Otley Show

 Photo credit: Carol Stevens at Raycrosse Photography

 

 Photos by Helen Gilbertson

We had a different team for Otley Show, as Jess was busy working and couldn't make it, so Helen's sister Megan came along to help out - a brace of Gilbertson's!  Having made it safely to the show ground we put the horses out in the arena and started setting up.  It took us a ridiculous amount of time to put the stables together, and we just couldn't work out why.  Helen finally realised that we'd put the doors on the wrong way round - that'll do it!  The ground was also anything but flat, we used all our chocks and could have done with a few more!

We finally managed it and bought the boys in from the arena.  As per last week at Ilkley Carnival they were so glad to see some grass (we hardly have any at home at the moment) that they just stuffed themselves as much as they could!  They weren't the only ones who enjoyed their food, as Helen made some delicious thick half moon omelettes for supper - helped by the fact that the lorry was on a slight slant!

There was no chance for a lie in in the morning, as our first show with Casper was at 10.30am and it takes about two hours to get ready for each show.  This may seem a long time but it soon goes!  We have to clean the horse, do our hair and make up, warm up, tack up, warm the horse up and get into costume, as well as making sure the music has been tested, the props are ready and the shop is set up - two hours goes in a flash!

The showing classes started at 8am, so even though I was up at 7.30am there were lots of horses knocking about.  Casper found the whole thing very exciting, and had been whinnying his head off since about 6am - and lots of horses and ponies had been answering him!  One of the earliest classes was for Shetland Ponies, and I've never heard such high pitched whinnies.  They were all squeaking away and Casper was doing his best to imitate them!  He was absolutely wired and I knew he'd take a lot of settling down before his show, and I wasn't wrong.  After twenty minutes of flat out lunging he was still charging around shouting his head off - great.  There was nothing more I could do though so just had to hope he'd pull himself together.

It was pouring with rain and the last thing I wanted to do was take my coat off (playsuits are not very warm or waterproof!), but the music came on so off it came and in we went!  Casper surprised me because as soon as we went in he was absolutely perfect.  Shame I can't say the same for my microphone, which refused to work right from the word go.  Poor Helen ended up having to do all the commentary, apart from a couple of sections where I grabbed the head mic from her (and probably a chunk or two of her hair at the same time - oops!) and talked myself.  There is a reason why we ask for two hand held radio mics, and although we managed with one head mic between us it was far from ideal!  Despite the pouring rain we had a decent audience, and everybody clapped and cheered.  Casper's games seemed to go down particularly well, and the ever popular hoop jump definitely got the biggest applause of the show.  The only slight mistake Casper made wasn't really his fault.  I was doing the explanation freestyle in walk and Helen was commentating away.  Part of one of her lines is '...and in the canter...', Casper heard the word 'canter' and off he went!  He's very very good on his voice commands, and he was obviously listening a bit too closely!  Other than that I really couldn't fault him.  By the end of the show all of us were completely drenched, and more than happy to head back to the lorry to try and dry out.

Luckily the rain stopped in time for Tinker's show - I didn't even get wet warming him up!  He was as good as gold all through his show, and we had two working mics, so it couldn't have gone better.  Following the shows we had a walk about all the marquees, and there was lots to see.  In the produce tent there were all kinds of competitive classes on display, my particular favourites being 'Layered jelly in a pint glass', 'A pizza face' and 'A vegetable animal'.  Helen took lots of photos, which you can see alongside ones of the show by clicking here.  We also went to see the countryside area, where Ben had his Eagle and Vulture team on display.  They'd had a good day too, and as their display had been in the afternoon had managed to escape the rain.  Les Dixon was there with his Mountgrace Gundogs, as well as the Sheep Road Show.  Unfortunately we didn't have much time for stopping and chatting as we had to get packed down before it started raining again.  The tent had dried out during the afternoon and I wanted it to stay that way!

