**STOP PRESS**

Mid week evening clinics with International event rider Aaron Millar at the spacious new indoor arena at Bicton College.

Perfect for those who work and need to get cracking for the 2012 BE season, or just want to have a go!
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~ Weds 29th Feb - Flatwork - grouped according to ability - 6-9pm
~ Weds 14th March - Gridwork - grouped according to ability - 6-9pm
~ Thurs 29th March - Simulated XC - grouped according to ability - 6-9pm

3 riders per hour session, £25 per rider inc arena hire.

Call 07930 179078 or email aaron@aaronmillar.co.uk

So...here we are! 2012 and an Olympic year, and a home one at that!  For many top riders this years planning will start slightly different, with Greenwich in mind.
Unfortunately, whilst the Olympics is an ultimate goal of many riders, I may have to wait for my time...maybe Rio??
The Olympics aside, we are very busy on the yard this month. All the horses that have had a holiday are coming back into work, and many that have gone back to owners over the winter are returning, many not resembling the smart, fit eventers that left, but hairy wobbly beasts! It's great to see them in their natural state but I can't wait to get the clippers and scissors out! Some are feeling just too well at the moment, Wizzard in particular who deposited me on the floor the other day!
I have been busy over the winter with a handful of horses, training with Charlotte DuJardin, which has just been amazing. She is such a talanted rider and producer of horses, I am slightly in awe of her when she rides (ok massively in awe, but don't tell anyone!!). Alan Fazakerley and Justin Tuff has been helping me iron out those pre season hiccups in the show jumping and we are just raring to go now!
I have some great new horses and owners joing the existing team this year, with the main aims being Bramham U25's and chasing good results at 3* to gain 4* qualification for 2013.
I hope you all had a fab christmas and NYE (although its now a distant memory!) and look forward to sharing the highs and hopefully not so many lows of the 2012 BE season with you. Good Luck!

It feels like only yesterday I was writing about the start of the season and the end is here already!
This has been the second season for me based at Newhall, just outside Exeter where the facilities have really helped me to develop both the horses fitness and training especially through those tough winter months, of which I am sure we will see again.
Over the season I have competed 12 different horses at varying levels from young horses up to Blenheim International, Badminton has been elusive this year but is definitely on the radar for next year!
It’s been really nice to see some of the young horses I have produced moving up through the ranks to Advanced. It makes all the hard work worth while and it’s been nice to have the ongoing support of the owners as I know this is an expensive sport. Hopefully one day it’ll all pay off and I hope that they are as pleased as I am.
Next season is set to be even more exciting with new owners, horses and sponsors coming on board. Having been in this sport for nearly a decade I am all too aware of the long road it takes to get to the top but I get more and more determined to get there each year and whilst 2012 is our of reach, 2016 is the light at the end of the tunnel.
All the hours on the road, spent in the saddle and in front of the laptop could not be achieved  without the help and support of a massive team of people who sometimes never get near the limelight. My mum has supported me from the beginning and to this day remains my most loyal supporter – for which I can’t thank her enough. Some of my owners have stayed loyal through some tough times with their horses which means the world to me and I hope that I have repaid them with some good results.
I’ve built up a loyal base of clients for teaching, across the levels and disciplines and have found this to be both rewarding and encouraging. There is nothing more satisfying than teaching someone who wants to learn and develop and I’m looking forward to seeing them out and about over the winter.

Something that I want to develop more on is clinics for riders over the winter, so keep your eyes peeled on the websiteand my Facebook page Aaron Millar Eventing for dates and venues over December, January and February aiming towards the start of the 2012 season.

Gggrrrr bloody horses!
So my last update was after Tatts where Ellie and Captian produced fab results, as always what goes up must come down! Moreton produced more good results for Dantino and Wizard with a 6th and 4th respectively. Salperton was a mixed bag with four horses running and a quick turn around for two to run at Stonar with a rapid lead up to Barbary where I had two running in the 2*. Jack held his own to come 16th in a tough section, there is still alot more to come from this horse and I am looking forward to posting some good results with him in the latter part of the season. Maraca was on great form having produced a nice test and a clear sj round, leaving us in a stong position for a good placing. But as always don't count your chickens too soon as three fences from home on the XC she tripped and catapulted me into the fence...face first! Cue stitches and a cracked cheek bone and worst of all getting signed off competiting so we missed Aston and Stockland Lovell! I'm glad to report that Mac is ok, I think my face came off worst.
Mark Todd was kind enough to take two of my rides at Stockland Lovell as you can see by the picture above.
I'm now fighting fit again and have started jumping the horses myself, Alex has been fab whilst I have been out of action, keeping all the horses ticking over nicely.
Onwards and upwards 

I'm so lucky to live near the coast, we took Maraca and Henry down to the beach for a bit of fun and they loved it! Maraca was less keen on the waves but got used to it in the end. It's great to give their legs a break from galloping on the current hard ground, as well as a lot of fun! Although on closer inspection Henry does appear to have his eyes closed in 2 of the 3 images! Thanks to www.jayphotos.co.uk for the shots.

