Essex Team Rider Challenge

Our annual trip to Towerlands for the Essex Rider Team Challenge was unusual this year as for once there were no gale force winds, snow flurries and even the torrential rain decided to stay away. Our team consisted of Tabitha Northover on Felix, Polly Marsh on Corker, Tabitha Downer on Tampa and Kirsty Fisher on Pied Piper, Kirsty was placed 5th in the warm up class and all the others jumped clear so all looked good for the team competition. There were 22 teams entered this year comprising of Pony clubs and riding clubs so the competition was going to be tough.

The first round is not usually decisive but this year a lot of teams were struggling however our team produced four fantastic rounds and we went through to the second round on a score of zero along with only three other teams. The second round caused more problems than the first but the top teams including ours continued to jump well and by the end of a long afternoon we were one of three teams on zero who had to jump off for the top three places. We have never been in this position before which was so exciting and our entire team had to jump off over a shorted and very twisty course which suited the ponies but was difficult for the horses. Our team again produced fantastic rounds but we were narrowly beaten into second place by the Suffolk Hunt pony club and in third place was the Essex North so pony clubs ruled supreme. We also managed to come 7th in the tack and turnout, no mean feat at this time of year, so our riders left the show with two lovely rossettes, a runners up trophy, £15.00 of WH Smith tokens and a box of chocolates which probably didnt last the journey home.

Once again our riders were outstanding in both their riding ability and their attitude as they all helped Jeff Quinlan re-build the course for the second round as he is on crutches after a riding accident and Tabitha Downer particularly embraced wearing the yellow officials vest and did her bit of ring stewarding, Matthew was committed as scorer, we all knew exactly where we were at all times during the competition and what was required of each rider, course builder and he also did some stewarding but refused to wear the vest !. Tabitha rode her new horse brilliantly, Polly and Corker were outstanding especially under pressure and are already a fantastic partnership so all look out this summer and both Tabitha Northover and Kirsty were, as usual, hugely valuable and reliable team members. Not forgetting our long suffering parents who were great company as well as hard working during the very looooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggggggggg day, Alana also came along to support us and a special mention to Di and Olivia Potter who stayed and supported us to the end despite Olivia not being in our team.

Unfortunately no-one thought to take a camera and I will try to get some photos from Alec from Essex rider to post on the web-site but we will be featured in the next Essex Rider so fame at last !

Sandie Gibbs
Very Proud Team Manager !

Puckeridge Hunt Hunter Trial Results

Click HERE to download the results

Mini Hunter Trial Results

Pairs
Nathan Gibbs / Jack Hayward
Alsa Cuthbert / Jemima Morris
Ed Pryor / Oliver Northover
Alice Kayton / ?
Ellie / Emma O Callaghan
6th Numbers 57 / 70

Class 9
Ed Pryor
Hamis Upton
Ella Kington
Amber Abraham
Oliver Brown
Edgar Padfield

Class 10

Lara Mitchell
Lydia Campbell
Edgar Padfield
Lucinda Robinson
Oliver Brown
Emma O Callaghan

Harry Horton Reports on Camp ‘08

Pony Club Camp 2008 was a great success but very hot weather which we shouldn’t complain about.

Everybody there has a fabulous time including the instructors (we hope!). People were very tired but impressed that we had one extra day at Camp for the most important part, the prize giving.

The teams this year were named after the 2008 Olympic equestrian riders. We had a lot of fun, the evenings were jammed packed with lots of activities like swimming, polo, and going to the pictures and we can not forget space gymkhana which was great fun.

This year our ride competition was a musical ride, the instructors were given a CD with a selection of songs from a musical which we had to ride to. The King’s Troop watch out!

Unfortunately we did have a few injuries along the way (Jimmy hope you are back riding soon after hurting your collar bone. Also Jake hope you enjoyed watching the cricket!!!!!!!)

Thank you to everyone who helped out at Camp a lot of work went into it this year. A big thank you to all the instructors Elaine, Helen, Andrea, Sue, Sarah and Maria. Maria, I hope you have recovered from the rounders match. Shame the Instructors LOST. Better luck next year.

Also let’s not forget the chef because without Lynn we would have starved (the food was great hope to see you next year Lynn!)

Also this year we a stable manager which was my mum (Rebecca) which was great as we all had our water and haynets filled for us on the first day, shame you didn’t do them all week! Pete also helped out every morning with the stables he now has a degree in filling haynets, so a big thanks to them both.

Parents who stayed the night to keep us children under control, Penny Beard for doing all the scoring and marking for a fair competition and all the other people who helped make Camp 2008 a great success also get a big thank you from us all.

