Team Tottie Diary

Young show jumping trio Portia Howard, Jemma Kirk and Philippa Dobby are better known on the circuit as Team Tottie. This month we catch up with them.

Portia

With not many competitions for the horses to compete at, it gave us all a chance to sit back and relax for the Christmas festivities.

It was great to spend Christmas with my family and grandparents as we don’t get much time to do it over the rest of the year.

I was very lucky and received some new show jumps from my parents for my Christmas present so I’m really looking forward to using those in the New Year.

My new horses are all coming along really well which I’m pleased with.

I took them to their first show last month which was really worth doing as it gives them the chance to gain the experience and knowledge that they need to go further.

I went to South View Equestrian Centre for another PCA qualifier and came back with a seventh place on Macgarveys Choice, so we are hoping that he now has enough points to qualify for the British Open in April, with just one more qualifier to go.

I also jumped Grand Cherie in the same class and he had one down in the jump off, just missing out of the places.

Kartonne de L’Abbaye finished fifth in the 1.30m open which was also a great start to the year.

Macgarveys Choice is a bay, nine-year-old gelding currently jumping up to 1.40m and is owned by Alison Claxton. He is a really good horse to jump with a lot of scope.

Grand Cherie is a beautiful bay gelding who really loves to jump. He is eight-years-old and is currently jumping at the same level as Macgarveys Choice. He is owned by Danielle Smith and is a really nice horse with a lot of potential.

Will write soon – Portia

Philippa

This month it was my plan to get started with the new young French horses. However I had an accident and took a tumble from one of the horses and have unfortunately torn the ligaments at the back on my left knee.

I have two grooms that help me on the yard and they are both hacking out the young horses and the more experienced horses.

This will actually be great for the youngsters as it gets them used to being with another horse while being ridden out on a hack and also used to traffic and different surroundings.

I have one three-year-old and two others that are four-years-old. I’m going to start to ride them in a month or so when my knee has built up the strength to ride again.

I have already competed at some of the local shows and in unaffiliated classes before Christmas. This is a great way to get them going and used to the general environment and what happens when they go out to shows and events.

It’s important they learn this at a young age as they then get to know the surroundings and understand what they are at the event for and what to do when they get there.

Some horses can become very excited at shows and events if they haven’t been brought up with it in their normal weekly routine.

If all goes well for the rest of this year, I am aiming to compete two of my horses in the five-year-old classes.

I competed these horses in the four-year-old classes last year and we got on really well.

This New Year I am really looking forward to my week’s training with Rodrigo Pessoa as part of my win in the Pessoa series. This will be in Belgium, so that’s really exciting but won’t be until April time due to Rodrigo’s tour and also my knee regaining strength.

At the moment I think I will be taking Utah VII on the training week.

Known as Lilly, Utah VII is a 10-year-old chestnut mare, by Phin Phin. She is originally from Holland and was previously competed by Roleof Bril.

She has amazing scope, and has been placed in senior Grand Prix’s, including an excellent second place to John Whitaker's CSI***** winner Utah Van Erpekom in the Braham Grand Prix.

Will write soon - Philippa.

Jemma

Quite a hectic month this time as I moved back up to Scotland for the winter months, which has meant a few long trips back and forth from Billy Twomey’s yard in Cheshire, where I was based.

I was lucky enough at Christmas to receive a new saddle from my parents as I have been longing for a new one for a while.

I also received some rugs for the horses and new travelling boots which are really nice and comfortable and very important for the long journeys in the lorry which often take place when we enter big shows.

This month I competed at Ingliston House in Scotland and competed on all three of my horses.

Miss Saigon gained two first places in the 1.30m and 1.35m class and Tosca won the 1.30m class on the first day of the show, while Pieter took a third in the 1.35m class. the classes all took place on the first day of the show which was great. They all jumped really well and I was so proud of each of them.

I also competed at Hands Equestrian Centre in the 1.35m class on Tosca achieving a second place and the 1.40m and the Fence Challenge class on Miss Saigon.

We took first place in the 1.40m and a second in the Fence Challenge class which reached the great height of 1.85m which was pretty high for a triple fence followed by an upright. We jumped really well until we just tapped the last pole on the upright which put us into second place.

She really does have a spectacular jump, Miss Saigon, and she puts every effort into it; she just loves her job.

Next month I am moving to Neil Jones’s yard in Belgium which I am really looking forward to.

He is riding in the Sunshine Tour in Spain which starts in the middle of February and I will be riding Tosca and Miss Saigon which I am really excited about.

It’s such an opportunity to ride in such a distinguished event and different environment I am really going to benefit from this experience.

Best Wishes and will write soon from Belgium - Jemma.