When it was time to go we had to be towed off, luckily there was lots of very helpful tractor men about and we were gone in no time.  Despite the weather we had a really lovely day, and the crowds were brilliant.  I'm amazed so many braved the weather in the morning, but by the afternoon they really were out in force.  We're back at the same site in a few weeks for Otley Carnival - hopefully the weather will be glorious and the crowds even bigger!

We've a busy weekend coming up as we're at Castle Howard for a three day show over the Bank Holiday.  We're doing our two shows a day and as it's one of our most local events there's quite a few people coming to see us.  I'll let you know how we get on!

Love Rosie x

Ilkley Carnival

All three photos by Karen Mitchell at The Peppermint Gallery

Sunday afternoon and having given both the horses a deep clean with the hot shower and LOTS of shampoo and conditioner Helen, myself, Tinker and Casper set off for Ilkley, where we were due to perform at their carnival on the Bank Holiday Monday.  Jess was working so would be joining us there in the morning.  On arrival we squeezed the lorry through the gateway, and promptly put our new lorry chocks to use - no mountaineering at this show (unlike last week)!  The arena was once again a perfect size for us, and dead flat so just ideal.  There was to be a five-a-side football tournament in the morning, and there were two pitches marked out in the arena which we soon decorated with our own arena markings - eight little yellow crosses, hopefully not too confusing!

The horses spent most of Sunday evening in the arena munching their way through the grass.  We've very little grass at home at the moment, so they really went to town!  Andrew, the organiser, even asked if they ever did anything else, and would they actually be doing anything in the show or just eating!

We were going to be performing our two horse show, and although we did this a couple of times last year (at a private wedding and Abinger Medieval Fair) I've changed everything around so it was all new to us.  I'd also put in a totally new section; games with Casper. We've been practising everything lots, so I was really hoping it would all go to plan.  We had a forty-five minute slot in the arena, which is quite a long time to fill! Jess's boyfriend Dan had agreed to film the show, so any mistakes would be caught forever.  No pressure then!!

The day itself was absolutely beautiful - easily the hottest day of the year so far.  Andrew was hoping for a good turn out, and they certainly got it.  As the parade started to arrive we were astounded by the number of people involved.  And they just kept on coming.  The field was soon absolutely rammed, with people everywhere.  Even warming up we had a big audience!  The horses felt quite lethargic though, and I was concerned they would take quite a lot of encouragement to get going in the arena.  However, that turned out to be something I definitely needn't have worried about!

I opened the show with Tinker, and he was brilliant for his first section.  Having finished the skipping it was time to introduce Casper to the show, ready for Roman riding.  I've been practising this lots and had a really nice little routine worked out on them.  Unfortunately however, Tinker decided it was time to justify our name and galloped around for the entire duration, dragging poor Casper along with him!  Needless to say it was as much as I could do to stay on, stand up and stick one arm out occassionally.  I was really annoyed with Tinker, as it was totally unnecessary and I thought the Roman riding had looked rubbish as a result.  But having looked back at the filming it actually looks quite impressive because we're going so fast!

The downside of our speedy Roman riding was that Casper was then far too wound up to concentrate properly on his games, and although he did manage most of them he could definitely have done better!  He was then also fast again for the vaulting which meant my freestyle had some pretty scary moments, so maybe my optimism last week that he was finally settling down was a bit premature.  I do blame Tink for winding him up though, so hopefully that won't happen again!  

Following Casper's part we had Tinker back again, and it was as if butter wouldn't melt - he was absolutely perfect! It was as if he'd just wanted to sabotage Casper to make himself seem like the golden boy!  We finished the show with the bridleless vaulting, which always goes down really well, especially when we do a lap of the arena at the end.  I have no control over Tink at this point though, so we tend to go wherever he wants!  Luckily he always stops when I jump off and run alongside him - maybe I should have tried this approach during the Roman riding...

