The talk of the country just now is the weather, with a lot of riders completely grounded due to snow but one young man who made a wise move and headed off to a hotter climate was Kilmarnock’s Graham Babes.

Winner of quite a few Scottish championships last year, Graham is currently in Vilamoura on the Atlantic Tour with eight horses to enjoy a whole month’s jumping coming home next weekend.

So far, his tour has gone well with some good placings in the young horse sections with HOYS finalist Glencoe, Carlingfords On The Rocks and Ma Fleur JX – with the latter collecting two second places in busy 1.25/1.3m classes.

From the more experienced horse, Boucheron rounded off his week finishing fourth in the 2* Grand Prix in top notch company.

Jemma Kirk is rarely seen jumping in Scotland now that she has set up home in France, but she still flies the flag for Scotland winning no fewer than 12 classes at Valencia in the past month.

Her French-bred stallion, Tchoupi Pironniere, has been produced by Jemma since he was three and as an 11-year-old this year has been scooping up the 1.3m classes. Quelisto has been tackling the 1.45/1.5m sections, whilst the five-year-old Selle Francais gelding, Diamonds are Unique, has hardly put a foot wrong in the young horse classes.

James Smith is in Royan in south-west France with his team where the Gillespie-owned Flinstering has been in the money in the 1.35m sections including a second in a 1* Grand Prix, Casienna is collecting ribbons in the young horse classes and At First D’Authuit rounded last week off with a second place in another 1* Grand Prix.

Back at home and The Cabin EC managed to squeeze a show in before the worst of the snow hit and was well supported as usual.

Several riders had multiple wins, including Laura McCabe, who travelled from her home, Muirmill, in south Ayrshire, to compete with her own Caly and Venice to some of the club classes before the Lys De Darmen-bred Easy Money Z collected a third in a discovery.

Christine Muirhead has until now been watching from the sidelines as her son, Stuart, takes their super chestnut mare, Merrlyns Mondena, into the ring, but with Stuart busy, Christine has taken up the reins again and after a coupe of sessions with Aberdeen’s regular coach, Andrew Hamilton, she was seen popping round the club classes to win a 70cm.

Rebecca McRonald had two wins on her latest ride, the six-year-old Matteo-k VanT Kattenheye, which is certainly bred to jump being by the up and coming Infernape Van De Caatshoeve, a son of Clinton/Heartbreaker. Two double clears saw them stand at the top of the line in the discovery and newcomers.

Sarah Gibb has the luxury of her own arena at her D and S Equestrian Services base near Peterhead. but her beautiful coloured Ultimo Ashbank and super reliable Tweeduizend M still looked fresh when they won a 1.1m each.

Aileen Ferrari will be gearing up for the forthcoming event season with her team, Couldoran and Storm Ahead Ted, both of which finished last season at novice level BE but claimed a British novice and discovery each there.

Rachel Davidson is still in ponies, jumping Stargate to a win in the junior 70cm before swapping to the 16hh Hojmarks Rosetta, former ride of Declan Irvine and owned by her uncle, Richard Duncan, to jump double clear and win a 90cm.

Further south, in Ayrshire, Muirmill EC ran its BS category 1 show allowing those not snowed in the chance to keep competing. Numbers were slightly lower than normal, but those who did compete were grateful to get out and about.

Natalie Devlin has been very consistent with her two mares, Coulters Candy and My Hallo Jessie, with the former now over 100 points clear of her nearest rival in the silver league table and she added yet more points with a win in the 1.1m and 1.15m and the latter stepping up to 1.15m classes but winning the 1.05m en-route.

LEADING awards

The Cabin EC

Club senior 70cm – 1, Caly, L McCabe; 2, Merrlyns Mondena, C Muirhead; 3, Sweet Pece, L Alexander. Club senior 80cm – 1, Cloudy, K More; 2, B Royal, M Davidson; 3, Cushiestone Brute, C Hardie. British novice – 1, Couldoran, A Ferrari; 2, Hanleen Copycat, K Alexander; 3, Domino, J Marks. 90cm – 1, Apache Flash, F Quennell; 2, Briosal Kurl, J Blair; 3, Furioso De Foja, C Smith. Discovery – 1, Storm Ahead Ted, A Ferrari; 2, Cavalier Candy Floss, D Eddie; 3, Couldoran. 1m open – 1, Ballyrussell PA, K Moore; 2, Briosal Kurl; 3, Furioso De Foja. Newcomers/1.1m – 1, Ultimo Ashbank, S Gibb; 2, Storm Ahead Ted; 3, Becconsall Storm, T Van Someren. Foxhunter/1.2m – 1, Wot Not, S Gibb. Club senior 70cm – 1, Caly; 2, Merllyns Mondena. Club senior 80cm – 1, Venice, L McCabe; 2, Sushiestons Bruce; 3, Notre Dame M, R Maher. Pony British novice – 1, Miss Bardot, R Wilson. Pony intro 80cm – 1, Apache Joe, K Woods Young; 2, Drumkeeragh Abbey Rose, R Davidson. Pony discovery – 1, Apache Joe; 2, Miss Money Penny, R Wilson; 3, Clailu Saffron, J Ross. Senior discovery – 1, Foxy IV, H Lowe; 2, Christinas Pride, K Slater; 3, Easy Money, L McCabe. 1m – 1, Clone Temptress, K Donald; 2, Fluer De Mai, S Wiseman; 3, Becconsall Storm. Newcomers/1.1m – 1, Welshpool Lad, M Bruce; 2, Tweeduizend M, S Gibb; 3, Hugana Vant Heike, L Guild. Foxhunter/1.2m – 1, Edelwijs, I Campbell; 2, Louisiana VD Molendreef, V Davidson. Club senior 70cm – 1, Merllyns Mondena; 2, Flyingbuck Sempra, C McIntoch. Club junior 70cm – 1, Stargate, R Davidson. Club senior-1, Coco Bean, G Kynoch; 2, Gems Alabama, R Barclay; 3, Flyingbuck Sempra. Club junior 80cm – 1, Chesterhill Dotteral, S Coates. Discovery – 1, Lady Lux, Z Gauld; 2, Styx Evo, S Roper; 3, Miss Bardot, R Wilson. British novice – 1, Limerick Legend, K Donald; 2, Hanleen Copycat, K Alexander; 3, Marco GII, S Slater. 90cm – 1, Hojmarks Rosetta, R Davidson; 2, Apache Flash. Discovery – 1, Matteo-K Van T Kattenheye, R McRonald; 2, May Day, P Costelloe; 3, Clover Bailey, S Black. 1m open – 1, Dorana, R Pindar; 2, Skye IV, J Coburn; 3, Clone Temptress. Newcomers/1.1m – 1, Matteo-K Van T Kattenheye; 2, El Siera, R Sinclair; 3, Westmuir Quality, E Costelloa. Foxhunter/1.2m open – 1, Wings, R Pindar; 2, Gavanta, J Maher; 3, Hanleen Beatrice, R Pindar.