En Route to Valencia

We've had a busy few weeks trying to get the horses "up and running" after their winter break. Frosty weather conditions haven't helped... so we're a little behind the curve. Regardless, Merlin, Heracross and Westwinds Cirracruise are en route to the new tour in Oliva Nova (Spain) as i'm writing this. As a matter of fact, they should be arriving in the next couple of hours.

Three day drive has had its fair share of drama - from drastic temperatures (-15°C at times) to breaking down on the side of the road. Thank God for the very calm personas of Pamela O'Rourke and Julia Bunn!

Backtracking slightly: Westwinds Cirracruise (aka Maggie) is Francis Connors GP mare in ireland owned by Barry & Alice Kehoe. They have very kindly sent her away with me. She's a wonderful Cruising mare and this will be her first trip abroad (and my first time jumping her). We'll be taking it slowly as her last show was Cavan in November (where she won the GP actually, its on youtube), and we need time to figure each other out. That goes for the two boys too, the last two weeks did not work out as i had hoped so i'm not really planning on any bigger classes the first weekend, but i'll see what happens when i get to the show :-).

Oliva Nova is supposed to be a lovely tour (see website www.metsp.es) orginially 4 x CSI3, however i recently discovered it had been downgraded to CSI2 level as the young horse prize money is no longer accountable in the total prize fund of the show under FEI regulations. Very disappointing.

I'll be flying out very early tomorrow morning. Apparently there's wifi there so i'll be able to keep you up to speed!

Wish me luck....