Abbie
Katie
Andrew
Sorcha
April 15th 2007
The New Forest Pony Enthusiasts junior team consisting of
Abbie Wilson – Burley Touch Of Gold
Andrew Kempe – Rodlease May Delight (owned by Miss A Darnton)
Katie Bignell - Ashurst Kittiwake
Sorcha Easson - Charford Capacoille
certainly proved that they were worthy of their place at the Championships. There could not have been more of a contrast from the wet day in March where they were the only team forward to the hot sunny April day at Hartpury with 30 other teams competing. The conditions in March were so bad that the working in area was waterlogged and unjumpable whereas at Hartpury warnings were continually being heard over the tannoy to ensure that everybody kept cool, jackets discarded and plenty of water be drunk to avoid the effects of dehydration!!!!!!!!
Upon arrival we were directed to the beautiful spacious and cool stables in the private event yard. While familiarising ourselves with the set up we had the chance to study the scores from the senior teams earlier that day and quickly gathered that the courses were no plain sailing. In fact the seniors had managed very few double clears over exactly the same courses that we would face. However with several very careful coursewalks - there were some awkward lines: a triple combination, a double consisting of only one plank for each element and a very narrow viaduct wall we convinced ourselves that our ponies would not let us down.
Sure enough Abbie riding first for the team set us up beautifully with a very smooth clear and this was followed by a safe clear from Sorcha. 10 years old Katie with her very forward going pony rode a tremendous round and was really unlucky that the lightest of touches lowered a pole for 4 faults. We would have been thrilled to finish with just 4 faults but Andrew with 6yrs old May rose to the challenge in the knowledge that we needed a clear to go through to the 2nd round on a zero score and did just that with a copybook round.
The second round was over a different track again, still very technical and as the coursebuilder remarked a course to make the riders think. At this point there were 10 teams on a zero score.
Our team in fact repeated their success from the first round with the first two clear again followed by once more an unlucky 4 faults leaving Andrew to prove himself an invaluable lynchpin to bring home that clear once again. The cheers from our supporters in the crowd was tremendous as we realised that we had reached the jumpoff and ponies were to be quickly prepared again, the jump off course memorised and all team members ready to jump a third round.
There were 7 other teams through to the jump off with some very experienced combinations from up north!!
Once again, our first rider did a nice, fast, accurate clear, setting us up nicely .Things were going fantastically until our last pony found a hole in the surface as she turned to jump and lost her back end a little and couldn't recover in time (being only 6!) to take off cleanly so we ended the day on 4 faults.
They finished the day with a well deserved 6th place and with loads and loads of very nice comments from spectators, stewards and the commentator, who was great
There was also a forest bred NF pony from Newcastle (Brookshill Morning Glory) in the 5th placed team who also got 3 very good clear rounds on the day, who came to chat to us all at the end as her pony hadn't met another forester since she left the forest as a youngster.
A brilliant day for our fantastic New Forest Ponies holding their own once more as the only all pony team.
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Abbie |
Katie |
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Andrew |
Sorcha |