Fairholme Rossetas Rhapsody

To be asked to write this once was fantastic but two years in succession is just unbelievable!!

When Jasper came in from the field in February, muddy and hairy after his winter holiday, one could only dream of having a season like 2005.

His first main class was the HOYS qualifier at the BSPS Winter Champs where he won and went Champion, incredibly this was only the first of eight HOYS qualifying wins each with the championship.  Far from 2005 being the pinnacle of his career the partnership went from strength to strength. When they won the Gill Genders Supreme at the Northern Pony who could have dreamt it would be the start of such an amazing run of Supremes.

The Royal International was particularly pleasing as it was just about the only major SHP title not on his CV, the worker ring there is not his favourite and Jasper does have his idiosyncrasies, (likes to have a wee just before the class, won’t have the noseband too tight, has to be washed off if he’s too hot, won’t queue in the collecting ring, likes to be fed first, etc, etc).  Alison says what do you expect he’s male! Taking the Supreme in the main ring at the Royal International was again a great thrill, almost too exciting for certain parties who looked as if they were about to do Muppet impersonations off the balcony, (nothing to do with the vast quantities of alcohol consumed in celebration)!!

At BSPS he won the Blue Riband, Premier League Red, HOYS qualifier and Champion of Champions Supreme on his way to winning a second successive Supreme of Show title. With only HOYS to come and ten days to go he came in from the field with a swollen leg, panic swept through the camp, for the first time ever I had put front boots on just in case of a knock – they didn’t agree with him!

Luckily all was well and going Champion and Supreme at HOYS is a moment nobody connected to Jasper will ever forget.  Chloe and all the team know we are very lucky and privileged to have such a superstar he is our “BEST MATE” in more ways than one.

The only thing left to say is a huge thank you to all our friends for their cards and ‘phone calls, Diane, Stuart and Anna, the BSPS and all the Judges who have thought so highly of Jasper and last but not least Linda O’Malley for breeding him and Kevin for paying the Stud Fee!