21May 2009 CUMBRIA FARMER CumbriaHorse
Show Diary
MAY
Sat 16 � Greenlands: provisional
CFHS Branch Pony Club XC rally.
Contact Christian Hilton
Sun 17 � Greenlands: Ullswater
Pony Sports unaffiliated and
BSJA showjumping
Sun 17 � Kingwater: Western
Riding Club
Sun 17 � Cumbria Endurance:
Silloth beach ride in aid of
lifeboats
Sun 17 � Cumbria Endurance:
Tebay, national ride
Sat 23 � Greenlands: BSJA
mixed
Sat 23 � Inglewood: showing
show. Contact Ellen Jones for
further details
Sun 24 � Cumbria Riding Club:
Dressage Day. For details go to
www.cumbriaridingclub.org.uk
Sun 24 � Caldew Riding Club:
showing show at Glasson. Email
caldewridingclub@hotmail.com
Mon 25 � Carlisle Races: Bank
Holiday Carnival Day. Flat.
Sun 31 � Caldew Riding Club:
first points show, Glasson
Sun 31 � Greenlands: Burghley
event pony qualifiers. For
schedules, phone 016974 76786
/ 079697 35875 or email
Daryledavidson@btinternet.com
Sun 31 � Cumbria Endurance
(EGB Cumbria) ride at Silloth.
Entries to Heather Park, 65 Syke
Road, Wigton, CA7 9NG. For
more info email
heather.park@tiscali.co.uk.
Sun 31 � Cumbria Riding Club:
Peter Gurney timed ride. For
details, visit the website at
www.cumbriaridingclub.org.uk
JUNE
Mon 1 � Carlisle Races:
Gentlemen's Day. Flat.
Fri 5 � John Peel Riding Club:
forest ride at Catlowdy. For
details, www.johnpeelrc.btik.com
Sat 6 � Greenlands: NCPA
summer show
Sun 7 � Greenlands:
unaffiliated showjumping.
Ponies 10am, horses 2pm
Sun 7 � Inglewood: unaffiliated
showjumping, ponies, 11am
Sun 7 � Cumbria Riding Club
showjumping day. For details,
www.cumbriaridingclub.org.uk
Sat 13 � Greenlands:
unaffiliated showjumping.
Ponies 10am, horses 2pm
Sun 14 � Greenlands: BSJA
Mixed
Sun 14 � Blackdyke: affiliated
and unaffiliated dressage
Sun 14 � Kingwater: Shires SJ
qualifiers. Details at
www.redpinevents.co.uk.
Contact Sam Shiner. Pony
classes: 60, 65, 75cms. Shire
qualifiers: 85, 95cms. Horses: 65,
75, 85, 95cms
Sun 14 � Inglewood: working
hunter competition. Contact Val
on 01768 866410 or 07980 674409
Sun 14 � Caldew Riding Club
Variety Show at Glasson. Email
caldewridingclub@hotmail.com
for further information
Sun 14 � Cumbria Endurance
(EGB Cumbria). Trotters entries
to Penny Pearce, 1a Green Lane,
Dalton in Furness, LA15 8LZ . For
more details, email
penpearce@yahoo.co.uk
Mon 15 � Carlisle Races:
afternoon flat racing
Wed 17 and Thurs 18 �
Kingwater: David Wadge lesson.
Contact Ellen Jones on 017684
83511 / 07787 570736 or email
sparket@btinternet.com
Sat 20 � Kingwater: western
riding demonstration. Contact
Ann Dalton on 01670 787724
Sun 21 � Greenlands: spotted
horse and pony show, indoors.
Contact Sheila Wilson on 01697
361239
Sun 21 � Kingwater:
unaffiliated dressage. Tests:
walk and trot A, walk and trot
B, prelims. 4 and 7. Novice 21
and 27
Sun 21 � Greenlands: Ullswater
Pony Sports. BSJA and
unaffiliated showjumping and
games
Sun 21 � Cumbria Endurance
(EGB Cumbria), Little Tebay. Entries
to Carolyn Cummings, Street Farm
Stables, Orton, Penrith, CA10 3SE.
For details, email
streetfarmstables@hotmail.co.uk
Sun 21 � Cumbria Riding Club:
combined training. For details,
www.cumbriaridingclub.org.uk
Sun 21 � John Peel Riding Club:
combined training competition
at Blackdyke. For details,
www.johnpeelrc.btik.com
Wed 24 � Carlisle Races: Bell &
Plate Day
Fri 26 � Greenlands: CFHS
Branch Pony Club, afternoon
and evening
Sun 28 � Greenlands:
unaffiliated showjumping.