After the show we slowly packed up and mooched home.  We had a really lovely day and the organisers seemed over the moon with how the day had gone; apparently it was the biggest carnival parade and largest attendance ever!  I hope we can go back another year!  There's lots of photos of the carnival all over the internet, and it's had fantastic publicity.  For a few photos of our day please click here.

We've had a weekend off (Helen and I took Casper and Gertrude, Helen's horse, on the Rievaulx Ride on Sunday which was lovely), but we're back at it this weekend with Otley Show on Saturday.  We're back to doing the two shows, so hopefully both the boys will behave themselves - I'll let you know how we get on!

Love Rosie x

Oakedge Park Game and Country Fair

 Photo Credit: Roy Westwood

Our 2013 season has started!  I can barely believe it, it's come around so quickly.  Friday afternoon we set off for Staffordshire, and Oakedge Park Game and Country Fair.  Unfortunately our sat nav (affectionately known as Wow Cow) decided that she couldn't find any signal whatsoever throughout the journey.  Luckily I had printed off a route planner as well, so along with the atlas we found our way pretty easily and arrived on site after about four hours.  The best part about the journey was that with the lorry's new cctv we were able to watch the horses - Casper Cam!

Having arrived we were directed to an area which was 'slightly sloping' - by about forty degrees!  We set everything up and spent a pleasant evening mountaineering around the lorry.  During the night the slope meant Jess kept nearly ending up in the cab, Helen kept nearly ending up on Jess, and I spent most of the night squashed up against the wall!

I the morning we took Casper down for a rehearsal in the arena (he's always better for a bit of practice), and he was foot perfect.  This makes me very nervous!  I needn't have been though, as he was absolutely brilliant in his show.  He got ever so slightly distracted by the pony ride ponies during his dance, but other than that I couldn't fault him.  He didn't seem too bothered about where Tinker was either, which was a far cry from our first show of the season last year!  After the dance came the bit I had been looking forward to - the hoop jump!  Those of you who follow us on facebook and/or twitter may have seen some of the videos of Casper learning this particular trick, and it was finally time to see if he'd do it in front of an audience.  He did - brilliantly!  He flew through it twice, so I really was very happy with him.

In the afternoon it was Tinker's turn, and he was brilliant as usual.  The bit I was most worried about with him was the bridleless vaulting, and where he would go when Helen opened the circle at the very end.  During practice the previous week at home he ran round the circle once as planned, then made a beeline for the open field gate and was headed straight towards the bird field.  Luckily he always stops whenever I get off, so I jumped off (and grabbed his head just to make sure!) and he did stop.  Helen was left in the field and apparently all she could hear was me saying 'No, No, NOOO!!'  Thankfully in the show he was very good and just went around the edge of the arena.  As he approached the rope I jumped off and he stopped straight away - what a perfect boy!

During the final section of the show I spotted Richard from The Sheep Show, who I've not seen since last year.  One of my favourite parts about doing the shows is meeting up with old friends and making new ones.  It was lovely too see Richard, and even better as he whisked us all out for an Indian meal that evening!  We'd fed him at Brocklesby Country Fair last summer, but this repayment was definitely in our favour!  Working with Richard was Jason, who was doing The Dog and Duck Show, and we all had a lovely evening with some very funny moments! 

Sunday soon came round and it was time to do it all over again.  Both the shows went through really well again, with the horses behaving brilliantly.  I don't want to speak too soon and say it seems like Casper has finally got the idea, but.....!  Tinker was very good as usual, although for some reason the sponge slipped out from under his roller during the final freestyle, which made the last couple of moves a bit dicey.  Good job it was right at the end of the show!

After the shows we wandered around to see what was about, and took ice creams down for Richard and Jason.  It was a lovely little show, with quite a bit there for its first year, and I'm sure it will grow and grow over the next few years - hopefully we'll be back as well!

Having packed up it was time to truck on home.  Wow Cow was still being temperamental, so we were trying to read the route planner in reverse - we only went around a couple of roundabouts a few times...

