Phew!

It's that time of year again -the Jethart Callant's Festival starts today. Nick Arnold is this year's main man. 

The first ride out was to Morebattle,(about ten miles) for speeches and the dancing of a reel before riding back again. The riders looked very weary as they trotted up the road into town. I suspect rain would have been preferable to today's blistering heat.

He looks as if he's offering up a little prayer of thanks for his safe return - till a couple of months ago he'd never ridden a horse.  But he carried himself with aplomb and - bonus - has a splendid singing voice!  He'll be doing a lot of riding, and singing, over the next two weeks.