Well, this AGA Total Control Championship is really getting exciting and Cheltenham is now looming large on the horizon. On Saturday at Sandon we had perfect going and a perfect course, and after plenty of rain during the week the wet stuff stayed away while we enjoyed the action.
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Chris chalks up the odds on which AGA boy will
be first to visit the doughnut stall! |
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| The hounds make an early appearance |
A large Easter crowd was good news for us and the boys were inundated with enquiries - now we just need some of them to buy a lovely new AGA! An early visitor to our stand was Philip Rowley, who is the trainer of our reigning champion Billyvoddan, and he reported that the reigning champ is bang on target to defend his title in May.
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| Derek - cookers or horses are his two favourite subjects |
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Phil Rowley (brown jumper) pays us a visit ... not
sure what Mrs AGA Pointing is doing |
A quality field of 7 went to post for the AGA Ladies Open and all of them looked a picture in the paddock, especially Rathcor who was awarded best turned out by Mrs AGA Pointing.
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| Palypso and Claire Hart |
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| Rathcor and Hannah Lewis |
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| The Ginger Man and Ally Stirling |
There were cheers ringing out around the AGA van as the horses returned to the paddock as every single one of us was on Palypso De Creek at a very generous 7/2 ... however, reports that the AGA van was weighed down with cash on the journey back down the M6 have been slightly exaggerated!
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| Uncle Simon leads in the winner |
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| A 3rd for Hannah keeps her in the hunt |
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| Another 10 points in the bag for Harty |
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| Me and my boy |
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| Uncle Simon |
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| AGA Marketing Director Richard Fozard chats to Claire while Beazo looks on |
It was a cracking performance from P and I'm not the only one who is hoping that he turns up at Cheltenham in 3 weeks time for our final. All being well he will be there and he must have every chance ... although Jane Williams and Billyvoddan will have something to say about that!
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| Made In Great Britain and a perfect 10 for Claire |
We always have fun at our presentations but this one was particularly funny with Mrs Hart joining in the high jinks, and we had some good natured barracking from Sue Sharratt thrown in for good measure. As I understood it Sue was asking Claire to stick to her own area and to stop venturing north to pinch the points!
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| Mum joins the presentation party |
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| How many prizes? |
Before returning to the changing room Claire was asked to don a hunt supporters apron, which was the cue for me to grab my camera (for a change) and shove some AGA signs in Claire's hands for another photo opportunity!
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| Claire is a great sport and puts up with a lot from me ... she is thinking "I'm going to hit you with these Simpson!" |
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| Can you guess what she's thinking now? |
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| Sue gets in on the act |
Sue Sharratt stopped barracking long enough to be presented with her trophy - the Scally Muire Trophy, which is awarded to the highest placed North Western Area Qualified horse. Sue is great fun and also ensured that the sponsors logo on her breeches was in full view, for the record that's - FYRNWY EQUINE CLINICS - I've even added a link!
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| Sue also receives a bottle of champagne from John Tellwright ... and still gets the logo in |
Visitors flocked to the AGA van for the post race interview, which was briefly interrupted by those scallywags Ally Stirling and Hannah Lewis who decided not to eat their lunch but to throw it at Clair instead ... Beazo remained composed throughout!
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| Ally gets her "I'm In Total Control" polo shirt at last! |
Ally Stirling stopped throwing cake long enough to be presented with her "I'm In Total Control" polo shirt, and was also treated to a photograph with some of the AGA Pointing team ... lucky lady!
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| Beazo, ever the professional, dodges cake, keeps calm and carries on! |
A successful day finished with even more visitors to the stand and we ran out of ink in our pens taking down all of those addresses from the lovely people of Shropshire who all want a new AGA (I hope).
More rain at Paxford but that doesn't deter Jane Williams and Claire Hart as they battle to win the brand new AGA
Easter Monday was soon upon us and Paxford was another course that was in great nick, and we arrived early and full of optimism. We had also visited on Sunday, after first enjoying a fabulous Easter Sunday lunch in the Lygon Arms in Chipping Camden, this was recommended by Claire Hart (good choice), and endorsed by just about everyone we met! A brisk walk around the course with assorted jockeys, trainers, owners and dogs was just the tonic and a perfect way to spend a spring afternoon in the Great British countryside!
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| Jane Williams rides another AGA winner - shock, horror! |
The rain failed to dampen our spirits and 6 went to post for another quality AGA race. My pre-race tip to everyone who would listen was The General Lee - backed up by some of my winnings from Sandon ... no wonder those bookie chaps are always smiling!
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| 500 up for Dick, who is the first to congratulate Jane |
After Mrs S had awarded The General Lee best turned out I thought my luck may be out, and this turned out to be the case as Jane Williams booted Shernally home for a well deserved 10 length win.
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| Jane, Shernally and a delighted Dick Baimbridge |
Shernally was a landmark winner for Dick Baimbridge as it was his 500th winner and he was understandably delighted, as was fellow owner Graham Fisher, Dick even survived a stumble over the presentation table and emerged with a huge grin on his face.
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Masterchef runner-up Andrew Kojima chats to AGA Finance Director
Shaun Smith before the presentation ... note the carefully placed AGA
clock in the background! |
A bit of spice was added to the presentation as we were joined by Masterchef runner-up Andrew Kojima, who I can report is a thoroughly nice chap. He was recognised by no end of people, all of whom informed Andrew that "he should have won", Mrs S was also of the same opinion.
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Waiting for the presentation to commence -
Jane has been here many times before |
Lots of photo opportunities for everyone as there were plenty of prizes to present, this also gave me the opportunity to ask various people to pose with my new AGA "Made In Great Britain" lollipop ... I am certain someone will hit me with it before the end of the season!
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| Andrew, Shaun, Dick, Graham and you know who |
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Shaun said the trophy was heavy ... should have grabbed
the lollipop Shaun! |
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| Just one more please |
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| Andrew, Jane and Shaun |
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| Another trophy for Jane |
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Beazo promises Jane that this interview will take place
without a shower of cake and sandwiches - Hannah and
Ally were riding elsewhere! |
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| Andrew now safely re-united with child - note the carefully placed AGA in the background! |
With the presentation completed it was now time to relax and be a social butterfly, this started with a visit to the sponsors tent to work the patch, and finished with an eagerly anticipated re-union with some very dear old friends.
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| A rose between two thorns? |
In a previous lifetime I was a licensee, in other words a pub landlord, an occupation that I enjoyed immensely. This brought myself and Mrs S into contact with an awful lot of people, some of whom will be friends for life, and a number of them (about 30), decided to join us as guests at Paxford. They are a fantastic group of people who have all matured well over the years and they arrived at Paxford with children, wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, some of whom we were meeting for the first time.
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| Gally, me, Russ and Stella! |
If I said I was delighted to see them all then that would be an understatement, I am still smiling now and would like to thank the lovely people of Bredon (and Kemerton) for making my day. They also had some advice for me concerning my attempts at tipping, although none of it could be printed on here for fear of causing offence!
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| We've all turned into country gents! |
It's full steam ahead now for Ystradowen and Tabley, where more points will be won, and having looked at the entries and spoken to some of the girls, I'm certain that we are in for two more exciting races.
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| The table that everyone wants to be in |
