FOTH Qualifier 10th October at Lodge Farm
For once this was a sensible hour event with the Open Class running first. We entererd a Senior Novice Team, a Senior Novice Individual, two junior novice pairs and a mixed pre-novice team, so we didn’t have to get there before midday. What a result!! Kim, Mary, Clare and Louise made the senior team,with Chris competing as an individual. Junior pairs were Charlee & Robyn and Lauren & Emma with Charlee, Robyn, Lauren and Amanda competing in pre-novice.
The Senior Novice Team amassed a few faults in show jumping, but all went clear cross country and came 8th, just out of the rosettes. Hobbs decided he wasn’t doing any show jumping and got Chris eliminated. Both junior pairs flew round. Charlee and Robyn were unplaced, but poor old Lauren’s sat-nav wasn’t working and she and Emma were eliminated for her missing a show jump. In pre-novice Charlee had a silly stop. Robyn flew, but got time penalties for being too fast. Amanda went clear but with cricket score time penalties and at last Lauren’s sat-nav kicked in and she came a well deserved 4th.
London & South East Championshipsat Ardingly 16th October
Crack of dawn start for this one!!! Our winning Eventing Team from Borde Hill qualified for this one day event final. However, Jo Lord’s Cheyenne Star is happily in foal and cannot compete and Natalie’s Lady Marmalade was lame. So Kim and Jade were joined by Louise and a last minute new member, Debbie Farmer. A hiccup in the dressage for Jade, when someone decided to ride across her arena, whilst she was riding her test! No other problems. Really good performances show jumping and all clear cross country, with just some time penalties for Louise. Everyone was tired and wanted to go home (It did bucket down in time for the cross country phase), so I said I would hang around for the score sheets etc. The results went up, Kim, Jade and Lou, each came 10th in their sections, but our new girl, Debbie came 3rd. Amazing, it was the first time she had competed for us. I happily accepted her rosette from Lucy Cunliffe and headed for home.
Eaglesfield Team Jumping 14th November
This one was run by Dartford & District RC. Mixed teams of four juniors and seniors. Two of which to be novices and jump at 2ft 6 and two to be open standard and jump at 3ft. Three of the four scores were to count. One of the open jumpers to jump off, if the team was clear. Pretty complicated rules but nice to be able to mix juniors and seniors on the same team.
We sent five teams of four: - Warlingham One Second Wonders were Robyn Kite, Amy Tickner, Charlee Bywater and Louise Squire. Warlingham Wonderfuls were Vicky Baker, Josie O’Hara, Emma O’Hara and Clare Shepherd. Warlingham Wannabe Winners were Jade Shaw, Chris London, Maddie Chalmers and Jessie Horne. Warlingham Will Do’s were Lucy Jones, Georgia Smith, Mary Gee and Livi Painter. Warlingham Wishfuls were Gem Cunningham, Katie Barnes, Tracey Warrell and Kim Deakin.
Three of our five teams got through to the jump off with Louise jumping for the One Second Wonders, Maddie jumping for the Wannabe Winners and Livi jumping for the Will Do’s. First of our three to jump was Louise, who went fast, but rolled a pole on the final fence. Next was Maddie, also fast, but also had a pole. Finally, Livi. She rode that jump off like a pro clear and four seconds faster than any previous clear. We just had to hope that no one else beat her time. It was nail biting until the last competitor, Connor Hudson-Smith for Dartford. He flew and I know that pony is really fast. I stood there covering my eyes, couldn’t watch. He finished his round clear and 0.2 seconds SLOWER than Livi. Well that was it, the place erupted. WE WON A CUP. THE MOAT HOTEL CHALLENGE CUP to be precise. I have to say that there were a couple of tears in my eyes (of joy) as I collected it during the presentation. HAPPY DAY
NISJ Area 10 Qualifier at Duckhurst 20th November
They say that pride comes before a fall. I’ve really got to start believing in these things, because it was certainly true at Duckhurst. This was junior novice teams of four and senior novice teams of four. Which meant we were without our star of the previous week, Livi, as Dutch Spirit has won too much to qualify as a Novice.
Junior teams were:- Warlingham One Second Wonders, Charlee Bywater, Robyn Kite, Amy Tickner and Lucy Jones and the Warlingham Wannabe Winners, Lauren Alexander, Ella Bland, Bethany Bowen and Gemminie Cunningham.
Our Senior teams were The Warlingham Wonderfuls, Emma O’Hara, Natalie Pelling, Clare Shepherd and Sarah Edmonds and the Warlingham Will Do’s, Vicky Baker, Shelley McCoy, Kim Deakin and Clare Shepherd (again, but on another horse).
Each horse was to jump one round at 2ft6 and a second round at 2ft9. Three of the four scores to count, followed by a jump, off.
We had FIVE FALLERS, three juniors and two seniors. The worst of which was poor Emma O’Hara, who flew off the side after fence 8, crashing into the gallery wall. I ran in with Emma’s Husband and it was obvious that she had hurt herself. Paramedics attended and an ambulance was called. Then the long wait for the ambulance to come from Maidstone Hospital. It finally arrived and Emma was taken to casualty. Happily she wasn’t badly injured and was released that night.
After the delay we carried on, but the double clear rounds we needed to get into the jump off eluded us, all except Natalie who jumped double clear, but was then eliminated for jumping before the bell. Loud music in the arena to blame for that one. Good performances to finish on four faults from Robyn on Nakita, Charlee on Maddie, Gem on Oscar for the juniors and Kim on Emerald Isle, Sarah on Bywater’s Diamond Mist and Clare on Maverick for the seniors. We finally finished jumping at nearly 6pm and wearily headed for home. NOT SUCH A HAPPY DAY. Still, it comes with the territory. We’ll be back after Christmas.
Teams are open to all WDHC members with a horse or pony with a qualifying vaccination record. If you can jump a course at 2ft 6 ins, you should be good enough to compete for us. Unlike most Riding Club Teams, WE pay the entry fees for classes and ask for just a £10 donation per event, per rider, towards costs. So, don’t be shy, get in touch.
We also ALWAYS need helpers at events. You can still be part of the teams, without having to do the scary bit. Go on, you know you want to!
Contact Jean Bywater on 07766 313850 or jean.bywater@bromley.gov.uk