Cranleigh’s elite sportsperson programme has given lower sixth former, Ailsa Wates (West) the opportunity to pursue her dream of riding for Great Britain as a Junior in 2016.
This year is Ailsa’s first year in the Junior programme and she has so far delivered solid performances in the Junior eventing trials on her mother’s horse Woodlands Persuasion who has completed 7 consecutive double clears with her, and a fourth placing in the Junior Trial at the Belton International Horse Trials. This weekend she qualified her own horse Vermute Pera Manca to represent the South East Regional team to compete in the National Regional Championships in October. Ailsa has competed at these championships twice before and was 15th last year; in 2015 she is aiming for a top 4 placing!
Ailsa now aims to run both horses in the final Junior Trial at Brand Hall at the end of May, after which a GB long list will be selected.
Ailsa has benefited hugely from Cranleigh’s elite sportsperson programme. She trains weekly with two personal trainers to maximise her core strength and balance and the riding facilities at school are a huge bonus, particularly for her younger horses, Lamorae and Rosanagh, who appear for our School riding teams when time allows.
We wish her luck in the final trials.
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