Superb success for Borders riders in national championships

First in the diary were the British Showjumping National Championships, followed by the Academy Championships.

Brother and sister Emma and Christopher Lawson (both 10) from Selkirk made the long journey worthwhile when Emma and her lovely dun Abercippyn Puck came ninth in a 70cm open class.

Not to be outdone, Christopher and Bally Soprano did a very quick round in the 70cm Club Championship for second place.

Another brother and sister combination, Rory (13) and Katy (16) McFadyen, from Morebattle, had a very successful trip. Katy and Hawkmoon Lady Luck were second from over 90 riders in the opening day’s 95cm Open Class. She then went on to finish second on Red Flamenco and eighth on Hawkmoon Lady Luck in the 148cm Bronze League Championship.

Katy also received a rosette and sash for being the highest placed Pony Club member in the class.

Rory and We Are On Our Way were sixth in the 138cm Stepping Stones Championship. Rory also won a second place in a 75cm Open class at the Academy Championships.

Katy was joined by Emma Scott Watson (13) on Swannieston Simply Red (Kelso), Pebbles Walker (12) on Peanut (Dundee) and Crista Lockhead Anderson (14) on Little Red Cloud (Aberdeen) in the Scottish Pony Midi team.

The squad completed on a 0 score after two days of competition but had a long wait to hear they had won, as there were 30 teams taking part. Katy and Hawkmoon Lady Luck also finished as eighth individual from 130 riders in the class.

Emma and Swannieston Simply Red also had good results as individuals, gaining a win and a third in two 90cm classes.

The Intermediate Horse Team of Katy McFadyen on Cool Faerie, Duncan McFadyen on Estier Cheyenne, Becky Scott on Dinozzo (Oban) and Chelsea Dowling on Zak (Edinburgh) were last to go in their class of 22 teams from around Britain.

They also finished on a 0 score and their combined times were good enough for fifth place in a very competitive class.

In the Open Horse class, Gabby Purves and Aghamore, from Lilleasleaf, were part of the team which ended fourth.

The NAF-sponsored style and performance classes also produced very good results from local riders.

This class is marked on the capability of the rider and their influence on the performance of the pony – the rider’s effectiveness, position, balance, feeling, timing, rhythm and impulsion to empower the pony to move and jump to the best of its ability.

The NAF 1* class was won by Shannon Jardine (14) from Langholm on her new ride Ragjah Du Granit (14). The jumps in this section were 85cm.

Daragh Ramage (18) and her 14-year-old bay mare Aniels, from Peebles, won the NAF 2* class with a very well planned and executed round over the 95cm jumps.

Duncan McFadyen and Estier Cheyenne from Kelso placed third in the NAF 3* competition.

(continued on page 65)