Apologies for the late blog but Penny persuaded me to take a few days off from the yard so for the past week we have been living out of our truck with the kids in various fields around the country! It all started with the arrival of my parents as my dad, Doug, was coaching the Men and Ladies UK Polocrosse teams against Ireland. We travelled to the Cotswolds Club tournament, which acted as a final selection weekend for players hoping to play in the international competition. I had finally surrendered to the fact that my shoulder was not going to be up to playing so it was yet another weekend on the sidelines! It was a brilliantly run tournament though and Kent won the A Grade and Banjo won Champion Horse, so I had a lot to cheer about!

The UK squads then went into a training camp at Pimbury Farm, the home of UK player Jono Keen. We decided to stay too and we gradually got over our ‘camping in the truck with children fear’! Luckily, we had lots to entertain us from the Cotswolds Water Park to the Zoo (not to mention a never ending supply of kids’ DVDs!). With everything organised back home, it felt good to give the shoulder a rest and nice to spend more time with the folks.

We travelled up to Mollington, near Chester, on Thursday in preparation for the test matches against Ireland. The fields were fantastic – easily the best ground that we have played on all year, which meant the horses were able to operate well. We also had Junior (under 16) test matches between UK, Ireland and New South Wales (Australia) to look forward to and it proved to be a great showcase for the up and coming generation. The NSW juniors came out on top, although the UK drew their last game against them and the Irish juniors really impressed too. I had been helping the UK side out with a bit of coaching and there is some real talent there – I just hope I will have retired from playing once they are playing in A Grade! I was also really pleased that our mare Rosa, who was played by Dean Wilson of NSW, was given the Best Horse award.

As for the Men’s and Ladies’ test matches – they were a mixed bag! Our Ladies once again proved that they are among the best in the world and played with flair, speed and accuracy. They gelled so well as a team and their horsepower was very strong, winning both their games against an improving Irish team. Sarah Simkin and Debbie Harris both had excellent defensive games and our two goal scorers, Charlotte Pykett and Annie Waterer, hardly missed a trick. Ruth Jones and Lucy Shell were very strong in the midfield and UK debutantes Annemieke Mitchell and Sarah Peaker didn’t put a foot wrong either!

The Men’s games were a different story. We had bad luck in the lead up – Joel Sics’ broken leg, Greg Burnett’s broken ribs and my broken collar bone didn’t help! The Irish team were talented and had excellent horse power and it quickly became apparent that they were going to be a difficult side to beat. Unfortunately for the UK, they didn’t seem to be at the races and missed too many pickups to beat the Irish. Our horses didn’t run like they usually do and no matter how hard the boys tried, things just didn’t go their way. For me, Danny Duhig at No 3 was our most consistent player and I was surprised that his horse, Sox, didn’t win Best Horse as he was very dominant in the lineouts. Much to my surprise, Banjo won that prize. Jono played some chukkas on him during the games, but being young he looked a little lost in the rough and tumble of international polocrosse and didn’t go as well as he can. Still, he can have a bit of a rest now and I have some time to fix some issues that have cropped up!

So, we’re back home now and have lots to look forward to over the next couple of weeks, especially as I am finally back in the saddle! I am holding a one day course on Friday and we're giving a demonstration morning next Tuesday at the newly reopened Bedgebury Park, which is undergoing a dramatic makeover and promises to be a fantastic equestrian centre. I am taking a bit of a punt and will be working with a small selection of colts in the demo' – from a yearling to a future Grand Prix dressage horse that I have started for Southern Cross Stud. And not forgetting Diesel, who has spent most of the summer lounging in the field and serving mares! I could be in for an interesting morning!

Well, it had to happen one day… seventeen years of starting horses and I finally have a broken bone – my left collarbone is in pieces! What makes it even more galling is that compared to what I normally have to sit to, it was such a soft fall and I have been kicking myself ever since. Needless to say I have been sore since it happened and grumpy to be around. The doctors have said 4-6 weeks so hopefully I’ll be back on track soon enough.

In a way it’s a bit of a tester of the business. All my clients have been great and happy for the trainers and staff who work for me to carry on with their horses, and they have been doing a fantastic job. I count myself very lucky to have such fantastic people working for me and I think they’re already sick of me shouting instructions from my chair on the yard!

Unfortunately, polocrosse wise, the timing couldn’t have been worse. The season is just kicking into full flight with the lead up to the Test Matches against Ireland at the end of July, which gives me 5½ weeks for the bone to heal – perhaps I am being a little too optimistic! The one thing in my favour is that the horse I am due to ride, Banjo, has a mouth like butter so at least he won’t be pulling!

Last weekend saw me sitting on the sidelines watching some of our young horses have a first run out. Diva, a little thoroughbred mare, went really well for Dan in the B grade, whilst Jannie Steenkamp, who plays for South Africa, won Best No 3 in the A Grade on Risebridge Ragtime. Rags has only just turned four and is one of the first crop of foals by my Australian Stock Horse stallion, Risebridge Diesel. He went really well and now just needs to learn how to gallop. I don’t think he has ever slept so much since his big outing though! Penny played her new acquisition, Scorpio, and has been grinning like a Cheshire cat ever since. He looks like he’s going to be a very handy horse – in fact, just the kind I like to play too!