Hi everybody,

As we went to beautiful Dinard in France just before Dublin, 900km away from home, we needed to set up a clever logistic plan on how to get in time to Dublin's vet check Tuesday morning... Especially as we were taking four different horses there. So I went Sunday night to Calais, swopped Molly, Belmonde and Casper into Romanov, Quiet, Barnike and Cheese! Hope that was a good idea... Let's see Sunday.

Dinard was Molly's last show before the Europeans so she can spend a week in the field with her friends, and will get fresh and recovered to Aachen. Otherwise she would have only four days at home before Aachen and an extra 3000km in her body.

Well, finally after a overbooked boat in Holyhead that wouldn't take us and four other trucks - we made it Tuesday around 7 am instead of Monday 11pm into the show ground welcomed by lovely Irish weather! Blue sunny sky, but rain the same time...

Took us ages to set up the stables as there is no possibility to hang anything on those huge antic wooden stables so if you ever plan to come to Dublin bring lot of screwing hooks nails and a hammer or you are lost!

Then there was a proper pony bath day going on as they just loved to roll in the dirt of the overnight stables so they all changed their color so you wouldn't know who is who! Bertram isn't seen so often at the stables as he hops from one interview to the other, what is great for me as that keeps him away from changing bits and bridles and getting everybody confused!

All our horses jumped very well the first day; we already got one second place with Cheese our 7 yo - it's actually his real name as he is born in Gouda 😕 Romanov was also very happy to be back in Dublin and jumped a great training round so fingers crossed for Friday as we are in need of points. Little Bro Harry did as well a super job on his two ponies, and got both qualified to jump in the main ring what is nearly as important as the Aga Khan Nations Cup!

There are long days in Dublin so we enjoy our cider and Irish stew and then off to bed; early start on Thursday as there is the derby training at 7 am. So let's see how Miss double world champion Barnike enjoys that; she gave us and the crowd already a nice performance of her happiness in the first class with lots of bucking and Bertram nearly falling off! He actually hang on her neck with both legs on her right side but managed to get back in the saddle and finished the course. So if the derby doesn't suit her you could as well book them for a stunt show!

Marlen