She has been very well behaved considering the time off she has had and then being made to walk for twenty minutes – which is not her most favourite pastime! Thankfully Bantry Bay has come out of the back strain well, having not lost much fitness, and has now been given the all clear to get back working properly and strengthening her back up again.  Fingers crossed we will be back jumping in a couple of weeks…just in time for our next training session at Carlton.

But on the upside it has meant I have been out doing quite a bit of show jumping with Wanted, my other horse. As show jumping is probably his weakest discipline it has been very beneficial and the last weekend in April saw us score a lifetime best with only one fence down. I can only contribute this to the psychology workshop from Charlie Unwin at the last training session we had at Carlton Cross Country and the show jumping clinic we had with Nick Turner in March.

I felt I was letting Wanted go in to the fences more freely keeping my hands much quieter which in turn gave him the time to consider what was in front of him rather than just getting far too over excited by the whole affair and ploughing through the fences (something we were getting far too used to). I set off for the competition with the aim of taking the fences one at a time and if all went to plan hopefully leaving with only having 3 fences down.  I found that focusing on each fence rather than worrying about the bigger picture was really helpful and was especially impressed that the fence we had was not the last.

This weekend just gone saw Wanted and I embark on another trip out show jumping, which brought another first – not a single person saying he looked a handful and rather me than them riding him! We again only had a couple of fences down and were able to keep a fairly constant rhythm round the whole course. I can’t believe the transformation that has happened in the past few months, the training we have had has made me think differently how I ride each horse and have been able to approach each problem with a calmer frame of mind and more ideas of how to get past it.

Sadly my trips to Badminton and Chatsworth never happened due to the rain.  I was getting rather excited about seeing so many friends and watching a large number of the riders bringing out potential Olympic horses. So, this weekend just past I went over to Aston Le Walls where Nigel and Ann Taylor had managed to put on a long weekends worth of eventing.

I went over and walked the BE90 and BE100 courses and have come away really wanting to compete round there this year. I managed to look at quite a bit of the Novice Course as well and it looks like it might suit Bantry Bay quite well depending on what time of year they hold the event. I am hoping to complete a Novice class on Bantry Bay by the end of this season, which will be something to aim for after the excitement of the Horse Trials at Carlton in July.

 Charlotte Stockdale

On hearing that Keysoe was cancelled, I decided to arrange a show jumping lesson with Barrett Watson and we were lucky that he could fit myself and Joegy, as well as my friend Fiona and Tiggy, in for lessons at such short notice. Both horses were absolutely flying , especially Joegy who has been getting extra feed to try and put some weight on as he’s been working pretty hard and starting to lose some condition. With him it is a fine line on the feeding front and just a bit more makes him quiet unpredictable and lively! As a result, he was even more exuberant than usual and we had an interesting bucking bronco session whilst we were warming up! However, once we got going he jumped brilliantly – the course was about 1.15m and he was clearing them all by miles so hopefully we should have no problem with the BE 100 show jumps in a few weeks time! Barrett said that I was riding him a lot more positively and confidently which is clearly making a difference.

So now we are focusing on getting ready for Little Downham on the 20th May. I am dying to get out competing again and it will be lovely to be on almost home soil as Little Downham is only down the road so it will make a change from the long journeys we have to do most of the time!

Sarah Hawkins

The weekend before the next Scotts training day, I had a cross country lesson with Barrett Watson. Having decided to enter the BE100 class at Keysoe, I wanted to do some more challenging fences so Barrett pushed me and Joegy further than we’ve done before. Joegy absolutely flew round everything and I left thinking we should be doing the 100 at Solihull instead!

That weekend we also moved some furniture around at home which resulted in a sore back and I was worried I wouldn’t be up to the training day at Carlton. However, thanks to emergency physio the day before I was actually in pretty good shape when we arrived at a very wet but still picturesque Carlton. Thankfully, my friend Jess was along to help so I simply had to get on and ride!

On arriving, we watched some of the Brazilian team run through their Olympic dressage test with Ann – it was very interesting to hear her comments and marks from a judge’s viewpoint. I was sad to hear that Charlotte wouldn’t be riding that day as her horse Millie had hurt her back – fingers crossed it is a minor issue and she will be back for our next training session. On the plus side, it was lovely to see Janet again and to meet her horse Tara as they stood in for Charlotte on the day.