Ellie and Mac went to Burnham Market and jumped double clears in the Intermediate and 2* respectively, Ellie coming out with a respectable 9th placing. She then went on to Withington to do he same again and came a creadable 4th place.
Bicton produced a nice 4th place in the novice for Wiz, who is coming along nicely for a youngster and Dantino rolled a few poles in the sj to come 13th.
All in all the placings are at the right end of the scoreboard, just waiting for that ellusive 1st place this season, although I have racked up 32 points in the first 2 months of the season, so not at all bad!
I have 3 running at Aston in the middle of May, just praying for some rain for this solid ground, Ellie will be joining Henry in the Advanced at Chatsworth, her first run at this level, so hoping for a good run. Dantino will run in the Intermediate at Pontispool before we hop across the Irish sea to Tattersall's International for the under 25's with Maraca at the end of the month - make sure you keep tuned in to see the results!

A long trek to South of England in Sussex with three horses paid off for Ellie and Maraca with a 3rd and 7th respectively in the I and OI. Ellie rolled an unfortunate pole in the SJ but a good dressage and clear xc with a few time penalties gave her a strong placing. Mac produced a nice test and clear SJ but I admit I could have put my foot down a bit more on XC as we had quite a few time penalties, sometimes it just takes a few events to get our eye back in on timings. Jack also ran in the OI with a good dressage and an unfortunate pole in the SJ. He set off XC like a train and was jumping really well but got increasingly strong to the point where I felt it was best to retire him for both our sake. It's always a tough call to retire on the course but he was taking such a hold and the combination of fences we were coming up to required complete control, it just wouldn't have been saf to attempt it in that manner. He is a good horse so best to save him for another day when we have assessed his 'brakes' and I can kick on in the normal manner! 
Sapey was to be Whod have though its' second Novice. He was a little green in the dressage which showed for his score of 40.5. He warmed up for the SJ beautifully, receiving some encouraging comments from onlookers but just went a bit flat in the ring to knock two fences. He cruised round the XC so I expect him to do well over his next few events.
Alex had her second run on Stormstay after Portman. He was slightly more chilled in the dressage and rolled a pole SJ but stormed aroing the XC clear. I think once they have had a few more runs they will be very competitive.
I also had a BE100 ride in Castleview Freddie, who got over his SJ demons after Aldon to produce a nice test and double clear, with a few time penalties.
Mac and Jack are off to Burnham Market this weekend, all the way over in Norfolk, and then we roll on to Withington and Hambledon.

 

So, not bad this season so far! Three top 5 places at Somerley, 2nd for Maraca and 3rd for Jack in the ON and 4th for Ellie in the I. A rather soggy Portman saw a few poles role in the SJ but a 5th with Captain in the ON and clear XC's with Dantino and Wiz's first novice. Off to South of England on Sat, Sapey on Tues and Burnham Market on Fri - busy, busy!

Sponsorship is always hard to come by in this sport but I'm very pleased to welcome a new sponsor on board for the 2011 season. Wyvern Equestrian manufacture a range of Bridlework that is made in England by skilled craftsmen, using the Best Quality English Leather and is hand stitched and finished. I'm proud to be supported by a company that is passionate about products tht are "MADE IN ENGLAND" and they are a great local company based nr Exeter in Devon. 
                    We are working on some exciting plans together over the next few weeks so keep your eyes and ears pealed for news...
As well as their fab range of leatherwork they also stock the High Quality ELT Competition Clothing Range from Reitsport Waldhausen in Germany. So I will be proud to be using and wearing their items this season. If you see me at an event and want to ask a question about any items then feel free, otherwise check out their website www.wyvernep.co.uk or give them a call on 01392 881880.

What a good start to the 2011 season! Last weekend we travelled up to Yeovil to Aldon on Friday with Wiz. He produced a great dressage of 32 and finished in 8th place in the BE100 with no jumping or time penalties. Ellie travelled up on the Sunday and produced a great dressage of 35 in the Intermediate section and jumped double clear, picking up a few time penalties on the XC to finish 5th. I have a meeting this week with a potential sponsor so i'll keep the website posted with news of how this goes!

So, all our winter woes are behind us, snow, ice, freezing weather (well I hope anyway!) and it felt good to start making some BE entries again.
We're not starting until Aldon this year, where Whod have thought it will contest the BE100 and Allercombe Ellie the Intermediate. They have both been working well at home and have been out and about Show Jumping and training and are feeling well.
After Aldon we are off to Somerley Park with Madison Jack and Leonardo VIII in the ON and Ellie in the Intermediate. Portman is next up with Captain Hook in the ON at the beginning of April.
I can't wait to get back into the swing of things and see how we all fair this season. I have some exciting horses and great owners again and it'll soon be manic with the lorry out a couple times a week.
I hope to be able to catch up with those eventing friends who I haven't seen over the winter and meet a few new!
Don't forget to pop along to the lorry if you see me at events...