With no jump racing I’ve taken the opportunity of a few relaxing days in Salcombe with the family with the boys busy crabbing or body boarding! One runner on the flat today – Be Thankful for our Racing Club at Ffos Las under Poppy Bridgwater. She has an each way chance and Poppy plans to make more use of her this time and she’ll hopefully run a good race although isn’t helped with a bad draw – fingers crossed.
Meanwhile our farrier, Nick Partridge, and his family are in Poland as eldest daughter Freya has been selected to represent Great Britain in the Pony Eventing Team at the European Championships. The whole family have put so much into getting Freya and her pony there and have been regulars on our gallops too – it’s the Opening Ceremony today and they compete over the next few days. We wish them all the luck in the world.
Such a shame to hear that the Pony Club Championships have had to be abandoned this year due to the rain making the ground unusable. The Championships are the pinnacle for so many children throughout the year with so many hours spent training, competing, getting selected, qualifying at the Area Trials only for the weather to ruin it all – so disappointing.
Great to have our Yardman, Lucjan, back in this week following his usual extended summer holiday. We are never quite sure how we are going to survive when he’s gone but the time always seems to fly by and he returns to a long to-do list. He did have time to get engaged this year so many congratulations.
Ben Hastie, and the team at Cheltenham Racecourse, are walking the Cotswold Way from tomorrow until Saturday walking 25 miles a day in aid of Racing Welfare. We hope the weather is kind to them and wish them well. You can donate by clicking HERE – please be generous.
August seems a busy month for birthdays and today it’s a Happy Birthday to Pete Wilson, member of our Racing Club but also a fantastic photographer who so generously gives up his time and expertise to take photos for us. He also persuaded Belinda a few years ago to eventually relent and allow him to interview her for BBC Radio Gloucestershire ahead of The Festival – was an entertaining listen!!!