News
Posted on May 29th, 2014
Hertfordshire’s Young Showjumper Jodie Hall Mcateer Wins the Squibb Group Pony Foxhunter Second Round
14 year-old Jodie Hall Mcateer from Borehamwood, Hertfordshire with her mother Mandy’s 8 year-old grey gelding The Little Squire won the Squibb Group Pony Foxhunter Second Round that was a key part of the Pony Premier Show held at SouthView Competition & Training Centre in Winsford, Cheshire on Monday 26th May. The second round was contested by a total of fifty-five eligible starting combinations.
With three direct qualifying tickets available for the Squibb Group Pony Foxhunter Championship Final at the Horse of the Year Show, each starter was hoping to claim one of these tickets as their own. From all the starters, eleven combinations went on to produce two clear rounds to make it through to the final jump off.
In a well fought jump off, just three combinations managed to secure a treble clear, which meant that the qualifying slots were secured. The clock then decided the order of the places with the overall winner being declared as Jodie and The Little Squire. The combination delivered their treble clear in a time of 43.33 seconds.
Second place was awarded to 13 year-old Katie Waldock-Smith from Ware, Hertfordshire who was competing on her mother Deborah’s 11 year-old bay mare Ross Cottage. This combination stopped the clock in a time of 47.02 seconds.
Posted on May 29th, 2014
British Riding Clubs Forced to Cancel Equilibrium Products Festival of the Horse
The competition planned for 31st May 1st June has been cancelled due to waterlogged ground.
The British Riding Clubs team and the team at Aston Le Walls have worked hard and tried to do everything possible to make the event happen, however the recent heavy rainfall and further rain forecast have left much of the ground underwater. It has not been possible to access the land to set up the temporary stables and build the infrastructure in preparation for the event.
Posted on May 27th, 2014
#hicksteadselfie – A Chance to Win £100 Equestrian.com Voucher!
The Equestrian.com Hickstead Derby is almost upon us and title sponsor, Equestrian.com, have launched the #hicksteadselfie prize draw for a chance to win a voucher worth £100 to spend on their website.
Many of the world’s best riders are enormous fans of the Hickstead Derby, and have joined in to show their support taking selfies in their Hickstead Derby Community polo shirts.
All you have to do is put on your Hickstead Derby Community Polo Shirt and take a selfie. The winner with the best selfie will receive a £100 Equestrian.com voucher!
So join a bevy of Whitakers, Olympic and European reigning gold medallists, previous Derby winners, and even the legendary Eddie Macken himself and send in your #hicksteadselfie today!
So hurry, send your #hicksteadselfie today, to the Facebook or Twitter pages, and don’t forget to hashtag it, and tag both @equestriancom and @horseandhound… good luck!
Visit www.equestrian.com to buy your Hickstead Derby Community polo shirt for just £24.99, become a sponsor of this iconic event and get access to a host of extra benefits.
Posted on May 22nd, 2014
Great Britain Team Selected for the FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships at Sandringham
Following the last of the Team GB selection trials at Escrick Park last weekend, the team and individuals representing Great Britain at the FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships (Singles) has been announced.
The team of three will consist of Mick Ward from Downham Market, Suffolk, with Toby, Deborah Daniel from Whitchurch, Shropshire, with Valeside Galaxy and Lindsey Tyas Paice from Ware, Hertfordshire, with Trixie’s Silver Spirit owned by Lady Iveagh.
Individuals will be Lucy Barclay from Stixwould, Lincolnshire, (first team reserve), Sue Johnson from Blakeney, Gloucestershire, Judi Ralls, Margaret Lupton from Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, and Sarah Baverstock from Brighton in Sussex. As host nation, Britain is permitted to enter five individuals as well as the team.
Mick secured his team place early on having won four of the six selection events, Deborah Daniel won two and was placed second at Escrick while Lindsey came second at five events; the best three positions to count. All three para-drivers have previous International experience with Mick and Deborah being part of the team that won Bronze two years ago when Lindsey drove as an individual.
Posted on May 20th, 2014
Young Showjumper Jared Lunn from Hawkwell, Essex helps Team Fairfax Win Pony’s Nations Cup
GB youth rider competing under the Team Fairfax branding posted a fantastic victory for Great Britain at the Pony’s Nations Cup.
Jared Lunn, aged 15 from Hawkwell, Essex with his father Richard’s 11 year-old piebald mare Javas Alun incurred 8 penalties in the first round, their second round saw them produced a solid performance with just 4 penalties incurred.
