News

2009 was a really busy and successful season for the Team: the yard has been full throughout with nearly all horses achieving Leonard’s goals for them. Some of the longer-term rides will soon return from their well-earned winter breaks, whilst others have been sold to continue their careers with new riders.
This season Leonard has several exciting young horses to compete, so the team are looking forward to another good year!

Last season Hero, Bertie and Bryn all stepped up to successfully completing CCI* events, as planned. Hero was subsequently sold to a young rider, who enjoyed the remainder of the season with him. Bertie is currently for sale and Bryn will return this season, following his excellent result at Aldon.

Principal Espoir, a horse Leonard has ridden sporadically, alongside his owner, through the season finished with a BE100 win at Broadway and 5th in the BE100 3DE with Leonard at Aldon in October.

Mel & Robert Puddick's young horse, Cornetto had a fantastic start to her career, ending as a finalist in the Burghley Young Event Horse competition and finishing 3rd in the 4 yr-old section of the Young Horse Championships at Tweseldown. She will return to Leonard in the spring to further her training.

Leonard will also take over the ride on Robert and Mel’s Vodka Ice from Chris King.

Time Machine made a flying start to his career with back-to-back wins in the BE90s at Berkshire College and Broadway. Leonard rates this horse highly and has great hopes for his future. The Team was thrilled to see previous ride Flying Machine hit the headlines again, winning the young horse 3* with Piggy French and wishes them every success next season.

During the quieter months Leonard has stepped up his teaching, holding fortnightly clinics at John & Chloe Perry’s Brookfield Farm in Berkshire and teaching Minchinhampton Pony Club’s residential camp at Stockland Lovell. He continues to help his regular clients with homework for next season.

Despite the economic climate, good horses are still in demand and Leonard has been busy with clients buying and selling quality event horses. He recently arranged a trip to France with Nick Gauntlett viewing top event horses with his contacts there and then enjoyed a few days entertaining his French clients around yards in the UK.

During March 2010 there will be an extra hub of activity around the Crudwell yard as Leonard’s dad, Jean Luc arrives to prepare for the run up to Badminton. Following an excellent season and his great run at Pau with Marychope de Marast, Jean Luc is looking forward to tackling Badminton this year.

Just in case there may have been danger of Leonard having a spare moment to relax, I am reliably informed he intends to run the London Marathon again in April, faster I am told and preferably without the blisters and pulled muscles he endured last time! He will be stalking the lorry park again for all your generous donations! Charity details to follow shortly.

Leonard, Emma and the Team would like to thank everyone who worked with them to help make 2009 such a successful season.

Click here to view Leonard's British Eventing competition results (opens in a new window).