Busy weekend.
Our troops attended two different shows during the weekend.
Friday was Camden ag show.
Camden has changed their timetable from two days to one day with two rings, because of last year's aftermath of EI.
The result means more room to warm up and ride ,no harness horses, sorry they are a real hazard for us and we had a really good day.
Camden Show has reinvented itself in the last few years.
They have changed and enlarged their parking and the water taps are close as is the toilet block,all considerations when we have very early starts and late finishes.
John Valance and Jane Frankum are the chief organizers. Jane is the main steward/marshall and she is wonderful. John was the CD in the number one ring, his tracks always take some jumpingbecause of their technical nature and the light rails. The jumping equipment is very attractive, the footing was great and the numbers were good. There were 40 entries on the mini Prix for instance but only 8 horses fronted up for the GP. There were some notable ommissions because of the big event in NZ last week.
Brad Longhurst from Canberra was the CD in the 2nd ring and he is coming along very well. He is keen to learn and is putting in the miles and hours to be as good as he can.
Australia certainly needs more keen CD's.
Our troops had a day called experience, a rail here and there enough to put us out of the money.
Peter Carcary rode his horse Poet's Corner for a clear in the mini prix and he had a go in the GP for one down in the first round.
Peter did marvellously as he hasn't ridden in a class since riding Poet in the World Cup at Toowoomba in August 08.
We went to the local jump club on Sunday for the Hawkesbury Riding Club's annual jumping day.
Hawkesbury runs their days at our jump club and we have a crossover of members.
Harry was the main rider yesterday, he rode two young TB chestnuts, and he had a go with Dale again.
The two TB's haven't been out and they coped very well, both jumped around the 60cm and the 75 without penalty.
Harry was placed 2nd and 5th so he was very pleased.
I was 4th and 5th with Tango in the 1.05 and 1.10m.
Harry had a very busy day and he rode well. It was the sort of day riders to have to enlarge their experience.
When we can get an uninterrupted run at the computer we will put some pics up.
cheers,
colleen

Castle Hill Show another big success for the Brook Team.
The ground was as good as you could ask for,beautiful turf at this time of the year.
Mark Atkins the CD was given the thumbs up from the riders. The courses were flowing and a stile(short rail with light poles) kept the clear rounds in the right numbers.
Friday I have reported, Saturday was my day in the ring. We were 5th in the grand Prix,unfortunately Poet and I knocked one down rail in the first round.He jumped very well so that is the main thing for the upcoming bigger shows.
Liz and Harry had a fun time on the Junior/ Young Rider day on Sunday.
Liz rode her new horse,Greenbah(chestnut Tb B grader) in the 1m A2 for third .Silver Hollywood Charge won the class with a smart round.
Liz and Caesar were third in the 1.10m Junior and 1st in the 1.20m Junior.
Liz rode very well . To have two or three horses at a show makes a big difference for a rider.
They are able to keep going around and the experience is necessary for their riding education.
Harry was third with Dale,his first ride in the ring with him in the 1m.
Same for Harry, miles in the ring gives yoyu much needed experience.
Jessica Conran was 2nd to Liz in the 1.20m with her grey Orion Star.
This result is fantastice for Jessica, she has worked hard with Orion and he hasn't always been easy.
Next Friday is Camden show, with two rings on one day only. We will be busy and it is a long walk from the trucks to the arena!

Castle Hill Ag Show.
Our first day was very good.
Dale and I were double clear in the 1.10m and missed a place by 100th of a second,thats pretty close.
Harry made it to the jump off and he had one down which was a very good effort and Liz with Caesar knocked one down in the first round.
1.20m liz went around on Casear for 3 down, a couple of riding errors for Liz although she rode well most of the time.
Poet and I were clear in the 1.30m and I withdrew from the jump off ready for the next class the 1.40m.
Poet jumped very well in the 1.40m to win.
Amanda madigan was clear on Gifted and she with drew from the jumpoff ready for tomorrow.
mark Atkins from Sydney jump club designed the courses and did a lovely job.
The ground at Castle Hill is beautiful.

The weekend of March 7-8 -09.
I travelled to Royal Bathurst Show (for a look) just 2 hours from Sydney over the mountains due west of Sydney.
There were approximately 10 showjumpers attending.
There were 4 horses in the 1.20m, why is this happening to our ag shows?
Bathurst have had good C Designers for the past few years and revamped their program, but no -one is going.
The entries closed 6 weeks prior to the show,that might be one factor.
It is different for the big Royals as the classes are restricted, but Bathurst has 80cm classes.
Possibly stabling should be booked but entries 6 weeks out for a 1m class don't think so.
With a bit of tweaking these shows would be be better off,but who is going to help, we know volunteers are hard to find.
Some show societies are not easy to help either.
CD's and Judges work hard and pay for their accreditation and should be paid for their efforts.They spend some very long days in the field without much attention to their needs sometimes.
The showjumping fraternity needs to address the basic needs for both sides in the sport and we can grow again.

I was in Perth teaching over the weekend.
The flight is 4-and half hours,long enough.
The weather was good and the students keen.
They are a group of eventers organized by an old friend of mine Polly-Ann Huntingdon.
The first time I went to Perth competing I stayed with her in 1985. My trip was successful because I was 1st and 3rd in the Australian Championships, a memorable time.
Polly is a workaholic, she breeds some horses,she rides a Grand Prix dressage horse, she teaches swimming and trains lots of riders.Oh yes, Polly is a three day event dressage judge and she has officiated here at SIEC, NZ etc.
Polly shows you what you do with enthusiasm,she organizes clinics with interstate coaches as she likes to keep up with her knowledge, not that is is behind. Polly has trained in germany and regularly has lessons with Harry Boldt.
Our horses are ticking along ready to fire up for Castle Hill show in a week or two and Camden the week after.
The year is flying along.
Colleen