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Ben Berrill and Ready Eddie Go represented the branch in the Area Showjumping Competition. They successfully qualified for the National Novice Championships held in Cheshire. This is Ben’s report of his experience competing in his first national competition.
The Pony Club Novice Championships 2012
The Pony Club Novice Championships at Kelsall Hill Equestrian Centre in Cheshire, was the highlight of the year for Eddie and me. After the surprise that I had qualified for this, from what I thought was just an everyday show, came the seven hour journey with broken down vehicles blocking the route all the way to Cheshire! However we arrived safely in our horsebox, after hours of listening to music and eating Haribos. Eddie came readily out of the horse box into the driving rain! We walked up and down rows and rows of stables hunting for his (no.219). Unfortunately when we found it, it was already occupied by another horse! So after what seemed like hours of talking to stewards, Eddie was finally inside a little stable. with a green roof and a straw bed. ( and a grass underbed, which he thoroughly enjoyed!)
The next day was championship day. After a full English breakfast, we all felt ready to go! The ground was slippy from the downpour the night before, but we managed to dodge the rain on the day and actually got some sun! Eddie was living up to his name (Ready Eddie Go) and was very up for it, as far as speed was concerned!
We flew round the first nine jumps but then came the last jump. One more clean jump was all we needed. However it was not to be, as Eddie brushed the front rail as he flew over, putting four points on our score. Gone were our championship hopes.
After two hours of boredom, the second round came forward. Eddie, again, was pushing the pace and this again, was our downfall. He flattened round the course and every time I came off my seat, it was like the accelerator being slammed down. Two poles fell at the end of it; however it had been the most amazing experience that I will never forget.
Ben and Ready Eddie Go
We are justifiably proud of them!
Mike
The period since Senior Camp has seen a lot of frenetic activity with members practising and studying for, and taking, a wide range of Pony Club Efficiency Test, some at Junior Camp and others on special test days. One member took her C+ test with another branch (unable to make our test day) and, of course, the B test is a ‘major event’ and is arranged on an Area basis so can be some distance to travel to.
I am pleased to announce the following passes:
B (Horse and Pony Care)
Lara Curtis
Abigail Martin
Hazel Perry
C+
Rosanna Curtis
Bethany Giddings
Alex Irwin
Josephine Mitchell
Emma Robbins
C+ (Riding)
William Beldham
Olivia Greenwood
C
Georgia Corin
Felicity Cotterell
Sophie Diffield
Summer Dyer
Xanthe Fairhead
Marianne Gibson
Annabelle Irwin
Tara Keoshgerian
Alex Medlicott
D+
Poppy Barrott
Celia Bristow
Imogen Burgoyne
Emily Clifford
Yolander (Yo Yo) Etherington
Kezzie Fish
Gerogia McCormick
Grace Riminton
Kate Robinson
Libby Walsh
D
Maddison Bishop
Finn Calisle
Annabelle Reed
Farah Petts
Millie Robin
Helena Smith
Lottie Turner
Ellie Wood
Felicity Woodiwiss-Reid
Phoebe York
E
Connie Allisat
Ben Burgess-Dinleyici
Jessica Cavallini
Ella Currie
Edward Newey
Neve Oakton
Holly Richardson
Libby Webber
Congratulations and well done to all of you; just remember that whatever standard you have achieved the Pony Club has a higher one to aspire to. There is a lot of good information about the Efficiency Tests on the main Pony Club website.
Mike
Junior Camp is beginning to seem a memory now but hopefully a few photographs will rekindle happy memories. 35 members attended and while not an all time record it was a larger camp than we have had for some years.
There were three trophies awarded as follows:
BEST FRIENDS
Awarded to: Kate Robinson and Ben, Reserve: Finn Carlisle and Baby
MOST IMPROVED
Awarded to: Annabelle Reed riding Crunchie, Reserve: Ella Peck riding Skipper
BEST RIDER WITH A BORROWED PONY
Awarded to: Ellie Wood riding Dolly, Reserve: Rumer Crawford riding Ziggy.
The following members were awarded the Mini Road Rider Achievement Badge:
Poppy Barrott
Celia Bristow
Imogen Burgoyne
Finn Carlisle
Rumer Crawford
Yolanda (Yo Yo) Etherington
Rebecca Greaves
Jaze Karrouze
Cerys Kelly
Georgia McCormick
Shannon Moore
Jasmine Newman
Amy Newton
Farah Petts
Annabelle Reed
Helena Smith
Jessica Taylor
Lottie Turner
Ellie Wood
Phoebe York
Well done to all of you and I’m sure you are already looking forward to camp next year!
