Gatcombe 3rd August 2002

We had a fabulous day at the Doubleprint Festival of Eventing ,Gatcombe Park.
After an early start, checking and double checking that nothing had been forgotten, We arrived at Gatcombe unflustered (due to Jo's organization) at 10.30.
Most of the team went off for a wander about, leaving Jo (Homers owner) and myself seeking quiet contemplation of the day before us.The three boys (Space, Sky and Dodge) were totally chilled, tied to the lorry, and seemed totally unaware of what the day had in store for them.

12.30 Lunch, in the sponsors tent, and a chat to Tessa Clarke the organizer of the parade, and other people involved in the fine tuning. The Girls, Louisa and Pippa, slightly nervous, were eager to get back to the box to get dressed and recheck that the boys were happy and relaxed, Unlike them.

While back with the boys, we realized our neighboring lorry belonged to a Quadrille Team from New Market, the horses were all to be dressed as Morris Dancers, With Bells on their legs, and they were to be in the same display as us.
No need to have worried, the boys were totally unaffected by them.

1.30 briefing in the now pouring rain in the main collecting ring, everyone given numbers and directions on what was expected of them.
Louisa and Dodger were given no 2, Pippa and Sky no 3, they were to follow a horse in training, Kirsty and Space were no 5.
We were due in the collecting ring at 2.30 for the parade at 2.40.
A little warming up and in went the horse in training, followed by Louisa and Dodger,
Then panic struck in the heart of poor Sky, Dodge had disappeared out of site and he froze to the spot and refused to move. A very kind gentleman came to help, but to no avail, the organized entrance had been disrupted, Luckily Dodge and Louisa came back and with Pippa making a quick dismount Sky was led in, where she then remounted and despite being in wrong number order, and making a good impression of a Hackney x Giraffe, behaved impeccably for the rest of the display.

After 20 minutes or so they came out of the arena and in went the Quadrille, the girls were very pleased with themselves and of course the boys. Deep Space naturally, took it all in his stride, after all he had seen larger crowds at Ascot. It was nearly all over, yet now they could have done it over and over again.
The Quadrille came out, and one by one the horses were announced back into the arena to huge applause. This time Sky had no stage fright and enjoyed last few moments of fame