Local shows are just the best, especially when you can pick up a ticket for winning the Small Hunter Class on your door step – well we are not complaining!
We have a lot of work to do with Reus for the 2020 Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead.
We adore agricultural shows, so much to see, so much to do and the prize money is very generous 🙂
Entries for these big shows close months before and as every horse owner knows, anything can happen, one day your horse looks amazing and the next day it looks like a completely different horse!
We entered Redheart Reality in the Main Registered class and Redheart Regent in the Part bred class, but it was the night before the show that Reality was the chosen one.
The Appaloosa Classes at Royal Three Counties are usually affiliated to BApS, the support has slowly declined and with the risk of losing the Appaloosa Classes all together someone did something about it…This year they opened the affiliation to REGISTERED APPALOOSAS (BApS and ApHC UK) & BRITISH SPOTTED PONIES, so we had a right mixture, which was rather a spectacle but a tough one for the Judge!
All the Redheart Appaloosa’s are registered with BApS & ApHC UK so, I get to choose if we go English style (plaited with bridle) or American style (braided with halter). Given the choice, especially at County level its always great to dress up different, we attract a lot of interest from the public and I believe it represents the true history our Appaloosas (it’s also easier and quicker to braid than plait) 🙂
With all the recent rain it was no surprise for a tractor to meet and greet us, credit due, the work force at the show did an exceptional job giving the conditions they were working in. We experienced a slight hick up with our entries, the computer experienced a glitch which messed up my entries but thankfully with the downloaded email confirmation on my phone it was easily rectified and we continued the day, we accept these things happen and is all taken as “A Day Showing”.
Reality was pretty shocked by the donkeys in the ring adjacent, he was pretty scared when a horse flipped over in the ring parallel to us and I struggled to run in the deep conditions but he won his young stock class, his performance was exceptional. This horse could trot around the ring on his own, stop and back up and line up on voice command, I’m sure of it!
The Championship, Redheart Reality put in another outstanding performance, placed as Reserve Champion to Desired Edition and Megan Share, we have been Reserve to Desired Edition many times and we are proud to stand next to Megan and her beautiful horse.
All In A Day’s Showing…
1st June 2019, will not forget this day in a hurry…
Up at 4 am, bathed and plaited Reus and bathed and braided his son Reality who both had spent the night out. On the road to Farnham in Surrey, we missed the exit off the M4 and then we got back on track we hit the diversions, annoyed but calm I drove very carefully as we negotiated roundabout after roundabout. I gave in to the fact we may have missed Reality’s in hand classes but we may just make it in time for the ridden with Reus.
Arriving at the showground the wonderful Matt Ayling, the top man for the ApHC UK First Aider very kindly opened the gate, how amazing does such a small gesture make you feel. From this moment the day unfolded remarkably well. Our first sight as I jumped from the lorry was our 2018 filly Ru, we sold Ru to Wendy Fitzgerald and Ru was having her first outing, she looked amazing and as I shouted her name across the car park in that stupid high pitch Ru Ru, her head shot up and a whinny called back to me, well my heart melted.
We quickly got changed, unloaded Reality and went straight into the ring, he had no time to look and never batted an eyelid at his new surroundings. Walk, trot and halt, perfect and so we continued in the soaring heat. He collected the first place in his age class in UK and USA, he went Male Champion, Young-Stock Champion, USA Champion and Supreme In Hand of the Show – What a superior horse he is without question.
Redheart Reality Male Champion
Redheart Reality Young-Stock Champion
Redheart Reality USA Champion
Redheart Reality Supreme Champion
We can not express in words how wonderful it was to see RU do so well, she also took the winning places in the female classes taking the Reserve In-Hand Champion.