It was soon our turn to warm up and run through our test – I opted for BE 92 as we would be doing that at Solihull. Joegy was rather inattentive in the warm up and I struggled to get him to relax in his neck and poll sufficiently and so we did an average test with some silly inaccuracies on my part. Test thankfully over, Ann came to teach us and suggested that I hold my reins ‘carriage driving style’ to help me keep my hands more still. The change in Joegy was amazing – he totally relaxed his head carriage and was lovely and soft. Although it felt a bit odd, I could really see the difference – I have always struggled with my hands and I think it gets worse in a competition atmosphere. It’s definitely something to work on. We also practised accuracy as Ann said I’d thrown away a lot of marks due to transitions being late and 20 metre circles being too large – I was cross with myself about this as usually I’m pretty good in that respect. Our session over, I could really see an improvement and had lots to take away to work on.

After a quick lunch, we moved onto sports psychology with Charlie Unwin. This was very interesting. The main thing I learnt was the importance of not only having a main goal e.g. ‘I want to win’, but of breaking things down into specific goals and planning the specific actions to achieve those goals e.g. instead of having an aim to score in the 20s in a dressage test, think ‘I will ride each movement accurately’. He also said visualisation was a key part of preparation e.g. picture yourself riding the dressage test on your horse in real time. We also talked about confidence and placing this in a ‘bubble’ which you maintain by excluding any negativity and distractions that could damage your ‘bubble’, thereby sapping your confidence and effecting performance.

Training over, it was time to prepare for Solihull. On Saturday I had a lesson with Jill and we concentrated on keeping my hands still as I’d been doing with Ann – I could see the difference though it is difficult trying to change a habit of a lifetime! I was concerned we wouldn’t get to put it into practice with the wet weather and two BE events cancelled on the Saturday, but luck was on our side and we left early Sunday morning.

On route, I had a chance to think about how I was to achieve my overall goal of going double clear and improving on our dressage score. By breaking it down into manageable chunks, I set myself the following areas to focus on; keep my hands still and relaxed, maintain relaxation by concentrating on breathing exercises, ride each dressage movement accurately, ride away from each fence, gallop between fences, drink water and eat regularly (the latter by eating fruit, nuts and seeds as recommended by Greg Sellars in our nutrition workshop!).

When we arrived, I took the dog with me to walk the cross country course which after my lesson with Barrett looked reassuringly small! All the while I tried to maintain my ‘bubble’ – a struggle when Kai kept dragging me off to talk to other dogs and make friends with random people all of whom wanted to know what he was (for reference he is a very big hairy Giant Schnauzer!) But I felt very calm and confident as I returned to get an impatient Joegy off the trailer and into the dressage warm up. For the first twenty minutes I rode with my hands ‘carriage driving style’ and Joegy was lovely and relaxed and this continued when I picked up the reins correctly. I took time to concentrate on my breathing and maintaining my ‘bubble’. This continued in the arena and despite torrential rain starting as we entered at A, we did what I thought was a good test.

So then onto show jumping which Joegy attacked with his usual enthusiasm and ability, going clear with ease. We then dashed back to get ready for cross country. Thankfully we were early in the class so although the warm up was very boggy the course itself rode well. Apart from one slight hesitation at fence three, Joegy flew round clear. I was thrilled with our performance. When we went to check the score board I was over the moon to discover not only had we achieved our best ever dressage score (30) and gained no time penalties cross country, but we were also in the lead! As it was such a long drive home we headed off before the end but imagine my joy when I discovered we’d won the class and had the best BE 90 score across all three sections on the day. I was so pleased with our performance and with another regional final qualification under our belt we have two chances to get to the Grassroots final at Badminton!

I really believe the difference in our performance was down to the training we’ve had so far as part of the Scotts rider development programme – Charlie’s input made me much more focused and Ann gave me tools to relax my hands, as well as made me think much more about each individual dressage movement. Nick’s suggestion of riding with a lighter show jumping seat also helped. I looking forward to continuing my learning and can’t wait for our next challenge – a BE 100 at Keysoe in a few weeks’ time and the next training session at the end of May.

Sarah Hawkins

As a nation of gardeners, shapes and styles reflect our personal choice within the confines of location and how we deal with influencing factors such as soil type and weather.

Seasonal plantings bring colour that celebrates a particular time of year, with faithful perennials providing a rich canvas upon which to add vibrant notes and pastel shades, in accordance with the calendar.

The flair and showmanship of our seasonal visitors in bloom first captures the eye, however attention is soon drawn to the depth of landscape and backdrop against which such life and colour has been added. This is the foundation for creating the garden of your choosing and responsible for igniting the imagination.

Popularised by the Victorian gentry, the quintessential English summerhouse has formed the focal point in many of our finest gardens and continues to do so, to this day. A charming visual addition to the landscape, a summerhouse invites you to enjoy the garden throughout the year, come rain and shine. It enables you to connect in a unique way and witness the changes and visiting wildlife that effect its seasonal cycle.

