Things we get up to.

Or at least things we've got up to in the past! We are still clinging on desperately to our youth but it's an uphill struggle.Below are a some of the sports we have had a go at.

Field Archery

Panther Archery Club

We took up archery waaay back when we first met. I mentioned that that was what I did and Arja said "so do I" so of to the woods we went! I never got to be anything more than a good archer who had to be beaten in order to win and my successes were too few to mention. Arja, on the other hand turned out to be something of a hotshot! She became the only Finn to win the English National Championships! All told we had a few years of good clean outdoor sport.The picture was taken at Panther's original course in Brentwood

Skiing

I think Arja, like most Finns, was born with some sort of skis or skates on. By contrast I didn't discover skiing until my very late forties! However, I took to it immediately and shortly became World champion downhiller. Unfortunately I could only manage second in the slalom events.Would I lie to you? We have been to Cervinia, Italy Val d'sere, France Saalbach, Austria and Sierra Nevada, Spain together and maybe we'll go a few more times before we pop our clogs!
Well, we had the clothes!

Horse Riding

Ron on Braz Arja on Braz
Horses took over our lives for more than seven years before we came to our senses. The daft thing is we don't regret a moment of it! Arja was bitten by the bug, not the horse, that came later, and despite falling off more times than was healthy she became a very proficient rider.She joined the BHS and bought her own horse, an idiot called Red. He went and she got Braz. A 15.2 Russian warmblood, he was good at everything except dressage which he did under protest.I had a horse on loan, a mare called Amber.Braz was sold later and is a firm favourite with everyone at a local riding school where Arja still sees him. Arja still rides regularly and I less so. I don't think you ever get it out of your system.

 

Hunting

Hunting, to me was something that only the 'toffs' did and when we first went out that fallacy was quickly dispelled. In fact the toffs were outnumbered by a large margin. Most were what we would call 'ordinary folk' and as much as the anti hunting people would have it otherwise, it is true. In any event we love it and make no apologies for it.It would be a sad day for England if it is finally banned. Enough. Visit the Countryside alliance website and get more information
Arja on Champ, a pro hunter
Meet at Ashdon, Essex

Mountain biking

New forest foal-irresistible Mountain biking was,and still is something Arja could not embrace with the same enthusiasm as me. As you can see it was hard to keep her away from horses! To be fair, she gave it her best shot but ended up in the A & E after being knocked out after a nasty fall.That would be enough to put anyone off. I go off all over the place with my biking mates where we get very muddy and very tired! Great fun though. Arja prefers to stick to the tarmac. For me it's still an ongoing thing albeit the weather has to be nicer....much nicer!

Inline skating

Now here's a thing that started with a rush and quickly fizzled out. It did for me anyway. I actually amazed myself by achieving what I did. Even to the extent of going on the Friday night skate in London. I must say it was an experience I wouldn't be without.....I wouldn't do it again though! Tough or what! Arja is heavily into FNS and looks forward to going again.It goes without saying that she is a natural and I really admire her skill. Don't tell her that, she's full of it already. Like her with horse riding, I fell quite a few times and once VERY badly. Gave me a hell of a fright. Unlike Arja, I knew when I was beaten. I now only skate 'gingerly'

Yeah, yeah, very cool

 

Other stuff we've(Arja mostly)tried.

Line dancing

Both of us

Yoga

Arja.Maybe me later.

 

Water Aerobics

Definately Arja

Snooker

Both of us

 

Badminton

We were not good enough!

Fencing

Me

Computers

My grand passion at the moment