THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE - Then Came Windsor, the Culmination of Laddie's hard work of 2004

THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE —created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

THEN CAME WINDSOR, THE CULMINATION OF ALL THE HARD WORK OF 2004.....

Laddie waiting patiently with his groom, Janine, before the Cones competition in Windsor Great Park.

Laddie stepping out in between the cones with Mandy and groom, Janine.

Mandy eyes up the competition after the cones at Windsor.

The very serious business of watching how the others are doing.

Mandy's overall report on the National Carriage Driving Championships at Windsor Great Park in 2004........

"We started off with a bad dressage mark which put us out of contention and this unfortunately was followed up the next day by having a 'Senior Moment' through the obstacles which lasted for about an hour!!!! and sadly resulted in an elimination.

It only takes one uncorrected error and you're out - tough, but that's the name of the game.

However, we weren't down-hearted as we'd said all along that no matter what happens at the Championships, we'd had a fantastic season and even finished in 6th place in the Open Single Horse National Points League for the year which was quite an achievement.

So, we finished the season with a 'Bang', not particularly the 'bang' we'd hoped for, but we did 'toast' our success with a nip of 'sloe gin' each".

We all echo Pam Stepney's comments.....

"What a super little horse he is. I always enjoy reading about him and seeing his pictures".

On Sunday 10th October Laddie finished his 2004 carriage driving season with a one-day event at Dounhurst Farm, Wisborough Green, arranged by Brockham Harness Club.

Days to remember with fond memories. Mandy and Janine. The Girls walk the course at Dounhurst.

Thirty competitors took part, ranging from a member of the British team who recently competed in Hungary, other experienced drivers and some novice drivers.

Who's a lovely boy then?

However, for Laddie this was an event with a difference — for this occasion his groom, Janine Martin, took the reins and became driver. In a reversal of roles, his owner/driver, Mandy Colbourne, relinquished her driving seat and became back-stepper for the day (or back-seat driver, as she said!)

Laddie performed superbly and gave Janine a wonderful time and a day to remember and photographs for me to look back on. Highlights of the day for our Findon team included a 6 a.m. start in readiness for the dressage test at 8.40 a.m.; an almost clear round with the cones competition — just one down out of 18; and a 6 km marathon incorporating 14 hazards. Janine says she's never driven so fast and they crossed the finish line two minutes inside the maximum time. Sounds good to me.

"But why do I have to wash behind my ears?"

Derek Colbourne kept the whole Laddie show on the road (literally — as horsebox driver) — and followed Laddie, Janine and Mandy around the 6 km marathon course by bicycle, over-taking and taking short-cuts where possible — in order to video record Janine tackling the hazards.

Competing in the Marathon

11th October 2004

Lovely coverage of Janine's debut in a one-day event.

Nish Vardy, Findon Village, West Sussex.

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THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.

E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com