In the same way that you thoughtfully add colour and foliage to your borders and beds, a similar approach can be taken to creating a beautiful outdoor retreat that complements your garden; and indeed future gardens, with it serving as a ‘constant’ on the canvas from which you build each season.

A choice of rich paint colours, sumptuous upholstery, revolving base, tongue & groove effect lining and perhaps Georgian style decorative leaded glass will deliver comfort and style in keeping with your garden design, however the range of additional options on offer from companies such as Scotts of Thrapston will ensure your summerhouse suits your individual tastes while showcasing your garden to the fullest.

This can include creating a garden building that is customised to your own personal design or specifically produced to fit an unusual shape or size in your garden and isn’t limited solely to summerhouses. Whether it’s a distinctive pool house, a garden pavilion, a hobby room or just a variation on one of Scotts standard timber summerhouses, the design team is happy to assist in creating your dream hideaway.

The garden provides such unique opportunity to express ourselves through shapes, colours and textures, one that needn’t be limited to plants alone, but should be applied to focal point structures, such as an outdoor building or summerhouse, which can play a lead role in the garden for many years to come.

“Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.”   - Henry David Thoreau

Then it was time to tack up for our first schooling session with Nick before all the cameras appeared. Nick very quickly told me the key to it all was to breathe and relax, with this in mind we started to do a bit of jumping! We began with a small cross pole and Nick asked me to sit quietly with hands and legs and let the jump come to us rather than rush Millie and not give her time to assess the situation. The cross pole quickly became a straight bar and using the same process of letting Millie assess the situation and only to push her on when it was necessary rather than just because I saw a fence meant that the approach to and the getaway from the fences flowed much more freely! Even though not all the jumps were the prettiest, we cleared each one and came at the next with an idea of how to make it better.

I put Millie away after a quick wash so she was on top form for the afternoon and then it was time for Nick Tusting to introduce Nick Turner and the Brazilian Event Squad as well as Sarah and myself as by this point, what seemed like a large number of, photographers and reporters (some more local than others) had arrived. We had more photos taken in the next twenty or so minutes than I have had in the last year I have been in Northamptonshire! However, everyone was very friendly and I spoke to some lovely people. Lunch, provided by Waitrose, was so tasty and gave me a boost of energy before we got back on the horses for the afternoon session. We began the afternoon from where we left off in the morning and worked more on riding away from a fence and making a tight turn after the fence. Nick explained that by looking for the turn and then looking round it as it came closer it meant you committed more to the corner and this made it much easier, the added bonus being that I didn’t even come close to taking out any camera equipment or people!

We finished by jumping seven fences connected together with a couple of smallish turns in there too. Applying what Nick had taught me throughout the day I felt that the fences flowed together and I finished feeling like I could jump the moon! I was able to put these lessons in to action this weekend as I took part in the Fernie team chase on Sunday and Millie flew round the course with me much more confident in letting her go in to the fence, look at the question and jump out of her rhythm without feeling like I had to push her in to the fence.

It was fantastic to be able to watch the Brazilians jump and school their horses before and also while we rode. I think the biggest thing I took away with me from watching the squad ride was the composure and balance they had while they were riding. I don’t think you would be able to tell what sort of fence they were riding towards if you couldn’t see it.

The whole day was just amazing, between the show jumping sessions with Nick, meeting and chatting with the Brazilian squad and watching them ride and experiencing the level of media interest that an Olympic squad gets in the warm up to London 2012. It was highly exciting to see Sarah on ITV Anglia on Friday evening and I even managed to make a small appearance jumping in the background!

I think this summer is going to be something of a one off, but the lessons I am learning will stick around for much longer.

Charlotte Stockdale

The day of the launch began with an early start to get the other horses sorted and stables mucked out before we left. I was very pleased my dressage instructor and good friend Jill Lerner could join us as she has helped me so much with Joegy and was so excited to hear that we’d been selected as part of the programme. When we arrived at Waresley we were stunned by the beautiful facilities and surroundings. We met up with Charlotte and her horse Millie and got the horses settled in their stables – the horsey equivalent of the Ritz, complete with Scotts of Thrapston door plaques! True to form Joegy decided to roll in the lovely bed of pristine shavings and so was covered from head to toe before we even started!

