hello

Although we haven't had a runner since Almost Blue won at Kelso in May we have been busy, we managed to turn most of the horses away to grass whilst the stables were all disinfected and repainted, more rubber floors were installed and all the water drinkers renewed. We now have 8 horses back in work, a couple more came in from Doncaster Sales last week and with one or two other things going on we look like being up to about 18 horses in training for the winter.

With the stable expanding I have been preoccupied throughout the summer with trying to appoint our first head lad/assistant trainer, I have been looking for a proper horseman with a real depth of experience in racing gained at the highest level. I received a massive number of applicants from, thanks to the internet, all over the globe which have taken a bit of sorting out. I now have verbally agreed terms with a man that I am greatly looking forward to working with, more about him later...

He will be in charge of our core team of 3 girls, Jacqui, Emma and Shellie all whom have now been here for at least 3 years and are extremely able and dedicated to their horses. They are supported by our long-standing work rider James and old fatso here who has also resumed riding out. Our pupil assistant Douglas has left to study to be a vet at Edinburgh but is still hoping to travel the horses to the races when available.

The biggest change of all though will be the imminent retirement of Jock who aged 82 and after 54 years of continual service at Kinneston finally sidled up to me and asked would I mind if he "finished up." His long service was marked in suitable fashion at Kinross Show on Saturday when he was presented with a long service medal by the Royal Highland Agricultural Society in front of a huge crowd enjoying glorious weather, it didn't stop him being out moving haylage at 6.45am on the Sunday morning though.....

N