We've got something different for next weekend.  We'll be at Ilkley Carnival on Bank Holiday Monday, and will be performing our  forty-five minute two horse show.  We last did this at Abinger Medieval Fair back in June last year, but I've changed everything around quite a bit, so once again Helen and I have new scripts to learn!  If you're anywhere nearby do come and see us - we always love to see as many people as possible!  I'll let you know how we get on, but in the meantime you can see some photos from Oakedge Park here (courtesy of the lovely Roy Westwood who has sent them through - thank you!).

Love Rosie x

Training, Fun Ride, and 'A Night at the Movies'

Sorry not to have written for so long, but it's been a bit steady so far this year!  I've got loads of new ideas for shows for this year, which is a good job as the bookings are coming thick and fast.  We've currently only got two empty weekends between the last weekend in April and the second weekend in September, with shows up in Scotland, down in Surrey, and lots of places in between, so we really are going to be everywhere!

As such, I've been quite busy training the horses, and we've got a number of things to work on.  Casper has a new section in the show devoted to 'games', so he's learning to jump through a giant hoop, fetch a toy when I throw it, and push up a row of cones before weaving back through them.  He absolutely loves doing these things, especially the hoop!  He got so keen with the jumping that I had to devote quite a while working on his patience and 'wait' cue - which is no bad thing as it's a great behaviour to have on demand!  This little series of videos shows how his training progressed - he learnt very quickly!  I'm eventually hoping he'll go through a full paper burst, but this is something for the future.  I'm going to get him totally confident with the hoop at shows before introducing the paper burst in the arena, but we'll get there eventually - he's already going through a smaller and smaller gap with sheets of newspaper either side and across the bottom!

 

 By day four he's really getting the idea.

 

Day six and we're having to work on his patience.

Day fourteen and he's starting to go through paper!

With Tinker I've decided to do some bridleless vaulting to finish his show off.  I didn't think this would take much training, and I was right!  I basically decided one day to just take his bridle and side reins off and have a little vault to see what he'd do.  He was exactly the same as he is with them on!  I was half expecting him to put his head right down when I went into shoulderstand on his neck (which would probably make me topple off!), but he was perfect.  He only stopped once, and that was when I DID topple off from stand right at the end.  Trust me to spoil it!  I managed to video this as well, which is below.

 

 First time bridleless vaulting on Tinker.

Helen and I took both the boys on a fun ride at the start of March, which unfortunately turned out to be more of a cold, muddy ride.  The going was awful, literally through knee and hock deep mud in places and marsh land in others, but there were a few jumps which we all loved!  Casper really has got a good jump in him, despite never having done any, and Tinker just goes over everything in his own unique style!  I've always meant to do more with them jumping wise, but have never really got around to it as it's something I've never done.  Maybe one day!  Here's a couple of photos of us. (Photo credit to Chris Lax, sorry for copying!).

On the Wednesday before Easter I loaded Tinker and Casper up and drove down to the Devil's Horsemen in Buckinghamshire.  We were going to be doing their 'Night at the Movies' show over the Easter weekend - five shows in three days.  We spent all day rehearsing on Thursday and again Friday morning, but the first show on Friday night did come around quickly!  We sort of knew what we were doing, although I think there were a few pregnant pauses in between some acts! 

Unfortunately Karina (who does every show and is brilliant) was ill and couldn't be with us, so I ended up doing a few extra things during the show which I wouldn't normally do!  I was really busy all through the show, but my main parts were vaulting (for Slumdog Millionaire) and dancing (as Marilyn Monroe) with Tinker, comedy vaulting (as Fame, complete with neon pink hot pants!), dancing with Dan and Dante (as Baby from Dirty Dancing) and playing Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz - phew!  It was a great fun few days, and it's always brilliant seeing everybody again! I didn't get any photos but I have found a few, which are just below.

 

 So that's it for the time being!  Our first show is on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April at Oakedge Park Game and Country Fair - I'll let you know how we get on!

