping on Saturday. Its a kind of leisurely approach to eventing that I am sure Sammi wishes more events would take up! Hels posted a photo of a ridiculously early start which was basically the truck in the pitch dark yard with the lights on. It is not going to be up for a Turner prize thats for sure and I can only assume that with The Court Jester snoring his head off in his just-the-19-bales-of-shavings-bed she was a bit lost without her usual subject matter.

Queen of the flat as she is Sammi did two lovely tests. The Kincooley Ceili ( William) was contesting his first CIC 1 star and he found the big arena much to his liking and posted a 47. D was at his first CIC 2 star and he also went well for a 50. Back on Saturday and the mud always brings out the best in the professionals which was evident in the really classy round that Sammi jumped with William. D also jumped his socks off and with two clear showjumping rounds under her belt it was cross country time.

William was simply brilliant and he finished 8th in a class with well over 100 starters! He is a really exciting young horse and that experience will help him hugely for his first CIC 1 star class at Tattesalls in a couple of weeks time. D has also come on leaps and bounds and he finished in the top 15 of another big section with some very good and established names behind him.

So all in all a very good weekend with the FEI results being bang on track for the horses upcoming three day events. Tattersalls in Ireland followed by the big boys at Bramham means an exciting couple of weeks ahead and the team is more than ready for the challenge.