I had my nervous shivers today. It didn't help that it did actually happen to be quite a chilly morning but it felt like the middle of winter as I trembled whilst mum wrestled my stock into place. I was really nervous about taking Katrina to Port Royal because it is such a fancy venue, with the towering flagpoles and these proper big white boards which were of course, without a doubt going to be horse eating according to Katrina!!!
We were first of the team to arrive, Kelsea and her mum set off from the yard 20 minutes before us in their box and we couldn't understand how we managed to arrive before them with a trailer, but turned out their sat nav went wrong, still at least they they arrived in time!!! I got on Katrina right away, I wanted to go off and quietly show her round. At first it was almost like riding a snake, after Katrina had trusted me about one thing there'd be something else to spook at immediately!!! After a while she relaxed, and I actually got some really good work out of her including the correct strike off in canter on both legs! At least something was getting better.
I was first to go in the team, and by now the others had all arrived. I felt very tense and went over to talk to them, but they seemed as worried as I was about the venue. When it was my turn to perform the test, we walked into the arena and Katrina tensed up again. There were two tests going on at the same time in a split arena, and seriously a sea of white boards, Katrina was not exactly 100% focussed on me lol!!!! Of course there was plenty spook at including the MENACING judges car, the HORSE-EATING white poles, and the DEADLY letter boxes!!! Katrina was very green in her test, she looked and she wobbled and I tried so hard to keep her minding me and for her second test, she was AMAZING I'm so proud to say she's mine!!! No, she might not have got as good a score as her first time, but Port Royal is a very posh venue with a lot more to spook at than low key venue we chose for her first outing. Kelsea and Mollie both did great, couldn't wish for better teammates, they did really nice tests and got great scores.
After we had all finished our tests, there was a real treat. Our mums had entered us in the Team Tottie Colours competition and Mollie's mum;s entry won!!! We were allowed to choose 2 things each from their range as team colours and it had been so hard to chose because everything is so gorgeus and then Mollie and Erin ae so tiny not everything would fit the. It had been really important to remember we were a team and make sure everyone had something lovely - and the prize had arrived so it was time for a photo session!!!
We rugged up all the horses in their new tottie rugs and we donned our matching tottie jackets and played at being models for a bit! Mum says you have no idea how hard it is to get 3 kids and 3 horses to all look at the same person without at least one gurning, but she did manage it and we've got some gorgeous photos.
Afterwards we went to look at the scores. We came first under 25s team and I'm so proud to call myself a member of Make Our Dream team. We had so much fun today, and Katrina even had her own little fan club which consisted of Gillian and Emily again, they are amazing to come and support us and it was so nice to see them again, and so far Katrina has had an entourage at every show she's been to!!!
Thanks to Gillian and Emily for being so supportive it was lovely to see you all again!!! Thanks too mum for the fabulous photos, Sally Pilkington for winning the fabulous rugs and jackets, Kelsea and Mollie for being awesome teammates!!! And especially to my super sponsors Stone House Solutions and The Emporium at Wentworth. It wouldn't be possible without you, thank you xxx
Best of all I even learned my test and did it all be myself without mum having to read for me for the first time ever. Eek!!!