Three teams and one individual made the long trip to Offchurch Bury, Near Leamington spa in Warwickshire, to contest the British Riding Clubs National Horse Trials Championships.
The Weekend began with Junior One Day Event. The Saffron Walden team of Laura Birch, Emma Hadley, Emma Richardson and Robert Barker, All started well posting respectable Dressage tests, all four riders jumped well in the show jumping and set off on an inviting but technical cross country course in good contention. Laura the trail blazer for the team went well but had an unlucky stop at the off set double of chairs, and reported the time quite tight, next to go was Emma Hadley on the youngest horse of the team who jumped a good round but was given an unfortunate 20 penalties for a hessitation at the water, Robert and Emma benefiting from the advice of there team members, both posted excellent clear rounds, and rode into 9th and 10th places respectively, helping the team into a credible 10th place!
The Intermediate competition was next out on the course and our only individual Lisa Spence riding The Game Completed an ok dressage, but luck was not with her and 3 show jumps fell, and with a frustrating run out at a skinny after the water, an individual place was not in the equation this year.
The open team who were competing in a three day event had all scored well in the dressage section. Saturday was the open cross country day and both Rebecca Harvey and Lisa Spence jumped clear, arround an upto height and very technical cross country course. A very anxious Becky Bowles set off on what she thought was an impossible task, to complete with a few stops and some time penalties, a fantastic result for her and her brave horse. Sue Stringer Jumped a very good round coming closest to the optimum time, but an early stop on the course gave her an anoying 20 penalties. The difficultiy of the course soon became apparent when the overnight scores left Saffron Walden in 5th place with just the show jumping to go. The team in first place overnight, had deverstating news when there main team member failled the trot up, meaning they had to count there 4th member and knocking them out of the top 6 places. This moved us into 4th place with all 4 horses passing the trot up, it was just the show jumping to go. It was the old campaingners Douraj (18) and Legend of Tara (17) that showed us all how it should be done with a clear round each, giving Lisa Spence a 10th individual placing and Rebecca Havery an out standing 4th individual placing. Becky Bowles on great form jumped a good round with just 2 fences down, leaving her just out of the places, and Sue Stringer and her exciting young horse Brook showed they have what it takes to be good, and had just one fence to finish in 10th place individually, moving up several places on there overnight position.
The excellent efforts of all the team meant pressure was on the 3rd placed team, and poles rolled! lots of them! putting Saffron Walden Open team into 3rd place at the National Championships!!! I think this is probably Saffron Waldens best ever performance at the open horse trials championships.
Not to be out done, the novice team spurred on by the sucess of there fellow teams all performed excellent dresage tests, 3 of them put in clear rounds show jumping, puting the team in a very strong position going into the cross country phase. Lisa Spence out on the cross country for the third and final time, showed that the time and indeed a clear round was possible, putting just .4 of a time penaltie onto there dresage score of 35.5. Suzannah Engleman again put in a super performance to finish on her dressage score alone. Cat Berrisford put in a good effort but an unlucky stop at the dreaded double of off set chairs (also the downfall of Laura in the juniors) put her out of an individual place, but it was good enough to secure the team 9th place. Nicky Armold was also to come unstuck at the chairs and had to add 20 penalties to her overnight score, again puting her out of a place.
Suzannah and Mr Chubbs finished 4th in their arena and Lisa and CLB Jemilla achieved the best individual place with a 3rd and the best ex racehorse prize!
The whole weekend was fantasitc fun for all concerned if a bit nerve wracking at times, and a big mention must go to all the helpers especially those that traveled on behalf of the club to jump judge and steward, with out them the teams would not be allowed to compete, so thank you Sam Gurden, Sarah Hornby and Angela Wheatly, we really appreciate it.
And to all the teams very well done you did GREAT!! |
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