National Horse Trials Championships!

A huge congratulations to Lucy Chappell who won her novice arena at the National Horse Trials Championships at the weekend!

What a weekend it was - with HWRC fielding teams in the novice, intermediate and open Championship classes, I think it's safe to say, we must have been one of the biggest club contingents there. With lots of new and old members, we had a lovely little camp, with everyone helping out and having fun along the way. We even adopted some stragglers from other local clubs!

So Friday began with a few hiccups when Bryony had her back protector confiscated by the BRC as it's BETA label had come off and was not deemed 'safe' and Lucy's passport was missing a vaccination page! After a little panic and a lot of help from the lovely staff at Kanteq, Bryony was fitted out with a loaner back protector for the cross country and after many phonecalls to various vet surgeries and Julie Rainer driving the missing page up to the Championships, they were all ready to go. Friday held trot ups and dressage for the open and intermediate teams with everyone sailing through the trot up, no problems. The open team all scored consistent marks in the low-mid 30s putting them in good stead for the rest of the weekend. The intermediate team saw two scores in the 20s, which put Steph and Bryony 5th and 2nd respectively overnight.
As the event is still held in the old-style three day event format, Saturday was the big day for the opens and intermediates with them heading off round the roads and tracks, steeplechase and cross country. Olivia set out on the intermediate first and had a few control issues after the steeplechase fences, which unfortunately resulted in a a tumble at the second cross country fence, but after being checked over, she re-mounted and did a beautiful clear round. Bryony and Lucy followed up with two clear rounds for the team, putting Bryony as the overnight leader for the intermediate.

The Open team were up next and after being delayed by an hour, they didn't get onto the cross country until gone 4pm, with our last person arriving in the ten minute box at 6.30! Anita went first and had a run out at a tricky combination early on in the course. However, she carried on and flew home with just a handful of timefaults. Harriet and Jane came next, both producing lovely clears with just time-faults around the fast open track. Amy went last and after pulling a cracking clear, nearly on the optimum time, she sat in the top ten placings overnight.

Saturday also saw the novices doing their dressage and showjumping; Pauline started with a 33 dressage and a clear round in the really testing showjumping ring. Rebecca was quick to follow with Ice getting a little excited about the whole occasion and forgetting his manners in the dressage arena, but he followed up with a good round showjumping with just 8 faults. Laura produced another strong dressage test and had an unlucky four faults showjumping. Lucy finished the team with a 29 dressage and another clear round putting her into the lead overnight.

Sunday saw nerves and tension across the camp with HWRC having individual leaders in the novice and intermediate. Bryony decided her only chance of maintaining her position would be to carry Rebecca's hip flask with her around Sunday's showjumping course! Sunday started bright and early for the intermediates, showjumping in reverse order for their placings. Olivia began proceedings by producing a lovely clear round, which was followed by just two down for Lucy and Bryony, pushing Bryony down to 5th individually.

Next up was the novice cross country, where Pauline showing off her superior steeplechasing skills by popping around the open fences!! Unfortunately that led to a technical elimination, but she was allowed to continue, where she had a lovely round cross country, going through all the direct routes. Laura, Rebecca and Lucy all put in foot perfect clears around the cross country. Unfortunately, the scores weren't strong enough for a team placing and Laura finished 11th, just outside the rosettes, but it did mean that Lucy maintained her lead and won her section as an individual!

The day was finished with the open team showjumping, with Harriet producing a cracking double clear, Jane having two fences and Anita and Amy just having a pole each to lead the team into 7th place and Amy into tenth individually!
 
So, success in all classes - the teams were as follows:
Novice -
Pauline Salisbury - Cloud Nine
Rebecca Brown - Kinards Iceman
Laura Salisbury - Citerswood Senator
Lucy Chappell - Josh III
 
Intermediate -
Olivia Quesnel - Purple Cara
Bryony Harper - Waterton Heights
Steph Read - Monarch's Jubilee
Lucy Makinson - Deejay's Soldier Boy
 
Open -
Anita Sunthanka - Independant Spirit
Harriet Coupland - Would You Believe It
Jane Adderley - Cullintra Fox
Amy Benton - Badger's Nemesis
 
We all had a great weekend with lots of fun and laughs to be had alongside the competition and I can't wait for next year!! Thanks to everyone who came along as riders and helpers, who made the weekend such a good one!