I know I left you with a bit of a cliffhanger about the fancy dress competition at last weekend’s show – the 2018 Serrang Equestrian Inhand Show.

So, at last, and because I have spent the morning in town and the afternoon at home de-cluttering (now my middle name), here are the photos of the Class.

All the entries were fantastic.  This is, I think (I should’ve checked first) a Formula 1 Racing Car.

Efforts had been made and there was pride in this work.

The Queen of Hearts was enchanting.

Farmer and cow? I think so and those patches were sewn on by hand – not an easy task writes someone who spent an hour cursing and swearing while mending a rug.

This is Finding Nemo. I just love the fish costumes.  Brilliant.

The spectators, who had stayed to the end, laughed and none of the horses going around the ring seemed phased at all at what they had to wear or whom/what they had to walk with.

There were some equine spectators who were gob-smacked and probably thanking their lucky stars they were not having to do this.

But everyone behaved beautifully. All credit to their owners/leaders.

Finding Nemo was the winner and rightly so.  I thought it was a brilliant idea.

And I won something at the raffle.  Huzzah!  A good day all round.

Does anyone miss Dreki since his removal from Leradale?  Anyone looking for the rambunctious little dragon?

Anyone?  This is Brá, his brilliant mother who gave him her all to the point of losing weight over the winter while he got fatter and fatter.

Hetja, who is boss-mare in the herd, do you miss Dreki who was really beginning to piss you off with his colty bad manners and mischievous behaviour?

Lilja (Lily), do you miss your half-brother who never stopped playing endless rough games and didn’t care at all about your happiness or general welfare? Just bounce, bounce, bounce!

So that would be a no, then.

Lilja has her sights on better prizes.

However, I did hear Brá whicker once but I think, upon reflection, it was at Flossie who was walking up the hill with a bag of carrots.

So that would be a no.  No one misses Dreki.  Anyway, he is busy.  He is otherwise occupied.

The time had come – Dreki needed to be weaned from his mother, Brá.  His behaviour was disintegrating.  Far too much bouncing and everyone was bored of him.

We knew it might be tricky, so we took a secret weapon to act as a lure.

Iacs, aka Mr Bimble.  He of the Silly-Frilly forelock.

After an initial struggle, Mr Bimble worked his magic and Dreki walked into the horse van – mostly because all his carrots were being eaten by a professional.  Whatever it takes, you know.

A short drive and we were home.  Daisy and Flossie then went and caught Hjalti and Efstur.

Efstur and Dreki are half-brothers through their mother’s side.  Efstur is one year older and still a colt.

Hjalti and Dreki are also half-brothers but through the same father, Taktur.  Hjalti is a gelding and one year older than Efstur – 3 years old.

Efstur and Hjalti are not related.

As I write, it sounds like one of those tortuous school maths problem that used to leave me feeling sick.

You know the type – “if Efstur is one year older than Dreki but Dreki is two years younger than Hjalti and each two are related but no one is fully related to the same parent, how many beans make five…..”

After initial introductions, the chase was on.

The little boy behaviour began.

Dreki slid straight down to the bottom of the hierarchy heap.

They weren’t actually horrid to Dreki just persistent.

We opened the big gate and they all rushed out…..

And the sheep all rushed out!

The boys were last seen heading over the hill!

I have just phoned the vet for Dreki’s gelding.  it’s got to be done.  Mother?  What mother!

Btw, I have not forgotten about Lilja.  She remains work-in-progress. Hetja is doing the weaning, anyway.

As you may know BeAnne is very lonely on her own.  This is the first time in her life that she has been an “only child”.  In her head she has been planning this day, but the reality is not what she thought it would be.  She hates it.

I wrote a message to a friend who I know sometimes has or knows of kittens.  Up here, it is mostly word of mouth that gets things done.  She incredibly generously offered us one of her young cats.  A four year old calico cat who “who is a little timid but adores dogs ….. I would part with her if it would cheer up Beanne.”

Well it has and I can’t thank my friend enough for her incredible generosity.

Yes, the cat is a little timid and shouts all night but she simply adores Her Maj.

BeAnne is not sure about this new hero worship but the cat food treats/cat food that she can secretly steal has seriously cheered her up!

I have made a “safe room” for our new cat – that would be the bathroom – so at night she can have a peaceful quiet place.  I was concerned that she was not eating and who knows where she was peeing/poohing but last night, in the bathroom, she used her litter tray and ate two bowls of food.  Little cattie might not be as food-orientated as some we have known.

There is hiding but she comes out the minute she sees BeAnne and then spends lots of time wrapping herself around her new friend.

I regularly sit on the floor and they are both learning to be peaceful together around me.  The mewing has stopped today so there is hope tonight will be quieter.

We are not sure about names yet.

I am favouring either Daphne (as in Daphne du Maurier and not Scooby-Do as both my daughters thought) or Nusse (pronounced Nuss-a).

Flossie likes Nooka (Queen of the Nogs from Noggin the Nog).

A name will happen. They always do.

Now to stop little cattie leaving the house for the next two weeks.  That will be fun!

I am too tired to write much – I’ve just got in and am exhausted. I need a shower and bed.

Today was the annual Serrang Inhand Equestrian Show at our local Shetland Rural Centre.

I drove a few Shetland ponies in for Bergli Stud.

There were two show rings.

One for the big ones.

And one, inside, for the Shetland ponies.

All types of horses and ponies, including some Icelandic horses, were there.

I spent most of my day wandering around the place with my camera, snapping away and chatting to folk.

Our Esja was there with her owner.  I originally brought Esja over from Iceland a few years back.

Everyone worked very hard and did well.

Lots of interest.

Watching, taking it all in.

Talking.

A new face.

And the obligatory raffle.

Good behaviour all round.

But, best of all, big smiles!

For me, it was a very long day as I went on to a party afterwards.  Off to my bed now.

There was a brilliant fancy dress costume class at the end – to be continued……/