Elana and Oakey’s Trip to Tattersalls 3 Day Event in Ireland!!

Having just returned from a trip to Ireland to compete at Tattersalls International Horse Trials, I felt compelled to write to tell you all about it!

Having planned my trip for 4 months, I was so excited when we finally arrived to catch the ferry to Belfast from Stranraer on Saturday 24th May.  My Mum and her friend Helen, keen artists, were coming to watch me compete as well as see some of Ireland for painting ideas. Once Oakey was on board, I really wasn’t so sure I wanted to leave him on the bottom level of the ferry but for health and safety I had to.  However, the staff kindly let me visit him on two occasions just to check he was not distressed by the whole experience – which he clearly wasn’t - having flooded the deck by relieving himself in the trailer!

2 ½ hours drive later, we arrived at Tattersalls.  The set up was simply amazing, not a temporary stable in sight!  Literally hundreds of lovely purpose built boxes, so clean you could have eaten your dinner off the floor.  This would do us I thought.  Soon enough the top dogs were arriving, Janette, Pippa, Zara, William, the Fredricks to name a few.  I was delighted to have found Oakey was stabled next to ‘Over to You’ and proudly showed Janette when she asked me how I managed to secure my web guard at the front of my stable.  Alas, it was short lived and the next day, the stable manager realised she had made a mistake and that Oakey was indeed not running in the World Cup Qualifier.  Off we moved to our new stable!

On Wednesday, we had a rider meeting where we listened to introductions, rule changes etc and afterwards I went off to make Oakey look stunning for the ‘Trot up’ in front of the Ground Jury.  This I did, and with trainer Aly Boswell and groom Caroline Quarm not arriving till Thursday night, I showed my mum and Helen how to brush Oakey’s tail and polish his bridle.

My turn arrived.  Present Oakey to the Ground Jury, trot up to the flower pot, turn around it, and trot back.  Simple, I’ve done it lots of times before.  So off I flew so the judges could see the best of Oakey’s paces.  However, cheeky Oakey decided to step sideways on arriving at the flower pot, standing on my right ankle so I landed awkwardly on my left ankle and I fell headlong along the gravel letting him go in the process.  Agony.  With the paramedics on their way, Oakey was re-presented by the kind gentleman who caught him and he was re-introduced to the Ground Jury as being presented by ‘er…. a friend?’  I was so embarrassed.

Having sprained the left ankle, and badly bruised the right, I was hardly able to walk, never mind ride but the event organisers were BRILLIANT.  Liz took me to a sports physio and she strapped my ankles.  I was then taken round the XC course on a buggy and Liz lunged Oakey and helped me with him all day.  Everyone was so kind.  One girl even lent me an ice machine to keep the swelling down.  I was determined I was riding!  Aly and Caroline arrived that evening.

Friday – dressage day!  Swallowing a cocktail of painkillers, I managed to climb on board and had a practise first thing.  I then got ready for my test.  Oakey performed a calm dressage test but no where near what we are capable of.  I also had a slight memory loss at one movement so was marked accordingly for the mistake.  I blamed the ankles and painkillers for our lack lustre performance but Aly was not taking any of my excuses and gave me a strict talking to!  With over 120 in the class, my score of 62.1 meant Oakey and I were sitting about half way so we were slightly disappointed as I know we can produce a much better performance.

Saturday- XC day! The course was built beautifully.  Some nice fences to get us going then had some technical fences which I knew I would have to really ride well to make sure I didn’t have a silly run out.  I had my last hobble round the course first thing in the morning before my XC time of 2.20pm. It was 25 degrees by this time so we made sure we had plenty of ice at the finish for Oakey.  Aly warmed me up over the terrific practise fences – hedges, banks, bounce etc until I felt confident we were ready.  And then we were off!!  Oakey flew round the course taking everything in his stride.  The Irish commentator was brilliant!  He told the crowd he would love to go a days hunting on Oakey and to look at him – clean as a whistle – so would be very happy sitting on him for tomorrows SJ.  A real ‘Luvely Harse’ he said!  We arrived home clear inside the time and were all delighted and looked forward to celebrating at the ‘Hog Roast’ supper in the evening.  Oakey had now moved up to 45th place.

Sunday – Trot up and SJ day!  Trot up started at 7.30am in reverse order.  Aly, Caroline and I rushed to get Oakey ready in time.  Caroline was trotting Oakey up this time as, with my sore ankles, I really didn’t think I would do him justice limping my way up towards the flower pot.  A few practise runs and she was all set.  Oakey was accepted and we went to watch some SJ.  It was quite a twisty, technical course with some long distances and people were having a lot of fences down.  We warmed up well and entered the arena confidently for the task ahead.  Oakey jumped a super clear round meaning we finished on our dressage score.  Good boy Oakey!!! 

The top 30 from 125 riders were brought back into the arena for the prize giving.  Oakey finished in 34th place.  Soooo close to getting a prize!!  We all had a fantastic time despite the mishaps, the weather was amazing and Oakey has come home looking and feeling well.  I can’t wait to go back next year!!  Here are photos of Oakey at Tattersall’s on the XC and SJ phases.