No sooner had the in hand finished, Reality went back on the lorry and Reus came off, tacked up, quick change and on with the ridden. We didn’t get chance to warm Reus up, I was not going to ask him to make a shape and look like a horse that was ready to compete for a show, we let him walk and trot around, using our first class to our advantage, make no mistake he certainly looked like a horse that had just come straight off the lorry! But, after our second show, I pulled him together, put my legs on and squeezed him up. Well what a transformation, he carried me, he felt under me and so responsive, we actually did a half pass on both reins to get back to the rail, I felt a sense of happiness and fulfillment even if we hadn’t got placed I would have been satisfied that our transition from Western to English was coming together, albeit slowly.
Hevans EV Catorrius Ridden Champion
And there we go – Ridden Champion, could not believe it but I do believe the judge had seen a huge transformation and credited us with the potential Reus was showing and deserved.
We are not ones to hang around after competing, we have a lot to do at home and getting the horses back is always a top priority. We set off with an eta home of 5.30pm, brilliant I thought, I’ll do this that and the other…It wasn’t meant to be, as that rumbling noise came we knew a tyre was about to blow, hazards on as we drove a few more miles at 20mph to junction 3 of the M3. With the rescue on its way, we parked on a lane under some trees for shade and gave the horses a haynet and offered them a drink whilst we waited for Mr. Tyre Man.
Reus and Reality without question are true soldiers, it was a few hours before we could set off again, our new eta was now 9.46pm. We arrived safely home, horses turned out, a large G&T for me and bed.
I never take for granted our horse’s success but sometimes it’s not what goes on in the ring but outside the ring that makes me so very proud of them.
We were presented with a Register of Merit (R.O.M) certificate for Reus and his son Reality at the Appaloosa Horse Club UK Annual General Meeting yesterday.
Hevens EV Catorrius’s (Reus) achievement reflected his success in his first year under saddle for Western Pleasure.
Redheart Reality out of Peyres Catori Cat by Hevans EV Catorrius
Reality’s achievement reflected his success in his first year in hand for Halter.
We are very proud…
No reason why we shouldn’t celebrate our wonderful broodmares past foals this Mothers Day!
Princesse Pascale, 328 days gestation today.
Princesse Pascale (middle), her two-year-old gelding Redheart Reality (right) and her six-year-old daughter Redheart Pascalius (left).
Peyres Catori Cat, 329 days gestation today.
Peyres Catori Cat (middle), her two-year-old gelding Redheart Regent (right) and her seven-year-old gelding Redheart Catorrius (left).
Princesse Pascale and Redheart Pascalius.
AI took place and ovulation occurred 1st May 2012.
Redheart Pascalius was born 21st April 2013 at 336 days gestation.
Princesse Pascale and Redheart Royal.
AI took place and ovulation occurred 11th May 2014.
Redheart Royal was born 21st April 2015 at 346-days gestation.
Princesse Pascale and Redheart Reality.
AI took place and ovulation occurred 9th May 2016.
Redheart Reality was born 28th April at 355 days gestation.
Peyres Catori Cat and Redheart Catorrius.
AI took place and ovulation occurred 21st July 2011.
Redheart Catorrius was born 13th June 2012 at 329 days gestation.
Peyres Catori Cat and Redheart Cateaster.
AI took place and ovulation occurred 15th May 2013.
Redheart Cateaster was born 21st April 2015 at 342 days gestation.
Peyres Catori Cat and Redheart Regal.
AI took place and ovulation occurred 11th June 2014.
Redheart Regal was born 13th May at 337 days gestation.
Peyres Catori Cat and Redheart Regent.
AI took place and ovulation occurred 9th May 2016.
Redheart Regent was born 21st April at 348 days gestation.
Well, I’m enjoying my Bailey’s (Strawberry & Cream limited edition), my chocolates and admiring the beautiful flowers whilst my mares are heavily in foal and bagging up…
Redheart Regent and Redheart Reality dam’s were both inseminated and the same day, the boys were born seven days apart April 2017.
They started playing as soon as they were introduced.
As they became colts, they played as colts do.
After castration, their coltish behaviour slowly disappeared.
