Oli Lawrence's blog: A good start to the even season

So the eventing season’s now well and truly underway. Dells already had outings to Isleham and Poplar where he jumped double clears in the placings and last weekend he jumped his first intermediate novice at Great Witchingham and finished 10th. Things are looking up! Continuing with the success front I also managed to pass my driving theory test with some rather sketchy revision, “I’ve got loads of time” only to find out it’s my birthday and my theory is tomorrow....

As well as eventing Dell’s been out doing his dressage practise with Totem, my brothers new horse, in tow for his first few outings. Both of them got on very well with a 4th, 2nd and 1st (in the pouring rain). We’ve also brought the horses home for the summer but as the summer looked like it was about to kick in it vanished and was replaced by rain, thunder and lightening. Suffice to say when I was hacking across a very open and flat field with thunder, I realised I was the highest point – not cool! Time to go home...QUICK!

But back to Great Witchingham, it would appear that I’m cursed slightly with late start times as by the time we’d claimed a 38.5 in the dressage that kept us in the running, it was getting kinda darkish – here we go again.... So with people slightly on edge around the show jumping we kept our heads down and jumped a good round with just the one down. Following that we had a lightening quick tack change and were third last to fly out of the start box like something out of a wild west film as the sun set – minus the lasso, cows, buffalo and red indians trying to shoot you.... We jumped a fabulous round with below average time penalties so there were smiles all round – especially when we finished 10th.

So we’re well and truly underway and Dell’s next run will be the JRN at South of England followed by another JRN at Nurstead Court. Plus, the baby of the yard, Gray, should be making a first appearance soon so keep an eye out – as the name suggests, he’s grey...