Competition News - Umbria

Little Downham was our last outing of the season before the eventers get a well earned rest. We were very pleased with the performance of our representative, the Premium Mare Godington Umbria. A fast clear round across country earned her seventh place - a very positive note to finish the season.

BE Young Horse 5yo Championship - Contis

Contis put in a good test - alas not reflected in his marks - jumped well and scorched round the cross- country. Had the dressage judging been in line with the rest of his season, the result would have been as pleasing as his performance. This outing concluded a long season for a young horse combining competition with stud duties, so he was ready for his holiday.

Competition News - Contis

Dauntsey Park was a new venue for us, and we found it very friendly and a nice site which we hope to revisit. Contis was our runner, and he did a very good dressage before showing his lack of experience by finding the pronounced ridge and furrow in the showjumping arena very unsettling.

Cover Stars - Haarlem

It was a lovely surprise to discover that Fiona Parsons' photograph of Ruth and Haarlem jumping the barrels combination was picked as winner of the Bramham photo competition. The picture will now form the cover of the 2010 programme at Bramham Horse Trials and we hope this will be auspicious for our performance there.

Competition News - Barcelona

Gatcombe Horse Trials was Barcelona's next outing. As usual she put in a good dressage and SJ round and looked all set for a good place over a course with which she is comfortable but unfortunately she lost a stud and slipped in the leaf pit. This was enough to make the final result uncompetitive, but we were pleased with her performance.

Blenheim International Horse Trials - Haarlem

What a thrill to take Haarlem to Blenheim this year, following in his full-brother's footsteps, six years on. The course ran clockwise for the first time and all riders' eyes were on Haarlem as the pathfinder to see how it would ride. He looked completely at home over a course that was acknowledged to be quite demanding, and rather firm ground.

Trakehner Breed Show

We took no foals, being busy with grading entries - a pity as this year's foals are exceptional. Umbria was Performance Test Champion and Reserve Supreme with spectacular free jump-ing. Offerte was only 0.1 behind, due to superb rideability and temperament; both are now Premium Mares. As a bonus, a Hannibal x TB client mare was Reserve Grading Champion.

Competition News - Haarlem and Barcelona

August Bank Holiday saw a great weekend at Highclere, where Haarlem ran in the Advanced and Barcelona in the Intermediate. Both horses went very well, but neither were pushed as Barcelona needed a quiet run to rebuild confidence, and it was close to Blenheim for Haarlem. It was not an easy course, so we were pleased with the result in good company.

Competition News - Haarlem, Barcelona and Contis

Haarlem resumed his OI schedule over most of the Advanced course at Aston le Walls, with a credible 9th in good company. Barcelona returned to form with good dressage and a double clear for a place at Solihull, and Contis, four years her junior, produced a pleasing performance over the same course. He won his first Novice point a week later at Milton Keynes.

Competition News - Barcelona, Umbria and Haarlem

Barcelona was placed with a double clear at Upton. Umbria returned to form at Little Mattingley with a very good cross country round. We were proud to take Haarlem to the Gatcombe Championships. He lost focus across country and disappointed with his placing until we saw that a third of the field didn't complete, including the world number one, twice!

Competition News - Bramham

A lovely week of Yorkshire hospitality. The park looked great and Haarlem had an encouraging outing at his first 3* 3DE. He was well placed after dressage and did everything asked across country. He jumped very well but unluckily lowered too many showjumps to be competitive, showing some tiredness from negotiating the tough terrain of the XC the previous day.

Stud News

The last foal of this crop arrived safely on 3 June, a lovely colt by Hannibal out of Casablanca (Hoftaenzer). This is her first foal and everything that we had hoped for from this union. We've been stunned by the outstanding quality of this year's crop, which is also bigger than usual for us. It is a continuing pleasure to see the foals playing together in their field.

Competition News - Barcelona, Haarlem and Contis

Barcelona ran well in the Intermediate class at Little Downham on uncharacteristically hard ground to be placed 3rd. Contis had another good Novice run at Milton Keynes, adding to his precocious development at this level. Later in the month, Haarlem ran in his first OI at Eridge, producing a double clear against all the Olympic and International horses.

Stud News - Amal

We are very pleased to report the sale of Godington Amal (Hannibal x Godington Abyssinia) to Sally, a new Trakehner enthusiast from Norfolk. She was the second person to view Otto, and has reported that he is "absolutely wonderful" and that she is "totally head over heels in love"! We wish them both every success for the future.

Stud News - Absinthe

We also had the pleasure of watching Absinthe doing his best Novice run to date at Brigstock, under his new owner of less than 24 hours acquaintance. We hope for great things from the partnership for the future and wish them much success in their endeavours.

Competition News - Contis and Umbria

More hot weather at Brigstock International, a great venue for all levels. Contis did a good dressage and put in a fast double clear to finish 3rd (by half a penalty) in his BE100 section and qualify for the 5 year old Championship Final in October. Umbria improved all round in her BE100 section and continues to show great aptitude and willingness to learn.

Competition News - Barcelona

Barcelona had an excellent Intermediate run at Brigstock, finishing 1.8 time faults off 2nd place with a double clear. Haarlem was so busy looking at the flags flying from the huge Fortress fence that he forgot to take off and lay down on the bottom step instead. On our return, Uppsala considerately delivered her foal just after dark - another Contis and our only colt this year so far.

Stud News - Bergfee

We are sad to report the death of one of our foundation mares - Godington Bergfee. She died foaling her 20th foal, a lovely filly by Contis. Our little orphan was lucky to benefit from a Trakehner foster mother, Fleetwater Unique. Bergfee II flourishes under the care of her doting foster mother. We thank Teresa and Duncan for making Unique available.

