GOOD WEEK BAD WEEK

BARGAIN-HUNTING

A thrifty eventer was delighted by her purchase of wine coolers from

Lidl — as they featured Velcro fastenings. “Cross-country ice boots for £2.99? That’s got to be a win,” she said. Although maybe get another set for the wine too…

A STIFF DRINK

Overheard at a point-to-point, a couple of hunt members talking about the best way to make sloe gin. “You take a bottle of gin,” bellowed one of the formidable tweedclad ladies. “Drink half…!”

The rest of the recipe was not overheard but perhaps not needed, for anyone who followed the first instruction.

HONOURS

Lissa Green was given an unexpected upgrade on her name badge for the Ascot Royal Enclosure; it read “Miss Lissa Bella Green MBE”. Were the name badge-writers slightly confused, or do they know something we don’t…?

FASHION

Jessica Springsteen was the subject of an online article because she, er, went to a show. She “held a riding crop in her right hand as she soared over the obstacles” as well as “padding her horse’s back with a brown leather saddle”, apparently.

MORE FASHION

Reality TV “star” Imogen Thomas (Who? Ed) modelled a bikini from her collection by wearing it on a horse for pictures. Apart from the fact she was wearing no hat or boots, but instead gladiator sandals and sunglasses, one does not want to think about the resultant chafing…

HORSES

The recent craze of hobby horse-riding is sweeping the world — to the extent Tryon, the US venue for the 2018 World Equestrian Games (WEG), is hosting a series of competitions this summer. Does this mean a ninth discipline for WEG? I think we should be told.