Our riders started the half term break with a three day National Schools Equestrian Association Championship at the iconic All England Jumping Course at Hickstead. In addition to representing Surrey in the National County Dressage and Show Jumping Championships, we had teams competing in the National Eventers Challenge Championship.
It was the Open Eventers Challenge team of Tom S., Issy H., Lucy LM. and Tara M. who brought the weekend to a climactic ending when they were crowned National Champions. Only two teams posted zero scores over the challenging course, which started with a show jumping section and was followed by a cross country section of solid fences, ditches, lots of skinnies and a water complex that caused problems for many riders. The Cranleigh riders not only negotiated the technical course in style but the combination of our three best riders finished closer to the optimum time by 21 seconds than Brentwood School who took second spot. Tara M. and Katie C. had also qualified as individuals, with Tara’s clear round within 2.2 seconds of the optimum time putting her eighth in the final line-up. Katie also rode a lovely clear round but missed the final line-up by 0.5 seconds.
Our County dressage team also took a podium spot on day one, with Issy H., Madeleine R., Tara M. and Lucy LM. finishing in bronze medal position, with just 5% separating the top three teams. Issy H. posted a personal best score of 72.5% in the Novice Individual Championship to finish in 6th position.
In the County Show Jumping competition the open team were in action again, reaching the jump-off between the top eight teams. Scores are accumulated over both rounds, with time playing a part too. In the end it was a sixth place for the team of Tom S., Tara M., Issy H. and Katie C., with Tom then going on to bronze medal position in the Advanced Open individual section. Darcey BM. enjoyed success in the 85cm class, taking fourth spot after a fast and furious jump-off between the top eight riders after round one.
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