Stud News - Foaling

Some time during the week with 4 days of competition, 5 of our mares managed to produce their foals, so sleep was optional. We now have 3 Contis fillies (out of Alaska, Bergfee and Tallulah) and 2 Hannibal fillies (out of Offerte and Prettiness). All are very nice and doing well and we have a short rest before the last 2 are due.

Competition News - Contis, Umbria and Absinthe

We returned to Aston-le-Walls on the Saturday for Contis to run in his first Novice, which he completed to finish 14th. Absinthe did a very tidy cross-country -- apart from decanting his jockey once again. The Sunday was showery and cool for Umbria's first BE100 outing, where, apart from some weather related hiccups, her keen and sensible attitude across country showed great promise for the future.

Competition news - Haarlem and Barcelona

Haarlem and Barcelona ran in the Intermediate at Aston-le-Walls, with Haarlem collecting 4th place with one of the fastest cross-country rounds in a section won by William Fox-Pitt, and Barcelona annoyingly stumbling up the step out of the water to miss the last element. The points collected by Haarlem mean that he is now graded Advanced and the competition gets even hotter from now on.

Competition news - Haarlem and Barcelona

We returned to Withington Manor on 3 May, with Haarlem in the Advanced and Barcelona in the Intermediate. Haarlem produced his best Advanced performance yet, with a really nice dressage, just one down in the showjumping and a good clear cross-country, narrowly missing a placing in the final result. Barcelona again produced a balanced performance just outside the placings.

Competition News - Contis, Umbria and Absinthe

Umbria went to Milton Keynes on 29 April for her first event. With an Advanced rider she had to run in the Open BE90, which is not intended for first-timers, but she put up a very creditable performance with a clear showjumping and a smooth quick cross-country. More sunshine on 10 May for Broadway, with Contis taking 5th place in the BE100 with a super dressage and cross-country and Absinthe managing to unship his rider.

Competition News - Contis and Absinthe

Hambledon saw Contis in the 5yo class and Absinthe in the BE100. Contis was in the top 3 after dressage and showjumping and did a nice clear cross-country, but a little slow to qualify for the championship. Still he is a young 5yo in his first 5yo class, so perhaps unreasonable to expect an instant result. Absinthe did a fast clear cross-country to make up for inattentive dressage and showjumping.

Competition News - Haarlem and Barcelona

A sunny weekend in Devon over 18/19 April at Powderham Castle with Haarlem in the Advanced and Barcelona in the Intermediate. Haarlem turned in another smooth cross-country in a good time among all the Olympic and International horses. Barcelona did a good dressage and cross-country but again showjumping faults kept her out of the placings.

Competition News - Haarlem

Another very pleasant Spring day saw us at Weston Park with Haarlem in the Advanced. Haarlem was distracted in the dressage and SJ but turned in a fast clear XC over a course that saw many upsets for far more experienced horses and riders. He still ended up in the top half of the class and one could see that on a better dressage or SJ score he would be very much in touch with the placings.

Competition News - Contis and Absinthe

Absinthe and Contis entered the BE100 at Goring. Absinthe warmed up very nicely for dressage, but was unsettled once he saw the cows behind the hedge. His SJ and XC were very nice however, and we go on to Hambledon with confidence. Contis was highly excited to be out and made mistakes in the dressage and SJ. He went on to do a nice clear XC but his earlier excitement had tired him and he was rather slow.

Competition News - Barcelona

We had a lovely day in the Spring sunshine at Somerley Park International, where Barcelona ran in the CIC2*. She was naughty in the dressage as a cracked lip interfered with bitting, but put in a good SJ round and a fast clear XC to complete her qualifications for CIC3*. Had she done her usual dressage she would have been well placed.

Competition News - March

Contis went to Addington on the 5th, where he came 5th in the N38 Qualifier with 66%. March also saw our first Event of the season, at Isleham where Haarlem was 5th in the Intermediate class. Absinthe and Umbria were in the dressage ring again at Aston le Walls on the 10th, along with stable mate Amaretto (Tycoon x Godington Alaska). All came home with good results, including a win for Absinthe in the N30.

Training News

Our Working Pupil, Henry, took his BHS Stage One examinations on February 27th, and we are very pleased to say that he passed with flying colours. Henry has been a solid member of the Godington team since last year, and has played important roles in many aspects of life on the Stud - from the mundane (mucking out stables) to the rather more glamourous (riding St. Pr. Prettiness at the Breed Show).

Competition News - February

Contis and Absinthe attended the Event Day at Addington at the beginning of the month. Contis was placed 2nd in the 1.05M class, with Absinthe just behind in 3rd. The next week we returned to dressage at Addington, where Barcelona took 3rd place in the E58 qualifier with 63%. Absinthe and Umbria went to Radway on the 15th, and took first and second places respectively in their prelim dressage class.

Competition News - Haarlem and Contis

The rest of January saw outings for Contis and Haarlem to Moulton College for Dressage, where Contis was 2nd in the N22 with 64%, and won the N38 Qualifier with 73%. Haarlem won his E43 class with a score of 65% and was third in the E53 with 68%. Haarlem also went Showjumping at Addington on the 3rd of Feb, where he was clear in the Foxhunter class.

Competition News - Absinthe and Umbria

Our first outing of the year was to Aston le Walls, where youngsters Absinthe and Umbria were contesting the Prelim and Novice dressage classes. Umbria (Tycoon x Godington Uppsala) won her Prelim 15 class with 69%, and Absinthe (Hannibal x Godington Abyssinia) acheived 70% in the Prelim 19 Qualifier, and won the Novice 22 class with a score of 63%.