Love Rosie x

Devil's Horsemen Pantomime - The Christmas Queen

October and November may have been pretty quiet, but December was anything but!  For the sixth year running we were going to part of the Devil's Horsemen Christmas Pantomime, this year called 'The Christmas Queen'.  So mid-December we trucked down to their base in Buckinghamshire and set about two days of rehearsals.  This was a very welcome change, as usually we arrive on Boxing day for just a few hours of rehearsal before the first show that evening, but two full days was a luxury and very much appreciated!  Following the rehearsals we did three shows over three evenings - all of which went really well.  

It's a good job we had had some practise, as not only was I dancing and vaulting with Tinker, but I also had to be an elf, Snow White (for Tink's dance, but with some dialogue afterwards), then a quick change and tack up for our vaulting act - and that was all just in the first half!  The second half I rode Dali in a carousel as a Super Hero, before doing some comedy vaulting on Moonshine (an enormous and very gorgeous black Canadian Percheron).  Then it was another quick change into the Spanish red dress for a dance with Dan and Dante, in again for the mini finale with Jigsaw and Felix the Super Elf, then standing on the whips for trick riding, and finally racing backstage to jump on Dali for the full finale - phew!

I enjoyed the shows so much, but was slightly disappointed with Casper.  Despite him doing really well at all our shows throughout the summer, there is something about the shed there that he really doesn't like.  It is quite a small space, and very intense with all the lights and loud music.  We didn't have a crowd smaller than 400, and that's a lot of eyes on you all at once!  During the two days of rehearsal I realised that despite my best efforts he just wasn't going to settle enough to be able to perform at an acceptable level.  This was a great shame, as he really does the most beautiful dances and clearly enjoys himself when he does (much as I hate to admit it, he is far better than Tinker at dancing when he puts his mind to it!).  I just have to be grateful that he works in arenas for Galloping Acrobatics' shows and dislikes the Devil's Horsemen shed, and not the other way around!  I'm sure if I had pushed him he would have been able to do something, but not at the level of which I know he is capable, so it would have been doing us (and himself) a disfavour.  As it was, I used Tinker for both the dance and vaulting, and he was absolutely superb!  He really is a one in a million horse, and I am eternally grateful to him - I would be totally lost without him!  The other advantage of Tinker doing the dancing was that he got to go into the shed and see the audience before having to go back in for the vaulting.  He very much enjoyed himself, and really got into the swing of things - whilst we were backstage waiting to go on for the dance he wouldn't stop nodding.  Are you keen for some dancing Tinker?  Yes, yes, YES!!

After the first three shows we came back home for ten days, and had a lovely break.  As well as Christmas I had my 30th birthday, so it was celebrations all round.  I even got to have Boxing day at home - the first time in six years!  It was then back down to Buckinghamshire for round two of the pantomime.  We had a show every evening for seven nights, including one on New Years Eve.  All the shows went really well and it was lovely to see so many friends - everybody seems to come to panto at some point!  We had an especially good night on New Years Eve.  We started the show slightly later, so by the time we'd finished, sorted the horses out and got changed it was nearly half past eleven - party in the shed!  The seating had been taken down from the dance floor in double quick time by the boys, so there was plenty of music and dancing, including a congo around the arena - as if we hadn't run around in the sand enough already!  Fair to say it was quite late (or very early, depending which way you look at it!) by the time we finally got to bed, and not only were there a few sore heads in the morning, but a lot of very sore legs from so much dancing!

When it was finally time to come home I was genuinely sorry to leave.  I had a really good time and it was lovely to see and spend time with everybody.  All good things must come to an end though, so it was back up to Yorkshire with us and back to reality.  Tinker is having a well earned rest, but no such luck for Casper - he hasn't earned it!  We've got lots to do to get ready for our season, and although the first show isn't until May it will be here before we know it.  We've got ten shows booked in so far, and they're all over the country, so make sure you have a look at the map and calender on the website to see when we'll be near you.  In the meantime, click here to see some photos from 'The Christmas Queen' - more to be added as and when I find them!

