DO YOU HAVE AN INTERESTING STORY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE  IN THE TRAILBLAZERS MAGAZINE  - is your horse/ pony 110 years old are you 110 years old?  Was your horse/ pony rescued.  Is this your first attempt at the Trailblazers National Finals or have you been every year since 2001?  Has your horse/ pony competed at the Trailblazers Finals every year - can we find out who has been the most times to the Trailblazers Finals - who holds the record? Have you transported your son/ daughter to the Trailblazers Finals every year and now it is YOUR turn?   Please send us your interesting story along with contact details and a phone number and the stories that appeal most to our editor will get printed.  trailblazers.4me@btconnect.com If you have a picture from the Second Rounds - even better.

19th/20th April,2008  - Swallowfield Equestrian Centre held their very successful Dressage 2nd round competition - some stories from the qualifiers from their 2nd rounds:-
Babs Beardsmore and her 17 year old pure bred Arab Georgio came 1st in the senior preliminary, went to the Finals last year but hopes to get into the Championship ride off this year.  She says they are both enjoying doing well after years near the bottom of the score sheet thanks to Jo Swain and Paul Rigby.
Yvonne Jackson and Chester qualified 2nd in the senior preliminary - says Chester is now 17 years old but still going strong! He loves jumping and has been quite successful at eventing though dressage has not been our strong point to date but with lots of help from Felicity Scott our trainer have managed to improve!
Congratulations to Cheri Tomalin and Mister Tom - this is their first attempt at Trailblazers.  Tom was bought from a horse fair in Ireland when he was 3.  Cheri was on holiday and not looking to buy but fell in love and brought him home - he is now 7.
Claire Smith and Alvescot Manito who apparently are accident prone - say they are finally getting their act together. 1st time qualification for the Finals they say they owe a lot to the patience of trainer Paul Rigby.
Charlotte Edwards and Morson boy who has only been out of racing for a year and she bought him in the summer 2007 - they qualified first time
Jane Brook and the ex show horse Taliesyn Talisman who has competed at HOYS 4 times.
Eve Croghan and Chanook Topaz - this was their first attempt at Trailblazers.  Topaz is 20 years old and has also competed at BYRDS and pony club area, Eve has been thrilled to get to the Finals as this will be her last competitive season on her as she has now got too big for her , she really is a superstar pony. Eve has also qualified Montana for the novice finals having owned him for 1 week qualifying for the 2nd rounds and Finals in 2 week ends -she says he is a really special pony willing and sweet.

At Trentvally Equestrian Centre Jean Hopkinson - qualified Brooksway Peace in the preliminary and Novice despite a badly scalded left ankle.  She was leaving home in the lorry with a steaming cup of coffee which she knocked over.  By the time she reached Trentvalley it was badly blistered - she had ice cubes from the canteen and painkillers from the entries secretary and just managed to get her boot on.  The euphoria of qualifying kept her going but she was dreading the drive home!  Congratulations to the centre for coming to her aid - but do wonder what the judge thought about the trail of water from the melting ice cubes?

We have just been contacted by Emma Message who has competed at the Trailblazers Finals in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 on her pony Barfords Colleen.  Barfords Colleen was 24 last year in 2007!!  Emma says unfortunately she is out of juniors now but will be seeing us shortly in the senior class.  We wish her luck and look forward to see her compete on her horse in the seniors. 

Lucy Whitfield from County Durham, thinks she may have one of the oldest horses to have qualified for the Trailblazers 2nd Round Show jumping.  Lucy says her horse Bowes Snapshot is still amazing at 22 years old!  We wish her luck in trying to qualify for the Finals.

TRAILBLAZERS HAS A  SHOWING WEB PAGE PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK www.trailblazersshowing.com there is lots of information regarding the showing.  

KINGWATER - CUMBRIA - Sarah Mackenzie and the 6 year old Solo qualified by winning the senior preliminary Second Round.  Solo (CHAPS reg name: Mr Smartiepants) works at a riding school and used to put the carriages at the holiday park last year.  He was an unexpected foal when they bought his mother they just thought she was a little fat!.  Solo loves his dressage and Sarah says she is really looking forward to their expedition to Stoneleigh in August.

Limes Farm, Kent held their 2nd Round show jumping on 29th April, 2007, and Trailblazers has received a lovely letter from 13 year old Taylor Collip who qualified in the senior 75cms on her coloured horse Honey's My Honey.  Taylor says when she and her mother first saw her she was in a field with 3 donkey's and they just fell in love with her.  Honey's My Honey was bought 18 months ago and had only every been carted and did not know how to canter.  They have progressed with the help of  their instructor Mya Berry Robinson and a lot of hard work, to The Best Day ever, the day they qualified in the 75cm Trailblazer Second Rounds and Taylor can't wait for the Finals.  Taylor says she would like to thank her Mum for always being there for her and Mya for being the best instructor Ever.

Sunnybank EC in Caerphlilly  held their 2nd round dressage on 5th May,  and Lowri Smart who is 8 years old qualified in the junior preliminary class on her 21 year old pony Saffy.  Her mother said,  Lowri has only done 2 dressage competitions she won the first and came 3rd in the next and is thrilled.

Penlove the Poet won the senior novice class ridden by Tracey Bertorelli.  Penlove the Poet is a 6 year old homebred by Poetic Justice (TB) out of a Reg Sec D Mare and is owned by the breeder Susan Howells.  This horse has been produced from a 4 year old by Tracey.  This combination went to the Trailblazers Championships Finals in 2006.

Vale View EC, Melton Mowbray
Vale View a new centre to running Trailblazers this series held their Second Round show jumping on 29th April where Daisy Appleby celebrated her 12th birthday in style by coming 3rd in the 75cms and winning the 85cms with her pony Sandhills High Flyer.

Kingwater EC, Carlisle
Cumbrian rider Helen Kerry and Gentle Breeze qualified in the senior novice and elementary dressage at Kingwater Equestrian Centre in Cumbria.  Gentle Breeze is 21 year old  family horse that lives at home,  she enjoys dressage but she will have a go at anything.  Helen says she is over the moon at qualifying and is looking forward to the Finals, saying an opportunity like this does not come around everyday.  This combination were awarded second place in the Veteran Horse Society National Performance Achievement Awards scoring more than 4000 points in 2006.

A Quote from a happy Champion:-
To Everyone involved in Trailblazers
I just would like to say a huge thank you for a great weekend.
Everyone was so pleasant and patient.  From 7.30 in the morning till 10 at night the commentators showed the same enthusiasm for each and every rider.  The collecting ring stewards never seemed to lose patience and fellow competitors were always cheering each other on.  All this, and a bonus was of course winning both legs of the senior 85cms class on my fantastic mare, Tobermoray she's 18 and I've owned her for 14 years - so she deserves all the praise she got.

Many thanks again and here's to 2007!!!
Paula Crawford