competition news
Good cross country riding to be ‘recognised’
In addition to Airowear’s recently announced support of the BE80(T), the brand committed to innovation in the equestrian safety market, has also added an award for ‘Technical Merit’ to all BE80 competitions.
Since a key area for BE is to provide good training for riders to ride positively and safely, Airowear has introduced the ‘Airowear BE80 Technical Merit’ to recognise good cross country riding in BE80(T) classes. Competitors must have achieved both of the following criteria to earn the Airowear BE80 Technical Merit (BE80TM):- • Finished cross country in the time closest to the Optimum cross country time set
• Achieved a double clear
Last weekend saw the introduction of the new Technical Merit and the following competitors took the honours:- • Annabel Bestford, Foulkscourt Frost at Moreton;
• Heather Durn and Just Take a Break, Aston-le-Walls
• Sarah Wilson, Moyne Mist, Aston-le-Walls
• Niki De Macedo, Mcfee, Aston le-Walls
• Natasha Jowitt, Villa Billy, Askham Bryan
• Kristen Baul, WSH Orlando, Askham Bryan
• Charlotte Armitage, Essenar Tell Me Moore, Askham Bryan
Chris Farr, BE Sport Operations Manager commented: “This is a fantastic way for riders to be acknowledged for strong rounds in the jumping phase. In one of the sections last weekend, one of the riders to achieve the BE80TM was placed 25th, so none of the riders ahead of her had achieved the double clear close to the time despite posting good dressage results.”
Search for a Star begins at Osbaldeston
2015 is set to be another busy year for the SEIB Insurance Brokers’ Search for a Star series which gets underway on the 12th April 2015 at Osbaldeston Riding Centre, Blackburn. Search for a Star was created in the 1990’s by leading insurance company, SEIB Insurance Brokers and provides the opportunity for amateur riders to qualify for the Search for a Star finals at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) each year. Over this time, Search for a Star has become the pinnacle of ambition for many amateur riders and provided numerous success stories. Several horses and riders that have been successful in Search for a Star have gone on to compete in open classes with great success. The SEIB Insurance Brokers Search for a Star series takes place at five qualifying shows over the spring and summer throughout the country for the all-important HOYS final. There are five classes at each qualifying show including, Working Hunter, Riding Club Show Horse, Show Hunter, Show and Show Hunter Ponies, Riding Horse and Hacks and Cob classes. Search for a Star judges include the very experienced Richard
Equine Page 40
Ramsay and David Bartram who will be joined by some new faces this season. The Search for a Star judges are frequently on hand to answer any questions after each qualifying class and competitors often find that, having listened to the advice given after the class and worked hard before their next show, they come back to a subsequent qualifier and their performance is much improved. No joining or registration fees are required to compete in SEIB Search for a Star, but all entrants must adhere to the eligibility rules which are strictly enforced. Running alongside SEIB Search for a Star is the popular SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Show Championship series, also with a prestigious final at Horse of the Year Show. This class was started over 10 years ago by SEIB to give support and recognition to those retraining racehorses and is now a very popular and competitive HOYS Final. Such is the draw of this class that from 2013 the winner of the HOYS SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Show Championship now goes forward for the judging of the HOYS Supreme Horse of the Year. The first qualifier for the
Shelley Heywood and Ingleby Hill qualifying for HOYS in Search for a Star
2014 at Osbaldeston. Image courtesy of SMR Photos
2015 series of SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse also takes place at Osbaldeston on the 12th April.
The 2015 Search for a Star and Racehorse to Riding Horse qualifiers will be held at: 12th April - Osbaldeston Riding Centre, Blackburn, Lancs, BB2 7LZ. Tel & Fax: 01254 813159 10th May - Houghton Hall Equestrian & Alpaca Centre, Houghton, Cambs, PE28 2DY. Tel: 01480 700236 (during office hours only) 21st June - Stretcholt Equestrian Centre, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 4SR. Tel: 01278 683312 5th July - Bury Farm Equestrian Centre, Slapton, Bucks, LU7 9BT. Tel: 01525 222114 8th August (Saturday) - Vale View Equestrian Centre, Melton
Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 3LX. Tel: 01664 823739. 6th September 2015 (Racehorse to Riding Horse Qualifier Only) - Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 2LH. Finals, Horse Of The Year Show 7th – 11th October. Birmingham NEC
The Search for a Star competition rules, comprehensive information, a downloadable schedule and entry form is available from
www.search4astar.org.uk.
More information on the SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Show Championship is available from www.racehorse2ridinghorse.
co.uk where you can download a schedule and entry form.
www.theequinesite.co.uk
Technical Merit prize draw - Those who achieve the Technical Merit will not only be announced at the event, but their names will also be added to the Airowear Technical Merit prize draw to take place at the end of the 2015 season. As Airowear is a division of Charles Owen, the 2015 Technical Merit prize draw winner will receive a voucher to choose a Charles Owen Hat of the winner’s choice. The winner will also receive a generous Training Voucher from BE to help them develop their skills further.
About the Airowear BE80(T) Class - The purpose of the BE80(T), where T stands for training and 80cm denotes the fence height, is to introduce people to the sport with the emphasis being on education, safety and fun. Riders taking part also get the support from dedicated BE Accredited Coaches who are there to help all BE80(T) competitors, completely free of charge.
Karen Dixon comments on the Airowear BE80(T)
The first of the Airowear sponsored BE80(T) classes got underway last weekend and former British Olympian Karen Dixon (née Straker) was the BE Accredited Coach on hand to support riders at Askham Bryan College in Yorkshire. Karen commented on the series: “I have been involved with the BE80(T) initiative since it started. It is a fantastic gateway for people who have only taken part in local hunter trials or unaffiliated events to experience what BE has to offer and for people to get back in to the sport and gain confidence.
Of Coaching the BE80(T) riders, Karen said: “I get really stuck in with helping I have to say! A small tip I like to give to people nervous about cross country is that they should imagine the course broken up into three parts with three key points on the course where they take a breath, it takes the pressure off just worrying about riding the course. “I find it genuinely rewarding to give encouragement and watch people’s confidence grow.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56