Well it’s now been a week since I’ve been back in Pennsylvania, and I’m very happy to be back home. All the ponies are happy to be back too, and they’re looking very well. I was really glad to get back to all the young ones and am looking forward to Fair Hill this weekend, where my rides keep changing! Looks like it will be a fun and exciting weekend!
I was really happy to get back to Ollie, who came with me to Aiken but I only competed once. I want to take my time with him and get a solid base and connection. He’s going a lot better now, and I’m looking forward to competing him more after the spring three days settle down!
My really exciting news with him is that Beth Battel, who owns Footlight Farm in Roosevelt, N.J., has signed on to buy out my half of Ollie. I’m so thankful that she’s decided to be a part of this promising young horse, and I think Suzanne Kloud and Beth will be great partners to have! I’m thinking about taking Ollie out at MCTA and am happy to see his progress.
This week was also exciting because I got two new great horses to sell, and they’re both lovely animals! I’m trying to get them both into Fair Hill, so that adds some more excitement to the weekend.
Also in the news for me was the final decision made by the team of the Gardners, Phillip, Mark and me to take Cambalda to the Luhmuhlen CCI**** in Germany instead of the Bromont CCI*** in Quebec.
It sounds as though it will be a good first four-star, and Mark and Phillip think it will be the appropriate next step in Ping’s career. I have to agree that Ping is going well, and though he hasn’t had that many runs this season, he’s in top form. I plan to canter him around Fair Hill this weekend if the footing is good and take it day by day and see how he feels as we go.
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I did have to laugh this week when Hawley Bennett texted me from across the pond (she’s about to run her mare Ginny at Badminton) saying that she stopped a rumor that I electrically shock Ping to get him to jump so carefully…. how terrible. The only electrial device Pinger goes near is an occasional pair of clippers, and that only happens when he’s in the mood to put up with them (which, if you know him, really isn’t very often).
In other news, the FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships is reaching out to get some help and support to ensure the future of their amazing event, and I’m looking forward to helping in the fundraising efforts. Show jumper Georgina Bloomberg and I have helped write a letter about supporting the event, but if any of you readers have any good ideas about helping the NAJYRC, would you please email me? Young Riders is such an important part of our country’s pipeline, and giving back to it is very important to me. I hope one day to be good enough to coach a Young Rider team—I really think that would be the best.
I hope everyone is doing well, and please feel free to email me or call with any comments or ideas.
Thanks for reading!
Jennie