Greenwich - Awash With Challenges

Hyde Park | More Suitable

It's no secret that the ticketing policy for London 2012 has been wholly unpopular, across all the sporting disciplines, and I have previously expressed my opinion that the venue chosen for the eventing, Greenwich Park, is unsuitable due to the pint-size nature of the venue and therefore it's ability to satisfy anywhere near the demand there would be for the event.

Pippa Cuckson recently blogged about the ticketing allocations for the equestrian events, noting some half a million people expressed interest in the tickets for the horsey olympics. I've also just listened to a very interesting interview on the Eventing Radio Show with Sue Benson, the London 2012 course designer, who throughout the interview describes almost every part of her job relating the Greenwich venue as 'a challenge'. I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the LOCOG PR office when that interview gets mentioned in internal dispatches.

Destitutes, Double Bridles & Delicious Ice-Cream

Greatwood Ex-Racehorse Rehabilitation

Every since I was privy to some investigative journalism on animal charities, including a big name animal charity, I've always been skeptical first of these charities, particularly animal welfare ones. I happy to report I afford Greatwood, which re-homes neglected & unwanted ex-racehorses no such skepticism, having just returned from an open day at their facility just south at Marlborough, ably supported by some of our local celebraties, including Andrew Hoy and Jodie Kidd.

Armed with my 2 small children, ready to pet and pat anything in sight, (including an attempt on a gaggle of geese - never wise!) I turned up at the open day half expecting it to be sparsely supported due to the down pour, but it was pretty busy and until the rain subsided at lunchtime the stable barns were overflowing with people taking shelter  - amazing how relaxed all these horses were considering the sheer volume of people in their barn.