Area 14 Pony Club Eventing Competition.

This year the Area competition was held at Aldon on 7th and 8th August. The going was excellent and we fielded a Novice and an Intermediate Team plus two individual Open contenders.

The Novice team was Harriet Bultitude riding Helen Barton-Smith's Pippin Nutty, Harry Lane on his own Jonny the Spy, Lucy Lissack on her mother's Kilmington and Holly Lissack on her mother's Just Like That.

After the dressage, Harriet and Harry, both on very young and novice ponies, went clear show jumping, but were both eliminated over an extremely taxing cross country course. Lucy and Holly both had one down show jumping with Lucy having a very uncharacteristic stop and Holly two stops cross country. Holly ended up 10th and Lucy 11th in their respective sections.

The Intermediate team was Jess Clark on her own Doris Doplette, Hannah Batty-Smith with her own To Be There, Tessa Cadman on Rocky and Jay Hoare on Major Paddy. After some pleasing dressage tests, all went clear show jumping except Hannah who just tipped one fence. Jess had two stops cross country. The rest of the team went clear and all were placed.  Jess was 8th, Hannah 7th, Tessa and Jay both 5th. The team was 3rd placed just missing a ticket for the championships.

As an individual in the Open section, Louisa Murray rode Polly Sloggett's Real Appeal. After quite a good dressage test, they had one down show jumping but were eliminated cross country.

Cordelia Francis rode her own Bandalera as an individual in the Open Section. Having done a brilliant dressage test, Corky had one fence down in the show jumping and then went clear over a very stiff and in my opinion, well over the height, cross country course winning her section and therefore qualified for the championships for the second year running.

Corky and Bandalera produced yet another excellent dressage test at the championships, clear cross country and 4 faults show jumping. They came 4th. One place better than last year! A fantastic result.

 Cordelia and Bandalera at the open eventing championships

Well done to all who competed.

Jane Murray