They are fine apart but they really do enjoy each others company…
They will be two-years-old next month, here’s a short video of them PLAYING March 2019
We subscribe to the Appaloosa Journal, this is the official publication of the Appaloosa Horse Club, the international registry for the Appaloosa horse. Each year we compete at the Appaloosa Horse Club UK National Show, each year we take part in the UK classes and USA Classes. Whilst our UK points go towards ApHC UK Performance Awards our USA points accumulate towards Register Of Merits Awards (R.O.M).
Being placed in ApHC classes gains points, these points are International taken from all the participants at affiliated ApHC Shows around the World! Argentina, Czech Republic, Caledonia, Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, France, South Africa, Austria, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Brazil, Switzerland, Israel, Chile, China, Italy, Dubai, Mexico, Panama and of course the United Kingdom, not forgetting the Regional Clubs of the USA.
Despite the purebred Appaloosa being a “rare” breed here in the UK, the Registered American Appaloosas are doing pretty well, this year we see two UK Stallions in the 2018 World Standings results in the October edition of the Appaloosa Journal.
Our first horse Hevans EV Catorrius achieved his International recognition in 2014, finishing 2nd in the International Top 5 Two-Year-Old Stallions.
Our second horse at one-year-old was Redheart Cateaster, finished 3rd in the International Top 5 for Yearling Fillies.
To date, in 2018 we see DFR Patahas Redheart, our three-year-old stallion on the World Standings table.
Amazing where 1 point can put you in the WORLD!
Christmas day 2004 we entertained the “family” for lunch, about 20 of us and the food prep took a very long time, we had purchased the Cat Stevens CD and the songs played continuously.
One favorite song was (and still is) Father and Son, well some of the lyrics are just so fitting here when I see Reus talking with his son Reality…
“Just relax, take it easy”
“There’s so much you have to know”
“I was once like you are now, and I know that it’s not easy”
“But take your time, think a lot”
“Look at me, I am old, but I’m happy”
As a yearling Reality is looking rather tall against his father Reus who is 6!
Look at the height of that spotty bum!
Reus and Blu have finished the 2018 showing season, Blu competing In Hand in the morning, winning a few classes including the Final In Hand Appaloosa of the Year.
DFR Patahas Redheart
DFR Patahas Redheart
DFR Patahas Redheart
DFR Patahas Redheart
Reus competed in the Ridden section during the afternoon, placed in a few classes and won the Final Ridden Appaloosa of the Year.
Redheart / Hevans EV Catorrius
Redheart / Hevans EV Catorrius
Redheart / Hevans EV Catorrius
Redheart / Hevans EV Catorrius
The Ridden Amateur Owned, Trained and Shown class was the highlight of our day, Reus came 5/10 from strong competition.
Credit to the Foreign Breeds Society, thank you for a running such a wonderful event, it was lovely to see all the Rare and Foreign Breeds in one arena x
Well, this is a new event for us and only found by chance whilst looking for details about another event at Only Equestrian Centre.
The schedule catered for showing (in-hand and under saddle), dressage and show jumping with a huge choice of classes. Much to my surprise, the event was not supported, maybe another event is held on the same weekend or lack of advertising? I’m not sure but it’s such a fantastic venue and the event was very well organised.
We took Reus to continue his education, entering the Ridden Foreign Breeds Class where we sat tight because Reus didn’t like the noise of the M45 behind the hedge, he’s not used to the noise of motorways or fast roads! With no competition, we qualified for the Evening performance under the Coloured Championships.
A few hours later, we entered the big indoor arena with the second and first place horses from the Ridden Coloured Plaited pony, the Ridden Coloured Native/Traditional pony, the Ridden Coloured Plaited Horse ant the Ridden Coloured Cob/Native Traditional Horses.
Absolutely delighted to be pulled in as Reserve Champion.
We didn’t stay for the Supreme due to commitments at home but I felt Reus made great progress, which is what it’s all about!
Redheart Appaloosas