Riding club KBIS Novice Winter Championships
The overall senior dressage champion puts her illness to one side to triumph at Arena UK, while the showjumping features a tense clash in the jump-off
British Riding Clubs KBIS Novice Winter Championships,
Arena UK, Lincs “I’M gobsmacked,” said Jill Bransby, the new overall senior novice winter dressage champion. “I hoped to go well, but I never dreamed we would win.”
Jill, a member of Solihull Riding Club, was the only competitor in her arena to break the 70% barrier, scoring 70.37% on Hardi Van Het Vijverhof.
“This is the first time
I’ve ridden in a riding club championships,” explained Jill. “I did riding club a very long time ago but, after a break from it, only rejoined a year ago. I thought it would be a good way to help Hardi, who can be spooky and nervous while competing, to see new venues.”
Jill’s achievement is even more remarkable given that she suffers from lupus, an autoimmune disease.
“I can’t work because of it and I use riding as part of my therapy,” she explained. “It helps keep me active and my joints moving — if I don’t ride for two days, I end up in agony.”
The Atherstone romped to victory in the senior team dressage competition — a great result for them given that it was all the team members’ first championships.
“I sent them all a picture of a bottle of champagne on Facebook saying, ‘If you win, you can drink this’,” said team manager Judith Moreton. “And now we can.”
Two of the team members won their respective arenas. The first of those was Davinia Kickham and Divine San Siro.
“I thought our test was a bit flat and I couldn’t find my boots, so have had to borrow some chaps,” laughed “Dee”, who works for HSBC.
The second member was Matthew Watts, a freelance instructor, riding Sandro Pit.
“He’s spooky and scared of his own shadow, so we’re very pleased,” he said.
Jasmine Shorrock (Coole Rose Star), who has only just stepped up to senior competition, and Heather Wyles (Bazaars Hanky Panky), who has been busy lambing at home and who had to ride without stirrups during her final preparation lesson as she had left them at home, made up the rest of the team.
PRESSURISED JUMP-OFF PAYS OFF
TWO senior teams made it through to the third-round jump-off in the showjumping competition after they both finished on four faults.
The eventual second-placed team, Saffron Walden & District, suffered from “four-faultitis” in the jump-off, and when three members of the Clydach team jumped clear, victory was theirs.
“We decided before the jump-off that we were going to just aim for clear rounds, putting pressure on the other team, and that seemed to pay off,” said
Jessica Crees (Floris), a lastminute substitute after an original team member couldn’t compete.
The remaining Clydach members, Jodi Romanello (Goodun Pale Brook Starshine), Hanna H Lewis (Canyon Van Erpekom) and Olivia Morris Trew (Spring Surprise) said that the win made their seven-hour journey to the championships worthwhile and that all credit goes to team trainer Steve Cashmore.
“We wouldn’t be here without
Steve,” said Jodi, who admitted she was “terrified” before she went into the ring. “Everything you can think of, we have practised with him to prepare us for this.”
JUNIORS DO BATTLE
THE consistency of Longton Riding Club’s junior dressage team paid off when they took the team title.
Remarkably, all four team members — Nicola Armstrong (Jubilee), Evie Fairbrother (Miss Peggy Sue), Emily Naughton (Colour Of Magic) and Aimee Wareing (Mr Rise ‘N’ Shine) — are based at Paul’s Farm Stables in Leyland, Lancs.
“We’ve all grown up together on the same yard,” said Emily, whose horse has returned to competition after suffering a hind suspensory injury last year.
“Marie Pope, our trainer, also deserves full credit,” said Aimee.
“We never expected to win, but I was so pleased with my horse, I was tearing up on our final centre line,” said Nicola, who celebrated her 18th birthday at these championships. “My horse was only backed last year, so it’s a great achievement.”
Twelve-year-old Francesca Crawley and her eye-catching Connemara, Highburren Daybreak (Eddie), were the overall junior dressage champions for Mynydd Riding Club. The pair scored a whopping 77.04%.
“I’ve had Eddie a year now and have moved him to dressage from his original showing career,” said Francesca, based near Cardiff. “He’s a cheeky character, but he’s genuine and really looks after me.”
Francesca said she recovered after a sticky start in her first test at the championships.
“In the novice test, I was so nervous and went wrong, but we did much better in the prelim and I was really happy with it,” she explained. “Thank you to Mynydd Riding Club, too, as we wouldn’t be here without them — they’re so supportive.”