Endurance King’s Forest
Ollie Holman chases qualification in his quest to reach the young rider European Championships
YOUNG riders led the charge in the CEI2* 120km, taking the top three from a field of six, with four successful completions. Youngest of all was 14-year-old Ollie Holman, who claimed the top slot on Harry Ingram’s Bronze Nahdir.
Ollie discovered his love for endurance aged seven, at a Pony Club endurance rally on his “laid-back cob”, whom he took up to 50km.
“To me, dressage or showjumping are boring, when you are in a school for only 10 minutes,” he said. “In endurance you are in a race and you get to be in the saddle for hours, which is fantastic.”
As soon as he turned 14 — the youngest age riders can compete in CEI competitions — Ollie completed his first CEI*. He has his sights set on qualifying for the young rider European Championships in Italy in July, but this requires three successful CEI2* events under his belt by the end of May — a tall order.
Step forward white knight, international endurance rider and Endurance GB board member Harry Ingram. Keen to support the future of the sport, he loaned his experienced endurance horse Bronze Nahdir (Ali) for the season. A year older than Ollie,
Ali has many major competitions under his hooves.
Ollie completed his first qualifying ride two weeks ago, at a dismally wet and muddy Haywood Oaks on his own mare Tannasg Psyches Grace, whom he has brought on from pleasure ride to two-star level. The Scottishbred Grace coped admirably with the conditions and it was one down, two to go.
“Riding Ali was very different to Grace,” said Ollie. “She has less experience and is laid-back and calm. Harry told me Ali’s last competition was a fast ride at Windsor, so he was excited from the start and wanted to be in front. It was great fun riding such an experienced, competitive horse, although Grace was definitely easier on my arms. I am so grateful to Harry for trusting me with his horse and crewing me through the ride.”
SHARED EXPERIENCE
SPRING sunshine and good, sandy tracks made for an easier run at King’s Forest. Ollie also appreciated the company of experienced young rider Kate Atkinson, 20, from Lancashire, who took a team bronze in the 2012 young rider European Championships. Kate and Ollie stuck together at a steady canter rhythm ahead of the pack for the whole ride.
He said: “I rode Haywood Oaks by myself, so it was much more enjoyable to have Kate’s company and she shared her experience with me, reminding me to focus on what I wanted to achieve, which was a qualification. Kate was on her young horse CFS Eros and didn’t want to race, so let me go ahead to the line.”
Ollie and Kate both finished at 15.54kph to take first and second, with Charlie Chadwick on Hazelcroft Gosens Tsar cruising into third at 14.18kph.
In the CEI* 80km, Charlotte Strang Holloway on Bolero Phanatastik pipped Nicola Thorne on LM Crazy Girl by 3sec in a hard-contested race.
It was a three-way battle of determination and experience in the national 80km class. Identical twins Sarah Rogerson on Warrens Hill Rubyn and Rachael Cratchley on Open T Offers took first and second, and Lauren Mills on her 21-year-old campaigner Oakleaze Farm Czarko was pipped to third place at 17.25kph.