Andrew Rickman really
turned out the goodies for us on his home ground - great location for the meet,
amazingly good going considering how wet everywhere else is, great jumping,
hills, tea in a fantastic building AND SUNSHINE!! Yes, that was booked too!
After so much greyness and days of riding in horizontal rain driven by 60mph
winds, the sun was such welcome icing on the Rickman cake.The meet here occurs with the imposing backdrop of Rockley Manor, snowdrops just starting to peep through under the trees, and a encouragingly well-looking Ian Balding attended on foot. The first line started as usual uphill over a variety of island fences including training flights, rolltops and picnic tables - two different heights for different abilities and courage. We left Rockley Manor land over some new upright rails which I had been told were
small. My wimpy show
jumper had a different opinion and needed a lead on his second look, while some
of the field failed to get to the other side. The line ended in front of another
imposing mansion, next door neighbours Conrad and Suzy's. Unplanned, but surely
a good move to admire the view, we checked here as Robin, riding Pip again for
the first time since his injury crossing the river at Highworth, was in an
extremely precarious position with his saddle and girth shifted backwards at
least 18inches! Yes, he does normally wear a breastplate but... (There was
further, less dramatic saddle repositioning after the second line!) We then
hacked back up the Rockley road, collecting those who had failed to jump the
"small" rails but inadvertently trapping our photographic team behind the field
as we then went straight on to the second line. Not the original plan. (I get
castigated for a huge variety of sins these days!) This line started over
some lovely telegraph pole fences and then twisted through the woods over
event-style fences, (I loved the new wooden mushroom fences - sorry,
photographers!), changing elevation frequently and ended back where we
started. Hounds were now exceedingly thirsty and came off the line for the
irresistible temptation of a water trough! To be fair, they were only the wrong
side of the last fence line.As we stood at this check, a hare, clearly on a mission, ran across the field towards us and surprisingly kept coming on her appointed track to cross the road almost in the midst of the assembled foot followers.
Meantime, RAF Lyneham had
been detailed to provide a flypast! The last line virtually took the
hare's route in reverse then climbed diagonally uphill, over a set of rails with
a significantly uphill landing - golly, the landing gear has to come out quickly
and the jump, which on take off felt quite imposing, suddenly felt tiny! Away
around
ahuge field with Barbury Castle point to point in the background (wet
the appetite for our trip around the course next week), we had tremendous
viewing of the pack in full flow. Lead hound was phenomenally far out in front.
More event-type fences as we came back through the park - hedges, steps,
pheasant feeders and chairs - and for Robin, under strict instruction from the
Master, skinny big logs and a yawning ditch. It was a treat to watch him rise to
the challenge so effortlessly. Sadly, the photographers were elsewhere!