HOYS 2016 - Behind the Scenes

Well, behind the scenes at Horse Of the Year Show (HOYS) is not what you think!! It took us an hour to park after the vet check as no one wanted to vacate their stables. But we ended up with a great parking place right outside the loo in S7 with two of the best parking security guys. They charged our phone, gave us lifts, helped us and didn't notice the two Scotty dogs who were licking them! I told them they were charged up every morning so they could do stuff proper dogs did!
 
We ran out of water on the first day but managed to find the only bit of grass so I could tie the horses up to get them ready, despite the planes flying overhead, the motorway in view and the sound of distant trains!
 
The cold mornings made it difficult to get up and be ready to work the horses in from 5am. With a 12 min trek to the ring it was a 4am start! Evening working in was also timed with the last session at 9.15 pm. With young horses it was an experience and Jovian rode in well but could not handle the atmosphere in the international arena so we did not complete the class. He is only 5 years old, has not been on the circuit long and has only been lightly shown. Stable mate, Cappa Sham, gave both ride judges a super ride in his two classes to pick up two seventh placings.  Volantis went very well and also come home with a seventh placing. The rosette from the Leemans, who sponsored the class, was mega – so a big thank you for those! Wonder what Lisa has in mind for 2017!
 
We did spend one very amusing evening watching a lady in the horse box park, who was so drunk, trying to enter her lorry, when she eventually found it and having finally dropped the electric ramp onto a mobility scooter. We are home now with the lorry to unpack and horses to train for another year!! Watch this space for my winter training and plans for 2017, after all it is only 6 months to the first show.