Rhiannon Hinton
February highlights & lowlights.
February has been a tough month for the Hinton Household. They’ve experienced the great loss of Scrappy (Black Star). He was Elaines horse of a lifetime having trained him from grass route level to Inter II competition success. A partnership that inspired Rhiannon to step into the world of Dressage. “I was at the yard with Elaine when it happened, he’d had a terrible accident in the field. He’d been with Elaine for 25 years & had a wonderful life”.
Just days later Elaine’s little terrier Rosie went missing, never found & feared drowned in a nearby canal. Very sad times for the Hinton family indeed.
Given the circumstances pre-regional championship training with Stephen Clarke was missed & preparation at home a bit haphazard. Nonetheless Rhiannon headed the Advanced Medium class at Maelor EC just days before the Winter regionals with a score over 65% securing a place at the Summer Regionals in August. “I was really pleased with how George settled in the warm-up at Maeler, he seems to like it there”. “Quite different to the warm-up experienced at Myerscough only a few days later!”.
The claustrophobic warm-up conditions experienced at Mysercough Winter Regional proved too much for George & he failed to settle. “Our time in the main arena was a struggle & far from our usual standard”.
Rhiannon has owned & produced George from an unbacked 3 year old & is thrilled with Georges progress. “He’s not a machine & on reflection he’s probably best suited to outdoor competitions”. Rhiannon & George finished a respectable 7th in the Winter Regional Advanced Medium class.
Over coming months George will have a well earned rest while Rhiannon returns to work from Maternity leave & finds a little more time in the saddle with her youngster Alfie. Exciting times ahead.
January 2012 Update
Rhiannon Hinton has recently recently returned to the saddle on George (GIORGIO II) following the birth of her first son Evyn. Its been a challenge getting time for Rhiannon to get in to the saddle & out there competing, however family & friends have helped make it possible.
George II recently stepped back out into the competition world at Advanced Medium level securing qualification to the Winter Regional Championships (they will be at Myerscough in Feb) & won "our step up to Advanced level" in December11 (picture & write up in the H&H) posting a score in excess of 65% required by BD to ride at PSG level (so a reason to celebrate).
Rhiannon's immediate focus is in readiness for the Winter Regionals; which involves time in the competition arena. Their limited outings thus far leave usthem just one point off securing Summer Regional Chamionship qualification again at Advanced Medium level (when they will be heading for Somerford Park in August).
With a training session booked with Stephen Clark ahead of the regionals to refine test movements & mother-in-law Elaine Hinton on the ground at home Rhiannon is kept on the ball. All in all everything is going pretty well getting out & about & acknowledged :-) Once they have secured Summer qualification then focus will move on to the more advanced work and the step up to PSG will be imminent.
In her spare time she is training her young horse she has had from a foal called Alfie (Raffaelus) who turns 5 this year. He's got exceptionally low mileage, however with a little more under his girth he'll be stepping out into unaffiliated dressage later in 2012...with a view to then affliliating British Dressage at grass root level.
Keep an eye out for Rhiannon and her Fly Away Logod saddle cloth. All the best from Team Fly Away.
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