Lots of love,

Rosie x

Liskeard Show

Well, I thought it was a long way to Abinger Medieval Fair - but that was before we went to Liskeard!  It was to be our last show of the season, and the first one in the new lorry.  The journey was 373 miles, and I'd reckoned on it taking about nine to ten hours, depending on the traffic.  At least it was mainly motorway miles, and the new lorry was a pleasure to drive.  The old one was very hard work, like a constant battle, so I was very happy!  Not so happy when we fuelled up for the first time though; it has twin tanks and I managed to get £243.88 worth of diesel in - ouch!

The journey went really well until we got to the M5.  We were nearly half way, and were planning to get off at the next services, which were about five miles further on, when we stopped.  And stayed stopped.  Whatever was causing the problem was obviously very serious, as there was no traffic coming on the other side of the carriageway either.  Everyone was switching off their engines and getting out of their cars.  People were taking their dogs out for wees on the hard shoulder, so we thought we may as well join in!  We made enough space to get the ramp down, and got the horses off.  I have never done this before on the side of the motorway, but I'm glad we did.  Both boys were needing a wee and a drink, and they happily munched the grass and had a lot of fuss from everybody around us - I don't think they could quite believe their eyes!  After about fifteen minutes of so we saw traffic coming up the other carriageway, so knew we'd be on the move soon.  We didn't realise quite how quickly though, and were still putting the ramp up as traffic started to move around us!  We stopped again in the nearby services anyway (it wasn't just the horses that needed a wee and a drink!), before heading on our way again.  Luckily there were no further incidences and we arrived on the showground nine and a half hours after leaving Yorkshire - perfect!

Having set up and settled in for the night it was time to enjoy the new lorry properly.  Helen cooked delicious omelettes, and we spent the evening in well lit, warm and spacious comfort.  We all slept really well too - Jess even had a proper bed as opposed to a mattress on the floor! 

I spent the morning working Casper in the arena as usual, but I hadn't done very much before we were beckoned over to the side of the arena, and before I knew it we were being interviewed live on BBC Radio Cornwall!  Along with Pauline (the show secretary) we had a good chat with the presenter about what was happening at the show, and then Casper had a nibble on the mic to get his point across also.  After the interview we did a bit more rehearsal, then it was back to the lorry for breakfast!

We had quite a few visitors throughout the day, which was lovely.  First up was Mark, who had been to see us back at Ibstock.  He was down in Cornwall for the weekend with a friend, Dougie, and they'd come to see us specially!  I was showing Mark around the lorry and offered him a cup of tea - only to discover that the gas had run out!  So, not so super fantastic lorry after all.  Our next visitors were family.  Ben's brother lives in Newquay with his wife and two children, and they'd all come up for the day.  I first spotted them during Casper's show, as we were whizzing around - and can even see them in the background of quite a few photos!  They'd bought a big bag of carrots for Tinker and Casper which didn't last very long but made for very happy boys!  Lastly we met a friend's mum, who was on the committee for the show and I think may have had a hand in us being booked in the first place!  All these visits made for a fantastic day, and along with the weather being perfect and both shows going really well we had a great day - it was a lovely way to round the season off!  You can see how much we enjoyed the show from this little video from Cornish Living TV:


We had arranged to stay on site for an extra night, and then drive back up north on Sunday.  However, we were sited quite near the beer tent, and had been warned that there was going to be a very rowdy Young Farmers' party on that evening.  We were advised by the organisers to pack up and move to the top of the show field, where we could set up in an area sectioned off and protected by security - I didn't think Young Farmers were that bad!!  But we took their advice and packed up all the tent and stables, drove 200 meters, and then set it all back up again!  Following this we were all starving, but not having any gas we had to settle for cold quiche and salad for supper, not what we had planned but still very yummy!