Mike
The following members passed their Pony Club D test at Senior Camp:
Natasha Newton,
Gemma Benham,
Maddie Aloof,
Robyn Montgomery,
Grace Riminton,
Emily Clifford,
Annie Frost,
Lauren Vane.
Congratulations to all of you, well done.
Mike
I’m sure the seventy members who attended Senior Camp had a great time if the photographs are anything to go by! The photo’s are now all available for viewing here. Our thanks go, as always, to Anthony Rowles-Jones and his team of staff and to Sarah Muggeridge and the instructors.
Prize winners were as follows:
THE ROXY CUP (from the youngest ride)
Awarded to: Matthew Perry, reserve: Natasha Newton
THELWELL SHIELD (helpfulness, happiness, given to someone in the bottom two rides)
Awarded to: Selina Nash, reserve: Flo Evans-Thomas
JOANNA CUP (goodwill)
Awarded to: Summer Dyer, reserve: Matthew Lancaster
MISTY CUP (best friends)
Awarded to: Jason Watson and Scoob, reserve: Robyn Montgomery and Spencer
BEECHWOOD BARON TROPHY (best first time camper on points)
Awarded to: Maddie Aloof, reserves: Felicity Cotterell and Lauren Vane
VETERAN SHIELD
Awarded to: Chloe Fry and Gunner (22), reserve: Finley Walsh and Star (22)
TITUS OATES CUP (borrowed pony)
Awarded to: Flo Evans-Thomas and Tyson, reserve: Robyn French and Blue
NICKEL CUP (most improved in two youngest rides)
Awarded to: Annabelle Frost , reserve: Eleanor Reffin
MOST IMPROVED CUP
Awarded to: Matthew Lancaster, reserve: Chloe Marriott
JUNIOR STABLES CUP (points)
Awarded to: Annabelle Irwin and Xanthe Fairhead, reserve: Georgia Corrin
BEST JUNIOR BOY (points)
Awarded to: Matthew Perry, reserve: Jason Watson
JUNIOR INDIVIDUAL CUP (points)
Awarded to: Annabelle Irwin, 2nd: Emily Wagenmann, 3rd: Maddie Aloof
SENIOR INDIVIDUAL CUP (points)
Awarded to: Beth Giddings, 2nd: Chloe Fry, 3rd: Emma Robbins
SENIOR STABLES CUP (points)
Awarded to: Beth Giddings, 2nd: Alice Reffin, 3rd: Emily Clifford
GUCCI AND MINNIE SHIELD (staff member)
Awarded to: John Bedford and Mary Major, reserve: Max (dog)
COMMANDANT’S SHIELD
Awarded to: Abigail Woodgate
TIDIEST in DORM (red shirt)
Boys – Awarded to: William Gribble
Girls – Awarded to: Jessica Fry
BEST YARD ASSISTANT (voted for by leaders)
Awarded to: Rosanna Curtis
LAKER CUP and LAKER-RUSSELL BURSARY (personal endeavour)
Awarded to: Abigail MArtin
YARD POINTS
1st: Yellow 2622, Leader: Abigail Martin, Assistant Leader: Olivia Greenwood
2nd: Pink 2617, Leader: Chloe Fry, Assistant Leaders: William Gribble and Beth Giddings
3rd: Purple 2600, Leader: Ben Parnaby, Assistant Leader: Daniel Dickens
4th: Blue 2507, Leader: Emma Robbins, Assistant Leader: Rosanna Curtis
5th: Green 2474, Leader: Abigail Woodgate, Assistant Leaders: Alexandra Irwin, William Beldham
6th: Red 2460, Leader: Lara Curtis, Assistant Leader: Jo Mitchell
Mike
Please extend a warm welcome to following new members to the branch:
Hannah Chamberlain, age 13, from Burgess Hill.
We are now entering the main summer show, camp and competition season. Parents and carers: don’t forget the open events are our main branch money earners and we need lots of helpers to make them successful! Please respond to appeals for help. We are, of course, disappointed about having to cancel our July One Day Event due to the persistent bad weather. The Events Committee will be looking into holding additional events in the later summer or early autumn.
I hope all the new members will quickly settle in and start to enjoin the fun, companionship and comradery offered.
Mike
I am delighted to announce that the branch will be holding an additional Mini Horse Trial event on Sunday 30th September at Wivelsden Farm. Click here to download a schedule and entry form. This event is specially aimed at novices and beginners of all ages!
This is the brainchild of our Open Eventing Team (Hazel, Amy and Lizzie) and I am particularly pleased our senior members are playing such an active role in the branch.
Let’s hope the never ending wetness is behind us for this year!