Leaving the horses to acclimatise, we met up with the Scotts and Carlton contingent and were introduced to Nick Turner and the Brazilian team, some of whom were already out and about on their lovely horses. We also received our Scotts clothing – sadly it was way too warm for the beautiful jacket but now the weather is turning colder again I will look very stylish out hacking! We then watched some of the team show jumping – a real eye opener as they made it look so easy and proved that less is more in terms of the rider’s position and use of the natural aids. Nick then suggested we took our horses into the arena so they were more relaxed for the afternoon – in hindsight a very good idea given Joegy’s enthusiasm and eagerness to buck at the mere sight of the jumps! Thankfully, I’m pretty used to his antics and he calmed down sufficiently to jump quite nicely and for Nick to see what we were all about. Nick suggested standing in my stirrups to lighten my seat which really helped with a calmer and more measured approach to the jumps. Then it was time to put the horses away for a few hours and to meet the press over lunch.

Press briefing and photo sessions over (and with sore jaw muscles from all that smiling!), we then headed out for an official lesson with Nick and some of the Brazilian guys in front of the press. To my relief, Joegy was much more settled this time and apart from some tricky striding into one of the fillers jumped well – the lighter seat really helped. Nick also said that I needed to be firmer with Joegy and not allow him to pull me into each jump as this was causing us to have problems with some of the striding – so this and the lighter seat are things for me to work on at home. It was a real privilege to share the arena with some of the team who were so quiet in their approach to all the fences – if only I could learn to sit so still!

Our final session was with Greg Sellers to talk about personal fitness and nutrition. Again this was very useful – I had never really thought about the effect food and exercise could have on my competitive performance. I’m now trying to fit the exercises he gave us into my daily routine to see if they can help improve my balance and posture in the saddle – much to the amusement of my daughter Poppy who thinks it is some bizarre form of dancing! I have also struggled with my diet before and during an event as I tend to get nervous and not want to eat but Greg’s suggestion of having nuts and dried fruit to hand as well as drinking lots of fresh water is something I’m definitely going to try. In terms of general diet, I am also going to make some changes which I hope will help with my energy levels and mean I won’t constantly feel so exhausted! My husband, Rod, who is currently abroad on business, will get a real shock on his return – out with the convenience foods and in with lots of proteins and healthy fats!

Sessions over, it was time to go home after an amazing day. I already have much to work on and it was incredible to be involved in such a professional set up – I feel even more motivated to do my best and make the most of this opportunity. I’m looking forward to working with everyone involved in the team – everyone was very friendly and supportive. The Brazilian guys made us very welcome and didn’t appear to think it too odd to be sharing a school with people clearly well below them in ability!

I can’t wait for our next training session at Carlton in a few weeks’ time. Before then, I have the usual round of dressage lessons as well as a cross country lesson to keep me busy, although with Easter holidays I’m going to be very reliant on other peoples’ goodwill to get the horses exercised as Poppy has no nursery for 4 weeks. Thankfully, she is a very accommodating little girl and is usually quite happy to play outside the arena whilst I have lessons and the lighter evenings will also help.

Sarah Hawkins

This fine country of ours will be in the spotlight like never before as billions tune in to watch the London Olympics and the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth come together to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. What a memorable year it is set to be, during which we should all be extremely proud of our heritage and being British.

The popularity of the Royal Family is at an all time high and yet this is set to crescendo still further in the coming months, as the Diamond Jubilee approaches. The Queen’s busy schedule will see her travel the country during 2012 and as long-standing exhibitors at the magnificent RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Scotts of Thrapston is delighted that Her Majesty will again be paying a visit to the world famous show.

With the quintessentially English summerhouse having been popularised by the Victorian gentry, it is fitting that a very special Scotts of Thrapston design commemorating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is set to be on display at Chelsea.

The limited edition Jubilee Summerhouse is finished in a rich cream ‘Jubilee’ paint and furnished with deep red and gold cushions. An impressive weather vane bearing the official Diamond Jubilee emblem is a striking feature to crown a cedar shingle roof. Further Diamond Jubilee insignias are to be found on the glass of the doors, whilst the beautiful leaded light windows are completed with gold paint architrave.

Inside you are invited to sit under the lavish cream roof canopy; a gold overlay adding an opulent touch. Contained storage in the seating helps keep things neat and tidy, whilst the neutral tone of the Savannah floor complements the gorgeous internal décor.

It is a sumptuous garden retreat that marks in style this year’s royal celebrations and you can see it for yourself if visiting the RHS Chelsea Flower Show on stand WA11.

The Scotts of Thrapston Jubilee Summerhouse is set to retail at £9,500 with a contribution from each one sold being made to The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust.