Ponies 10am, horses 2pm
Sun 28 � Kingwater: outdoor
arena XC. Ponies 11am, horses
2pm. Novice int, open, clear
round classes
Sun 28 � Inglewood:
Trailblazers showing show.
Contact Ellen Jones on 017684
83511 / 07787 570736 or email
sparket@btinternet.com
Sun 28 � Caldew Riding Club:
second points show at Glasson.
For more details, email
caldewridingclub@hotmail.com
At last! I've joined
the elite riders of
equestrian world!
`It was at the highest point of
the trajectory that we parted
company and went our
separate ways, flying without
wings until we belly-flopped
in the murky depths'
N
ever let it be said that
I'm the boastful type �
but I would like it to be
known that my name
can now be mentioned in the
same breath as Mary King,
Zara Phillips, Pippa Funnell
and Ruth Edge. Yes indeed, I
am now one of that elite band
of riders.
What's this � I hear you cry �
can she possibly have won a top-
flight competition? Ummmm...
Has she proudly carried her
country's colours in some eques-
trian sport? Not exactly...
Has she perhaps won honours
or distinction in her chosen field?
Alas no.
My reason for claiming entry to
that illustrious band of eventers �
is that just like each one of them, I
too have known the joys of being
jocked off at the water-jump.
I love cross-country. I'm not
much good at it, but I love it just
the same.
Actually, the same could be said
for showjumping, carriage-driv-
ing, western riding � you're prob-
ably beginning to see a pattern
emerging here. Basically, I enjoy
just about every kind of equestri-
an sport, but couldn't claim mas-
tery of any.
You may also have noticed I
didn't include dressage in the list
� that's not by any means an
intentional slight towards that
most hallowed of pursuits, but
frankly if the score sheets and
judge's comments are anything to
go by, I'd probably fare better at
pole-vaulting. As far as I'm con-
cerned, and to paraphrase a
famous quote quite shamelessly,
dressage is a foreign country; they
do things differently there � and I
can't speak the language.
But I digress � back to the cross-
country. And that water jump inci-
dent.
It happened at a recent event at
Whitehills near Lockerbie. I was
riding my lovely Bounce � and it
was our first ever cross-country
competition, so it would be fair to
say the nerves were dancing just a
tad. They weren't so much but-
terflies with fragile wings, as bats
with hobnailed boots.
The fact that I was attracting a
few incredulous looks because I'd
elected to ride Bounce in his nor-
mal bitless bridle wasn't making
me feel any more confident.
Well, off we shot towards the
first jump � which happened to be
a brush � and wouldn't you think
my ex-racer would just treat that
like an old friend and sail over it?
Apparently, brush fences don't
look the same if you don't have a
dozen other horses round you all
jumping at about the same time.
At least I assume that must be the
case since Bounce clearly thought
it was a horse-eating dragon, lying
in wait just for him.
It was not the most auspicious
of starts � however, we did get
over it even if our approach had
been of the zigzag variety. And he
actually popped over the next few
like a good 'un, so I was really
quite enjoying myself and I'm
quite sure my delighted yells of
`Oh good lad!' were probably
heard right round the course.
Then we got to the water. I'd
had my doubts about it when I
walked the course � first you had
to jump a log, then after a stride,
drop down into the water. Alter-
natively, you could choose to walk
into the water down a slope, but
this would add 15 penalty points
to the score.
Since I had no expectations of
rosettes, I had thought I'd prob-
ably end up taking the easy route,
but Bounce popped over the trunk
no bother and headed for the
water quite confidently, so I decid-
ed to sit tight and see what hap-
pened.
But not quite tight enough it
would seem!
When he saw the drop he hes-
itated for a second, then gathered
himself up and launched into the
air like a cross between a Harrier
jump-jet and a Flying Fox. Sheer
momentum propelled me higher
still and I think it was at the high-
est point of the trajectory that we
actually parted company and went
our separate ways, flying without
wings until we belly-flopped igno-
miniously in the murky depths.
Pardon the indelicacy here, but
I was soaked right to the knickers.
He was a good lad though �
didn't hightail off into the wide
blue yonder, but stood and waited
for me to get back on, and we
completed the course in some
kind of soggy fashion.
Oh yes � I also smacked my
nose off his neck at one point, so I
actually came over the finishing
line dripping wet and slightly
bloody.
Needless to say I didn't have a
change of clothes with me � so I
had to wear my husband's jeans,
with the legs rolled up and a lead-
rope round my middle to keep
them up. He was less than
impressed � "please don't let any-
body see you!"� but I thought I cut
quite a dash. Who knows, maybe
I'll start a whole new cross-coun-
try fashion!
GILLY FRASER
A day at the races: There's plenty going on at Carlisle Racecourse
Show Diary
Riding high: Gilly's name can be mentioned in the same breath as Pippa Funnell`s

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