17 september 2013

British Nationals Ashfields: Full report

These championships were always going to be tough and they lived up to expectations on several counts. Advanced pony singles and pairs drivers were still battling for places on Team GBR; horse pairs were still on fire after their World Championships in Slovakia and there were 124 starters. Rain on Friday affected ground conditions on the marathon and late changes to the course - obstacle one was removed completely - resulted in many of the early starters gaining time penalties although these were later deleted. Experienced drivers and horses pushed on in the obstacles, showed great skill and posted good times - although a few were unlucky. Jeff Bannister made an error of course but had the fastest single horse obstacle times.

A fine winners' podium in front of the clubhouse allowed the presentations to be made on foot and the sponsors to present a superb array of awards, trophies and prizes. Terry Chambers’ team at Ashfields made everyone welcome and Zoe Morgan and Wilf Bowman-Ripley worked tirelessly to keep everything running as smoothly as possible behind the scenes.

Early on the last day Gary Picken stayed top of the novice horse class but Nick Hammond's knocked cone cost him the novice pony title as a smooth clear round by Steph Milner squeezed her in front. Local junior Nadia Hughes and 117 cms Branston Pickle had piled on the pressure from third place with the first double-clear round of the day on arena two just as the cheering faded from Amanda Hawley's on arena one. Amanda jumped from fourth to second place in novice horse.

Intermediate classes: John Ripley's determination as he drove a fast marathon put him on top after an excellent start in the dressage, 43.47 – second to Paul Hart's winning 33.87 – and John took the title, Paul the reserve. Local Diana Irwin and dapple-grey Gelderlander Ulisha stuck to third place with David Whitfield (fastest marathon) fourth and Scotland's John Nisbet and his Arab-Friesian dropping to fifth after cones. Liz Harcombe and World Horse Welfare Yogi Bear put the pony drivers on their mettle with zero penalties from third place but Tara Wilkinson and Alice Pritchard were unrattled and equalled her score, Alice topping the bill.

Tracey Fletcher retained a firm grip on the open pony class. Minta Winn and Nigel Fuller's Trehewyd Brenin Arthur, 2010 Harness Horse of the Year, performed a balletic steady cones round but time penalties tumbled them to third place and Julie Ingram stepped up to second. Jersey's Ellen Littlechild and Gelderlander Tygroh conquered the mud and 11 open horse contenders with a powerful winning marathon, 68.4, and Linda Christian retained second place however there was some cones juggling for the last podium step and unluckily Sarah Meredith slithered to fifth place as Maxine Ingham climbed to third and speedy Lorraine Davies to fourth.

Ireland's Matt Were and Zeezee made an heroic return after Matt's tip up at Sandringham and his well-judged marathon slipped him in front of BC Chairman Jock McFarlane to take the advanced horse title. Australia's Lorraine Cairns was third. Advanced pony drivers gave their all to chase Roger Campbell in the deciding competition for the Pony World Championships selection but Roger kept his head if not his hat in the cones and took the title with the class' only double-clear round. Last year's winner, Rosanna Walters-Symons, was reserve champion and also goes to Pau.

Second-time advanced pony pairs champion Anna Grayston won her ticket to Pau as did Emma Burge, third; title defender Alan Clarke was reserve. BC Executive Officer Mary Kusin topped the open pony pairs and a delighted Louise Kaiholm, SWE, ended her first national season as Reserve National Champion.

Advanced horse pairs were on form although David Matthews' kept everyone hanging with a steady cones round. He timed it well and took the title, Libby Priest a close second. Open Horse Pairs title went to Australian Graham Heath, pleased with his horses' improvement throughout their first season, but now he's back home until March. Local Chris Smith was reserve.

Fred Pendlebury gave a tandem masterclass and took the Horse Tandem Champion's sash home for the fifth time. Sue Mayes dealt with challenger Jeff Ormerod in the pony class, winning by 1.03 penalties.

Pony fours: Mike Hodgson's double-clear in cones raised him from fourth place to take reserve behind cool-hand Sara Howe. Susan Skeggs, Gary Power and Mike were only four penalties apart before the cones. Susan, third, goes to Pau with Sara: Gary said his ponies went brilliantly and was delighted, happy to be fourth in a field of nine.

Behind the winners there was much jostling in the horse fours' cones competition. Host Wilf Bowman-Ripley, fifth, turned up the heat with a perfect clear round, replacing Karen Bassett in third place. Karen's cones toppled and she and Dick Lane went down the list as Mark Broadbent rose to fourth and Pippa Bassett to fifth. Georgina Hunt's consistency kept her in second place and, for the eighth time, Australian Boyd Exell took the National Championship with a stylish double-clear round and by over 33 penalties.