Hello! I’m Charley Stockdale, I moved up to Northamptonshire from Dorset last March to begin a new full time job. I brought with me my two horses, Bantry Bay II, known as Millie at home and my equine partner in the development programme, and Wanted.

Bantry Bay is an Irish Draught cross Thoroughbred 7 year old mare. She was bought as a four year old and between my sister and I, she has been hunting, unaffiliated eventing and showing. The photo below is Bantry Bay and I at our first event last season.

Wanted is a three quarter Thoroughbred and initially started life as a polo pony but decided rather quickly he wasn’t going to play the game and came to live with me!

Last Saturday Bantry Bay and I set out on our first cross country schooling session of the season and after a bit of exuberant jumping and keen approaches in to the fences we settled in to our stride a little more and I am getting even more excited about this season – who would have thought it possible?!

The phrase lost for words rarely applies to me but being told I had been given one of the places on the programme is about as close to it as I think I may ever come. Last season was the first summer Bantry Bay and I had competed together and our partnership really grew throughout the season and the opportunity to be able to train with people at the top of their game, both coaching and competing, can only help us improve in leaps and bounds!

This winter has seen Bantry Bay and I hunt with local foxhound packs and draghounds, along with team chasing and a bit of show jumping and dressage thrown in, and we have a hunt ride coming up which promises to be great fun and get us really moving for the coming season.

I am so excited to see what the first training session has got in store for us and getting to know everyone involved with the Development Programme…here’s to a brilliant summer, meeting new people and improving my riding all round!

I’m Sarah Hawkins, a 42 year old stay at home mother of a 3 year old daughter Poppy. Although I rode as a child I gave up for about 15 years and only became hooked again 8 years ago. What started out as a few lessons soon spiralled and I have ended up with 4 horses that I keep at home and look after myself with the help from friends and family. As you can imagine this is pretty challenging with a 3 year old in tow!

My horses are Rocket – a 20 year old happy hacker, dressage horses Tiggy and Poo, and Joe Cool an 8 year old Belgian warmblood who will be embarking on this incredible opportunity with me!

I bought Joe Cool, or Joegy/Joe as we call him at home, when Poo sustained a serious injury 2 years ago. The original plan was to bring him on and sell him if Poo recovered. However, 2 years later Poo has thankfully made a full recovery and I have loaned out Tiggy to allow me to keep Joe as I couldn’t bear to part with him!

Initially bought as a dressage horse, he has shown such jumping ability that we decided he was wasted doing pure dressage – hence getting back into cross country and show jumping which I hadn’t done for some time due to the birth of my daughter and various horse injuries. It took us a while to build a partnership but at the end of last season we did 3 British Eventing ‘90’ courses going double clear each time and coming 2nd last time out – and I was hooked on the buzz eventing gives you!

I am so excited about being involved in the Scotts Rider Development Programme. I think the training on offer and the unique experience of training alongside the Brazilian eventing team will inspire me and give me and Joe the confidence to step up to BE 100 level this year. I am also hoping that it will help us in our quest to follow on from our BE90 regional final qualification last year by getting to the Grassroots BE90 final at Badminton in 2013.

Whatever happens I’m sure it will be a wonderful experience. I am so looking forward to our first training session and the eventing season ahead!

To make this Olympic year extra special, Nick Turner, who has been heavily involved in the Scotts Rider Development Programme since its inception, has also offered the two winners access to train with the Brazilian 2012 Eventing Team, to whom he is Performance Manager.

Both Nick Turner and Sara Tusting of Carlton Horse Trials were responsible for selecting 6 qualifying riders from a pool of over 80 strong applicants.  Riders, Charlotte Stockdale, Kirsty Hayes, Sarah Hawkins, Callum Leary, Jodie O’Kane and Huw Gordon, were then invited to Scotts Headquarters in Thrapston to present on why they should be selected to train with the Brazilian Team.

They all put up a strong fight but ultimately only two riders could be taken forward, Charlotte and Sarah shone through and were outstanding. We hope that they will both really step up and learn from rubbing shoulders with the Brazilian team, who will be actually riding in the Olympics the same day as the Development Riders compete at Carlton”.

The programme will educate Sarah and Charlotte on all aspects of competition, training alongside the Brazilian 2012 Eventing team, with British Eventing accredited Trainers Nick Turner and Ann Bostock, who will support their dressage training.  The training will also look at improving focus and mental strength through a sports psychology workshop, held by Charlie Unwin as well as building their own fitness with Personal Trainer, Greg Sellers.

You can follow Charlotte and Sarah’s progress through their informal fortnightly diary on this Blog and the Scotts social media pages.  Why not sign up and inspire yourself this season and follow the Scotts blog?