In the morning we packed up (again!) and set off on the long drive home.  We made much better time coming back, as there was hardly any traffic and we just trucked on.  And on.  And on.  I had a moment of panic on the way back though.  We'd stopped at a services for the boys to get off for a while, and were taking it in turns to go in for a wee.  I'd gone in last and as I was walking back towards everybody I suddenly realised I didn't have the lorry keys with me.  I'd taken them into the services with me, but had left them in there!  Massive panic!!  We were still 200 miles from home, the lorry was completely locked, and I hadn't had a chance to get spares cut yet so they were the only set.  I ran back into the services and back into the loos.  I knew I'd left them in there, but they were nowhere to be seen.  I spent the next ten minutes going around all the shops asking if they'd been handed in, but to no avail.  Eventually I spotted a lady walking away who I thought may have been cleaning the loos when I'd been in there, so I ran after her shouting 'Excuse me!  Excuse me!'  Everyone was looking at me, except her.  I finally caught up with her and got her attention - it turned out she was foreign and didn't really understand what I was asking.  But, after some bad acting on my part ('Key, key' - Turning hand action), she seemed to grasp what I was trying to say and off we went!  She had the keys on her cleaning trolley, locked away in a cupboard - I would never have found them!  Thankfully they were safe and I was so grateful to her - major disaster averted!!  I have made Helen and Jess promise they will not let me take the keys anywhere unless I have a pocket or bag to put them in from now on.

We made it home without any further mishaps, and the boys were very happy to be back in their field - they rolled and rolled!  Although we were all pleased to be home it's quite sad to think we won't be out again until next year - I can't quite believe the season is over already, it really has flown by.  Despite a difficult few shows due to the weather, and a heartbreaking July when every show cancelled, we have had a fantastic first season - better than I ever could have hoped for.  Special thanks must go to the lovely Helen, who threw herself in at the deep end having never commentated before, and has been just brilliant with that and everything else (mucking out in the onesie especially!).  And to Jess, for being a great help with everything.  However, there are two boys without whom none of this would be possible.  I owe everything to Tinker and Casper, and am eternally grateful to them both.  Throughout the summer they have both made me laugh endlessly, and although they have both had their moments, they have been amazing in every single show.  I am incredibly lucky to have such wonderful horses, and feel privileged that they are both so generous towards me and all the ridiculous things I ask of them.  Thank you boys, I love you both very, very much.

Looking forwards to 2013 we have quite a few shows booked in already (hooray!) - have a look at the map and calender on the website to see where we'll be.  In the meantime, you can see some photos from sunny Liskeard by clicking here.

I'll keep you posted over the winter months on what we get up to at GA HQ, and feel free to follow us on facebook and/or twitter for more regular updates.  2012 Summer Season - over and out!

Love Rosie x

Donkey Sanctuary Leeds' Summer Fair and Wragby Show

The weekend before last we had our first road trip of the season - going from one show to the other.  It wasn't originally supposed to be like this but unfortunately the Donkey Sanctuary had to cancel their Summer Fair in July due to the horrific weather.  Luckily they managed to reschedule and we were available on the new date - the day before we were due to be at Wragby Show.  So, Friday afternoon we set off for the Donkey Sanctuary, and on arrival were greeted by a deserted field of very very long grass!  We turned the boys out in the arena whilst we set up, and they couldn't believe their luck.  Casper was especially happy, as he wears a grazing muzzle at home (to keep the fatty belly at bay), so he was stuffing his face as much as possible!  

