Colette's Horse & Dog Shows at Willow Farm

When I first arrived I wondered if I had the wrong day but then I found Colette and realised it was just going to be one of those days which starts very slowly. It was. By mid-morning the numbers had increased but it was still a very laid back day which gave some competitors a chance to get the placings that can elude them at bigger shows.

Featured Riders

Colette's Horse & Dog Shows at Barville Farm

I do love a nice day at this time of year. The air is crisper, it's not too hot and the slightly lower sun produces a much better light. Considering there were other events on today, the turnout was quite good with a steady flow of entries for each class. This was our last show at Barville Farm for 2008 with only one more outside event scheduled before the indoor season starts.

Featured Riders

West Street Tickham Hunt Pleasure Rideat Torry Hill

Well, who would believe it? A Sunday without the threat of rain hanging over us. If it wasn't for the keen wind, you would be forgiven for thinking that we were having a late summer. Amy & I started taking the photos at the first two jumps until riders started to appear on their return. After which I moved down to the log to get some lovely images of galloping horses against the lower autumn light. Amy continued to get riders on their outward journey until just after 1pm when she had to start attending to customers. When it was all over I even managed to chat to a few riders and it was nice to put faces to some of names I chat with via e-mail.

Featured Riders

Colette's Evening Indoor Showjumping at Blue Barn

I definitely seem to be out of sync with these shows. Again, the last one (when I was on holiday) was busy but tonight - not so. Not much interest either from those who were there so I'm not going to be putting them on the website. Unless, of course, I get a stack of e-mails asking for them.

Colette's Horse & Dog Shows at Ingatestone Hall

Never before have I watched the Met Office's rainfall radar so closely. 6am, everything was ready to go, all I needed was glimmer of hope, just a hint, that today was not going to be another total washout. At 7:45 I got it. The rain coming in from the west was just starting to break up. With luck, the remaining fragments would be small enough to either pass us by or only last a few minutes. By 8am I was heading up the M2 to join Colette and the others who had the misfortune to be out in the previous night's downpour. All that we needed now was some hardened competitors that would not have been put off by the prospect of the thunderstorms that had been repeatedly forecast over the previous few days.

By the time I arrived, the rain had already stopped and there were several lorries & trailers being unloaded. By the afternoon, there was hardly a cloud in the sky and everyone was having a great day out. Gary, whose own event had been cancelled, decided to pay a visit and ended up doing a few portraits for me while I was busy printing orders (thank you Gary). Summer didn't seem willing to let us down on our last day in Essex...

Featured Riders