NEWS

Fantastic Results for Rutland Riding Club at the National Championships!

Having qualified both the Open Dressage Team; the Riding Test Team and three individuals for the National Championships, we did not think that things could get much better; but they did!

The Open Dressage Team were placed 3rd, with Tamsyn Iveson, riding Olympic Du Loir, and Emily Lumb, riding Donna Melissa, placed 1^st in their respective arenas. To have two riders in first place, on scores of 70%+, was a superb result. Tamsyn then went on to win the Overall Open Dressage title, and it was great to see a balanced, forward thinking Test end up at the top of scoreboard. Pam Sellers on Lucienne and Ali Pepper on Flemish Grouse produced some good work, in some very windy conditions, to ensure the Team’s placing.

Sam Rodwell on Mr Mistoffelees had qualified as an Individual for the Novice Dressage competition and they produced a consistent, rhythmic and accurate Test, in very wet and windy conditions, to secure 2^nd place in the Individual arena and 5^th Overall place in the Novice Dressage competition. Again, a superb result.

The Riding Test Team all rode extremely well, but going early in the day, probably did not benefit from very generous marking! However, the Team of Pam Sellers on Lucienne; Tamsyn Iveson on Olympic Du Loir; Sue Scott on Ballintemple Myles and Rosie Bliss on Blackwater Boy came 9^th. Rosie had a nerve wracking start to her Test when Jake slipped in front and behind and nearly came down. Rosie did not move and continued to ride a good Test to finish in 2nd place in her arena and 4^th overall; a great result

As usual, all the horses and riders looked immaculate and it was such a shame that the heavens opened at the prize giving! Some fantastic results, so fingers crossed for the Winter Championships!

The Riding Club was repesented at Area 16 S/jumping qualifier at Eaglemoor on Sunday 15 May.

Sam. Rodwell competed in the Style Jumping Competition on Mister Mistoffelees. She rode a good round but had too many time faults to be in the placings.

Sam then went on to ride in the Novice Competition. They had a pole down in the 1st round and decided, as the ground was rather hard, not to jump in the 2nd round.

Bella Craven gamely agreed to ride Rosie Bliss' Billy at the last minute to make up a team but they also had 4 faults and didn't go again.

Rosie Bliss riding Blackwater Boy had 2 clear rounds and then had a pole down in the jump-off so was not placed.

We were there and enjoyed the day but were not among the prize winners! It would have been good to have a team of 4 but the club does seem to be short of members who show jump.

We were represented at the National Horse Trials Championships at Aston le Walls on Saturday and Sunday,7 and 8 August, by Neil Grant and his lovely horse- which really belongs to Mum, Gail - Ragtime Suzie.

Saturday - Neil was a little apprehensive about the long arena for dressage but he went for it and landed an 8 for his entry. He did a good dressage test 37.5, and had one show jump down - the bogey fence - on the Saturday. They were all late home on the Saturday night, as there was a briefing for the following day about the roads and track, steeplechase and the cross country course which they had to attend on that evening.

Sunday - I went with the family on the Sunday and we all had a very good day with Neil and Suzie having a really good time and excellent performance from them both. There are 4 phases on cross country day. Phase A - timed roads and tracks. Phase B - a steeplechase course with 3 fences and two circuits of the track. Phase C - a second timed roads and tracks. Phase D - a Cross Country course. There is a 10 minute box for vet check and a breather before start of Phase D.

Neil and Suzie did not get any time faults for Phases A, B and C and Suzie obviously enjoyed the steeplechase part. They both did an excellent Cross Country round and only had 1.2 time penalties, this gave them a final penalty score of 42.7 which was made up from 37.5 dressage, 4 SJ and 1.2 time for XC and no other penalties for the roads and tracks and steeplechase. As this was a first 2 Day Event for Neil, he did an excellent job and Suzie as always was an absolute STAR. We were all very pleased with the results especially Gail who is now wanting her horse back, and Neil saying he wants do another event with Suzie, at the end of day 2, but unfortunately the marks were not good enough to bring a rosette home - apart from a commemorative rosette for competing at the championships.

My feeling at the end of the day was that the XCountry could have been a little more demanding as the placings were following the dressage results with most people getting clear rounds, however a very good performance and our club was well represented with Neil and Suzie and very well done to them both.

Pat Brown

Copyright © 2006 Rutland Riding Club, UK