Mike
I am very grateful to Candy Robbins for supplying the following report. I would also like to add my congratulations to Ben Berrill and Ready Eddie Go on their success in gaining a place at the Pony Club Championships in Cheshire.
Southdown Hunt East sent 4 teams to the Area show jumping at Felbridge on 7th July.
The Open team consisted of Hazel Perry on Athlone Baymen, Amy Dunn on Grouse and Lizzie Tillard on Twiggy Kraft who came 2nd, a fantastic result. Amy and Grouse also came a creditable 7th as an individual.
The Intermediate team of Sophie Beldham on Strider, Lara Curtis on Duke and Josie Mitchell on Noah were not placed but all did extremely well over a very large course.
There were 2 Novice Teams. The team of Beth Giddings riding Perfect Pete, Emma Robbins riding Charlie Chalk, Chloe Fry riding Shauns Delight and Alex Medlicott riding Miss Malibu were not placed but did a fantastic job in the tack and turnout competition by coming 1st out of the 27 teams!!!
The other team of Tara Keosherigan riding Jester, Ben Berrill riding Ready Eddie Go, Katy George riding Troy and Bea Lewers riding Mooney were also unplaced as a team, but came 5th in the tack and turnout. What a great achievement for these 2 teams to be at the top for presentation – well done to you for making such a great effort.
Ben Berrill and Ready Eddie Go came a brilliant 3rd as an individual out of more than 100 starters and qualified for the Championships in Cheshire later in the season –a big well done to Ben and Eddie, what a partnership!
All in all, it was a great day for the Branch. Thank you to all that took part and for parents getting them there and supporting. Thank you to Sarah Muggeridge for doing the course walk and for her advice.
The next date on the show jumping calendar is the Southdown Hunt West team event at Hickstead on 4th August. Even if you have not been selected on a team this time, why not come along and support your Branch, and for those that have been selected, keep on practising and remember to book you place at the jumping practice rally at Oakfields on 2nd August.
You don’t need me to explain that he summer so far has been something of a washout! Unlike the run up to the previous ODE where we ran very successfully despite 15mm of rain overnight, this time the rain had been persistent over the preceding few days to the pint where the ground had become waterlogged. Any niggling doubts that we ‘might have been OK’ were dispelled when I went round with Mike Robbins and Stuart Fellingham to de-flag the course. All the fields had standing water on them and the water splash had almost been subsumed into the lake. Anyone whose mount didn’t like water would not have found an alternative route!
John Bedford assisted by Stuart have worked tirelessly to re-arrange the course. It had become clear that it would not be possible to safely incorporate the wooded section and the portable jumps had been moved elsewhere (once again justifying their being portable)! A lorry load of stone has been laid on the softest portion of the track but we were unable to roll it in as the ground was too wet for the roller to propel itself to the required spot. This work is not wasted – the course is being improved and hopefully ‘normal’ weather will resume.
The events committee will be looking at holding replacement events later in the summer or early autumn. Lets hope we have an ‘Indian summer’ to boost the branch as well as provide some growth to the UK economy!
Our next event will be the Turton Open Hunter Trials on August bank holiday Monday (jet steam permitting)!
Mike
Please extend a warm welcome to following new members to the branch:
Ella Bedford, age 11, from East Hoathly,
Maddison Bishop, age 7, from Brighton,
Ben Burgess-Dinleyici, age 7, from Lower Willingdon nr. Eastbourne,
John Gage, age 2, from Firle,
Matthew Lancaster, age 18, from Haywards Heath,
Owen Larder, age 7, from Wivelsfield Green,
Radley Larder, age 5, from Wivelsfield Green,
Hattie McQuillen, age 14, from Uckfield,
Shannon Moore, age 10, from Seaford,
Edward Newey, age 8, from Wivelsfield Green,
Natasha Newton, age 11, from Laughton,
Isabel Pollard, age 2, from Haywards Heath,
Annabelle Reed, age 11, from Hassocks,
Riya Richardson-Avery, age 5, from Keymer,
Holly Richardson, age 8, from Uckfield,
Jemma Simpson, age 13 from Brighton,
Roxana Swinnerton, age 4, from Furners Green nr. Uckfield
Jodie Watson, age 12, from Lewes.
We are now entering the main summer show, camp and competition season. Parents and carers: don’t forget the open events are our main branch money earners and we need lots of helpers to make them successful! Please respond to appeals for help. We are, of course, disappointed about having to cancel our July One Day Event due to the persistent bad weather. The Events Committee will be looking into holding additional events in the later summer or early autumn.
I hope all the new members will quickly settle in and start to enjoin the fun, companionship and comradery offered.
Mike
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Next Branch Event Our next event will be unaffiliated winter dressage at Plumpton College on Sunday 2nd February.
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