Ardeo Brigadier, affectionately known as Max, ran at his first international in the CCIYH2*L with Mel. it was my first time at Tatts and certainly lived up to expectation.

Tattersalls is a stunning venue and great to have the horses in permanent stables. From our stable we could keep an eye on the trot up watching the different outfits! Max also kept a look out on the trot up, learning how to strut his stuff on the catwalk!

Max was plaited, toes painted and made to sparkle ready for his turn on the cat walk. He looked fantastic. I may be a little bias but he was the most beautiful horse there!

Once we were through the trot up he was tacked up and headed up to the main arena for familiarisation where all the horses have a chance to walk around near the tradestands and in the arena preparing for the dressage test ahead.

Max produced a stunning dressage. While we were so pleased with his performance, like many others, the score didn’t reflect in his work, which seemed to be the theme of the day in the young horse class.

I got to take it easy on Thursday with effectively a day off for me and Max! Mel came and jumped a few fences in afternoon and max enjoyed a pick of grass.

XC day arrived and the CCI2*P-L was the first to run. It was interesting to be in the stable area, watching them tack up and head down the the warm up looking a mixture of excited and anxious. I managed to watch a few combinations over the track and joined Mel on the last course walk. She seemed a little quiet!

Max warmed up and headed off impressively as ever stepping through the course making it look so effortless. He cruised through the first water, ditch combination, off the bank to the corner then to the second water making it all look so easy.

He had jumped so well and was full of running heading through the last section of the course and with only 2 more jumps until the finish line, I was so shocked to watch them part company on the flat. It was such unfortunate timing with a horse jumping towards them at a tight crossing point on course.

He has such a gorgeous personality and Loves his week of one on one attention. Very exciting future ahead of him.

Excited to go to my next Irish international event at Kilguilkey international with Ardeo Arctic Wolf this coming weekend.

Hattie