Jared competed alongside Harry Charles, aged 14 from Alton Hampshire with his father Peter’s 17 year-old grey gelding Aroldo who took the responsibility of pathfinder for the team. Leonie Aitkenhead aged 16 from Gainsborough was riding her mother Beverley’s 12 year-old dun gelding Newtown Sampson. Anchor rider Charlotte Ash, aged 15 from Newcastle-upon-Tyne with her mother Shirley’s 10 year-old bay gelding Aughnashammer
The course was a difficult one and up to height at 1.30m. Nation after nation incurred penalties with many combinations finishing on double figure penalty scores. Finishing on a total of just 17 penalties, where the three best scores count in each round, it was Great Britain that once again managed to retain pole position and relegate the other European nations further down the final line up. The final scores and placings were:
1st Great Britain (17)
2nd. Netherlands (21)
3rd Belgium (25)
Posted on May 12th, 2014
Suffolk Showjumper Lee Saunders Takes First Place at the Equilibrium Products Senior Discovery Second Round at Overa Farm Stud
34 year-old Lee Saunders from Newmarket, Suffolk with her own 6 year-old chestnut mare, Café Point took first place at the 2014 EQUILIBRIUM Products Senior Discovery Second Rounds that continued this weekend at Overa Farm Stud in Norwich, Norfolk. The second round was held on Saturday 11th May 2014 and twenty-six combinations battled it out for a place in the Championship Final.
All of the starting combinations were aiming to produce a treble clear in order to qualify for the EQUILIBRIUM Products Senior Discovery Championship Final, which will be held at the Alexanders Horseboxes British Showjumping Scope Festival.
From the twenty-six starting combinations, just seven made it through to the final jump off. Three of these combinations then went on to produce a treble clear, meaning that it was the clock that was to be crucial in deciding the order of results.
Drawn fourth to go in the final jump off, Lee and Café Point, stopping the clock in 35.11 seconds ensured them the win.
Commenting on her win, Lee said “A win was not what I expected but I am of course very pleased. All credit has to go to my mare; she really is a little star!”
Second place went to 24 year-old Stacey Nichols from Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, who was riding her own 6 year-old bay gelding, Enzo VII. This combination clocked up their treble clear in a time of 35.46 seconds.
Third place was taken by 21 year-old Amy Turner from Ipswich, Suffolk and she was on board her own 5 year-old bay mare Ecamorka. Their treble clear was secured in 36.51 seconds.
These three combinations will now go forward to the EQUILIBRIUM Products Senior Discovery Championship Final.
Posted on May 8th, 2014
Local Pony Club Members Selected for Rider Development Pathway Camp
Following nine very successful Training and Assessment Days, 30 Pony Club Members from all over the country have been selected to attend the Rider Development Pathway (RDP) Camp during June 14-15th 2014 at Somerford Park EC; where they will receive top class coaching in their chosen discipline of Dressage, Show Jumping or Eventing.
The RDP, supported by the Sport England funded BEF Excel Talent Programme, is designed to aid the development of Pony Club Members who show the ability to progress in their sport and provides a stepping stone for young riders working towards the talent pathways of the Olympic disciplines, the British Equestrian Federation’s Sport England funded Excel Talent Programme and the UK Sport Funded World Class Programme.
Riders from the East Anglian region include Alicia Wilkinson and Katie Waldock-Smith.
Posted on May 8th, 2014
Team of 14 Pulled Gelding Free From Silt-Filled Ditch in Norfolk
RSPCA inspectors and firefighters spent two hours battling to save a horse that was trapped in a three-foot deep muddy ditch in Diss, Norfolk.
The 18-year-old dark bay gelding, Pin Pin, had escaped from his home paddock three miles away and waded into the deep ditch.
With the help of 10 firefighters from Norfolk Fire Service and the horse’s owner, RSPCA inspectors worked for almost two hours to free the horse that was stuck up to his shoulders in freezing water and mud during the incident on 23 April.
After freeing the horse enough for a vet to sedate him the team of helpers then used long straps and manpower to pull him free. RSPCA inspector and flood rescue co-ordinator Jason Finch said: “The horse was extremely cold when we got him out and was hypothermic. We had to wrap him in towels and rub him dry and try to warm him up a bit. We then stayed with the horse and owner until he was well enough to load into a horse box and return him home.
“It was a hard and very cold rescue but it was thanks to the teamwork that we managed to free Pin Pin and get him the veterinary help he needed.”