In the morning we had a run through with Casper in the arena and he was absolutely foot perfect.  This always makes me nervous as it usually means the show doesn't go so well - I'm convinced he only has so much good behaviour in him per day!  Our warm up went really well too, as we had loads of space right outside the lorry which always makes things easier.  Before long it was time for the show, so whilst Helen and Jess set the arena up I walked the boys down to the arena.  Just before we were about to go in Casper finally spotted them - THE DONKEYS!!  AHHHHH!!!  He didn't know what to do or where to look, but it was too late to take him over to see them - the music started and we were on!  He did the first lap quite quickly whilst trying to stare at the donkeys, a couple of whom were very casually watching us, whilst the rest were studiously ignoring us.  We managed to strategically place Tinker between the circle and the donkeys, to try and convince Casper there was nothing to worry about, and it seemed to work.  Before I'd even finished the first section of the show Casper had settled down and was working really well, despite the scary donkeys.

The rest of the show went through very well, despite the temptation of the long grass during the dance, and the ever distracting donkeys.  He did the chasing and rearing beautifully - no running off this time around.  I was very happy with him, as following the debacle at Ibstock I was glad to get a good show under our belts!

Next up was Tinker, and he was brilliant as usual.  He really does make life so easy and is always a pleasure to vault on.  I even managed to do full lie out with only one hand - always a good sign that your horse is going well!  Following both shows our meet and greets were in the arena, just off to the side.  We'd been allocated twenty minutes whilst the children's races were on, but our posters and keyrings (and horses!) were so popular we overran and had to be asked to leave the arena in the end!

We had a lovely day there, the donkeys were all beautiful (and very well behaved!), and everyone was really friendly - it was a shame we had to leave!  We did have to pack up and go as quickly as possible though, as we now had to drive down to Lincolnshire for Wragby Show.

The journey went well but our plans to arrive in daylight didn't quite come off, and it was dark when we eventually made it onto site.  We then spent the next twenty minutes or so with the security man and his map, trying to work out exactly where we should be setting up.  We found the spot in the end and started setting the stables and tent up, only to realise we were in the wrong place after all!  So we hefted everything over to the correct place, shunted the lorry over as well, and then set up properly!  It was a very tired team who finally got to bed that night.

In the morning we had plenty of time to spare so I had a good long rehearsal with Casper in the arena.  He is always better if he's worked in the arena prior to the show, but I didn't realise I'd built up quite an audience until I heard the applause when we finished - I'd given most of the show away already!

The arena was perfect for us - just the right size and as flat as a pancake, which made a welcome change!  It was a gorgeous day and we were all really looking forward to the shows.  Everything went very smoothly during both of them, apart from a slight mishap with Casper.  It was once again during the chasing and rearing section (our nemesis!), but it really wasn't his fault this time.  We'd done the first bit and he'd been perfect, but just as I ran off the second time, expecting him to follow, a couple of display aircraft flew over the area very low, startled Casper, and off he went!  He just ran back to Tinker and then stood looking at me as if to say 'What??'.  We've got used to covering this error for him, and the audience always seem to find it quite funny - I might actually put it in the script for next year!  

Despite being quite far away from home there was someone I knew in the audience; Terena Bolam who runs the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre and Lincolnshire Equestrian Vaulting.  I've known Terena a while but not seen her for quite some time, so it was good to have a proper catch up with her.  She stayed for both shows and enjoyed them both - I think it's even given her some ideas to go away with!  Someone else who enjoyed the show was a lady called Ellie (AKA Digital Harlot), who took HUNDREDS of photos of Casper's show.  It's a shame she couldn't stay for Tinker's show too, but I think her camera may have melted if she had!  You can see all the images she took by clicking here.

We managed to get quite a few photos over the weekend.  Click here to see some from the Donkey Sanctuary Summer Fair, and here to see the ones from Wragby Show.  We had a really lovely weekend at both the shows, and made it home exhausted but all in one piece.  It was our last weekend in the old lorry as I have finally managed to find a new lorry which fits the bill and was affordable!  I'm collecting it on Tuesday, which is just in the nick of time as we're off to Cornwall for the Liskeard Show on Friday, 373 miles away - a definite baptism of fire for the new lorry!  I'll let you know how everything goes soon.

Love Rosie x