National championship success for Wenlo RDA
YOUNGSTERS from Wenlo RDA (Riding for the Disabled Association) stables based in Woodhouse Eaves are celebrating success at the national championship.
The stables had seven riders and four horses competing at the RDA championships held at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire.
The success was led by Jonathon Rigby who had an almost perfect score with 98% in the countryside challenge event . He won his class and with the highest score he won the trophy for finishing with the highest score of the weekend.
Ellis Holdaway was the only rider from the stables who was competing in the dressage freestyle event to music. She scored 69% in a tough event to be crowned national champion. Kirsty Laing who has competed at the nationals before on the countryside challenge was in a class with four other riders and managed an excellent 93.5% to take the title.
Ellie Hull who was returning to the nationals for the second year in a row was in a very tough field of eight for class 78. Ellie had a very solid performance and just fell short of retaining her title and finished second with a score of 89.25%.
Lucie Armstrong and Paul Collett both no strangers to competing at the nationals were competing in class 46 Senior countryside challenge led with one side walker. Lucie’s score of 74.25% was enough for her to finish second, with Paul fourth with a score of 62% .
Elsie Johnstone competing in her first national championships in the Class 46 Junior countryside challange event led with one side walker in a tough field of 10 finished a credible sixth with 73.25%
The awards didn’t finish with the riders with three of Wenlo’s horses also collecting awards! Dawn Whitmore-Kirby accepted the Maggie Tansley award for the horse which scored the highest points at the weekend which went to Hilary.
Charlie not to be outdone managed to get two rosettes in the best turned out event finishing first and third, while Clancy finished fifth in the same competition.
Away from the equine arena, Jacob Mellits was competing in the arts and crafts competition, where he had drawn a beautiful portrait of Wallace from the stables, finishing fifth to claim a rosette.
A club spokesman praised the riders’ success and the behind the scenes work of the volunteers at the stables.
“The weekend could not be possible without the amazing volunteers from Wenlo, who give up their time for free to help transportation of the horses and the care of the horses all weekend, to being grooms and also being side walkers in the competition. The riders and families are very grateful for this.”