As is often the case the going on the cross country was a million times better than it was in the dressage and the 6 year old track caused few problems for such a classy field. Sammi and Faerie Magnifico (George) set out at a good gallop and with Sammi's experience and George's game attitude they made light of the track to hold their 5th place.

Sammi was impressed with George's turn of foot when asked and they really did both have a super round. George finished bright and sound and was happy to be pampered for a bit before being left for a sleep. The team came back to the stables to jog him up in the early evening which George thought a monstrous intrusion on his privacy and reverted wholeheartedly to GrumpyGeorge before stomping back to his bed.

He isn't much of an early bird either so after grudgingly accepting an early breakfast from Hels he was less than impressed to be prepped for the jog. George isn't a fan of working Sundays but he skipped through the trot up and headed back for another quick kip before the showjumping.

Even on the livestream you could hear the ground literally squelching underfoot and it was without doubt difficult conditions for all of the horses. Today definitely suited the power jumpers and the eventual top 3 were just such. George isn't a power jumper, he is a nice jumper and after misjudging his height allowance for fence 1 whereby he tapped it out by an inch he tried his very best in deep ground. Sammi piloted him superbly and Jonelle summed it up best when she said " George didn't jump a bad round, he just needed to be an inch higher at those two fences!"

Two rails dropped him to 13th which is still fairly impressive for the young horse Championships and he has gained masses of experience along the way. It's another super result for Trisha Rickards small but mighty Brockenhurst Park Stud and another nod to Faerie Dazzler (Daisy) who is the mother of all these great horses. Daisy, at 26, is currently out in the Park with Faerie Dianimo (Maggie May) and George is just a couple of days away from joining them.

Just Bicton left for Sammi now... unless we can find her any more catch rides as she is proving herself pretty damn good at it!