Competition

Sunday the 2^nd of March saw the area qualifier for the Festival of the Horse Challenge at Larkhill. Meon Riding Club had a team of 4 and a pair competing in the Challenge 90.

The team of 4, consisting of Sarah Pook, Genevieve Lodge, Jackie Rixon and Daniel Searle headed off at the crack of dawn as they were due to ride just after 8am!!  The challenge consists of a round of show jumping then straight out on to the cross country phase.

Dan was first to go on Rebellion and had an unfortunate stop in the SJ but competed with a strong round of XC with one sat nav error.  Sarah followed Dan riding Top Pride and had an unlucky 2 down show jumping but was clear cross country and came in just under optimum time.  Jackie on Colour Me Danny was very unlucky to see a different stride to Danny at the last show jump and rolled a pole but then on usual form went clear cross country with a handful of time penalties.  Last to go was Gen on Bambajazz who went clear show jumping but her luck didn’t hold out cross country where she had an unfortunate run out.  The team was placed 6th!

With a later start time but with not such good weather Katie Burton riding Boss and Elsbeth Jeffery riding My Peggys Diamond set off to do the pairs challenge 90, where the show jumping is ridden as a pairs relay and the cross country as a pair.  Both put in fluent clear show jumping rounds with a smooth changeover but Katie Burton was unlucky to have a slip and stop at the brush with ditch and not wanting to put her new loan horse at risk did not represent to the fence meaning a technical elimination for the pair, Elsbeth unaware galloped on home thrilled to bits with her horse being clear in both phases.

There was great team spirit aided by the unveiling of the very flashy new xc tops and silks.
Big thanks to our official helpers for the day who were Kath Havering and Amelia Grey who helped in the show jumping arena and to Mandy White who groomed for the team.

It was a well run event and thanks to Area 9 for letting us join in and providing our helpers with fantastic packed lunches. (joint report from Helen Vernon, Elsbeth Jeffery and Katie Burton – our thanks to Helen and Elsbeth for organising our teams and pairs)