And last but not least lets not forget the DC (Granny) and her assistant Ro who made our camp a special one.

But the biggest thanks has to go to Mr and Mrs Sporborg for letting us have a great camp at Broom’s Farm. Let’s hope we can go back next year.

Hope to see everybody again next year.

Harry Horton

Burghley Show Jumping

Our Burghley show jumping team this year consisted entirely of first-timers, Kirsty Fisher, Olivia Potter, Rosanna Lambert and Matthew Gibbs at this prestigious Pony Club event.

There were 37 teams in the competition in total and our team were the second last to jump round a long and undulating course that was about 105cms in height with a couple of 110cms jumps with reasonable spreads. Both Rosanna and Kirsty produced fantastic clear rounds but Matthew and Olivia were slight victims of the wet ground and had 4 faults a piece when their horses slipped and lost balance at crucial moments.

So we finished on 4 faults which was not good enough to get us into the jump off but as a rather nice consulation prize our team won the tack and turnout competition which was no mean feat (although years and years of Alana being after us has probably finally paid off !!! )

To cap a fantastic day out Tina Cook presented the team with a beautiful trophey, which will be sent to us after it has been engraved, and Tina spent time with the team and the supporters chatting and showing us all her medal, which was a real thrill.

A big thank you goes as always to Alana for her usual good humour and for keeping a straight face when being told that we had won the tack and turnout prize, to all the supporters, who must remain nameless as many had 'bunked' off school (as I understand it the dentists in the area were snowed under for the day ! ) and the parents who were grooms, drivers, therapists and nervous wrecks by the end of the day. Not forgetting our valiant team who rode brilliantly and were obviously beautifully turned out.

INTERMEDIATE AND OPEN PONY CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS 2008

The Puckeridge Hunt Open Horse Trials team competed recently at the Pony Club National Championships held at Draycott House, Derbyshire. The team of Hector Payne, Katie Lambert, Fergus Payne and Angus Lambert competed over 2 days finishing 2nd. Congratulations and well done to all the team for a fantastic result.

Also, congratulations to Olivia Potter who was placed 2nd individually in the Intermediate Horse Trial Championships.

Area Show Jumping

It rained all day.

The A Team: Ella and Becky Westerhuis, Tabitha Northover and Matthew Gibbs. The team was seventh.

Novice B team, Laura Perkins and Rose McConagy. Tabitha Downer and Polly Marsh were also in the team but couldn't be found for the photo. The team was third.

Open Team Left to right Olivia Marsh, Angus Lambert, Hector Payne and Katie Lambert. Team placed 6th overall.

Intermediate team left to right. Kirsty Fisher, Olivia Potter, Roseanna Lambert and Casper Payne. Team placed 5th Overall. Olivia Potter on Zimbo jumped a triple clear to qualify for the Intermediate Individual SJ Championships held at Draycott House, Derbyshire.

Camp ‘08 - Pics!

Click on an image for a larger version.

S enior Clinic ‘08

A fabulous time was had by all who attended Senior clinic at Ely Eventing Centre on July 25/26/27th July 2008. Click on an image for a larger version.

C+ Test Success

Well Done to Rose McConaghy, Laura Byford, Charlotte Osborne and Olivia Potter who all passed their C Plus recently.

AREA DRESSAGE 2008.

July 20th saw Puckeridge Hunt members travelling to Statford Hills to represent our Pony Club at the Pony Club Area 8 Dressage Qualifiers. Well done to everyone who competed, it was a successful and very enjoyable day. Special mention to Laura Perkins on Nimrod and Daisy Osborne on Killy who Qualified for the Pony Club Novice Dressage Championships to be held in Cheshire at the end of August and also Charlotte Osborne on Elvis who qualified for the Pony Club Intermediate Championships to be held in Derbyshire in Mid August. A big thankyou to Alana, Ro, Sue and Maria for all their help on the day.

Don’t they Scrub up nice?

Alana and Ro at the Cubitt Award lunch. The Princess Royal presented the award to Alana and, no doubt, learnt a thing or two.

Flags of Equestrian Nations Achievement Badge

If you would like to qualify for your Flags of Equestrian Nations Achievement Badge you need to have knowledge of competing equestrian nations, their capital cities and their national flags. So what better time to learn about them than this Summer when the Olympics take place in Beijing, China!

Click HERE to download the entry form. There is a prize for each correct entry. CLOSING DATE 30TH SEPTEMBER 2008.

Congratulations to Alana

The Pony Club has given Alana the prestigeous Cubitt Award for her very considerable contribution over the years.

The Pony Club’s President H.R.H. The Princess Royal KG KT GCVO QSO will present it to Alana on Monday 30th June in Warwickshire.