p>FESTIVAL OF THE HORSE (report from team member Ellie Berisford)
Aston le Walls, Northamptonshire
Sunday 2 June 2013
In a change from 2012, the weather on Sunday was sunny and dry. The show jumping course was, once again, quite complex with a number of possible options for fence 8. I chose to take the direct route and went straight across the wavey planks, but Ella, Alice and Sophie all chose to take a longer route over an upright double which positioned them on a better line for the last fence. All four of us went clear.
The cross country course curved around the show jumping to the water and then out over the bank with a house on top and off into open countryside. There was nothing really technical on the course and apart from me meeting some loose sheep near the sunken road and Sophie jumping a pheasant who was sitting at the picnic bench jump, the course held no surprises and again all four of us went clear.
We felt this put us in an excellent position, with no penalties and just the time to count. How wrong could we be? We all came in under the time, me for the first time in my life, but Ella who was the slowest and therefore nearest the optimum time finished in third place on 2.2 penalties.
The team finished sixth. We were all really pleased for Ella who had to ride every fence, especially the first one on the cross country course!
Finally, I’d like to thank our mums. Karen and Sharon both helped out at the Area Qualifier and Cat did a stint in the collecting ring at the Championships. Without their help and support we wouldn’t be able to get to shows and compete.
Ellie
Team: Ella Caton, Alice Oakley, Sophie Byford and Ellie Berisford
