Area Prince Phillip Cup and mounted games results ...
Welsh Trials – 7th March
It was a cold but sunny day in Builth Wells – a vast improvement on 12 months ago when we had rain, hail, wind and snow!
Anya Dreiling, Mari Edwards, Nan Jones, Sam Major, Suzi and Wednesday Rytter were there to compete against about 20 others for the Welsh team to compete at Windsor (5 in the team plus one first reserve, and two second reserves).
The atmosphere there was really good – all those trying out were chatting to each other and getting along, and putting everyone at ease. The six F&D riders enjoyed their day. They rode well and represented the branch positively. I hope they enjoyed trying out as much as I enjoyed watching them, and seeing how much they have improved.
At the end of the day when all the riders were lined up, Suzi looked very surprised to hear her name called as one of the starting five. Afterwards while they were being given the details of the competition, training and getting measured for their kit, Suzi sat quietly with a humble smile on her face, taking it all in.
I wasn’t surprised that she was chosen though. She rode well all day: a decent speed, no errors, kind to the pony, and a good team player.
So, slowly but surely F&D are getting a reputation in PPC: junior teams getting to the Championships, Eleri’s position last year, seniors in the Championships last year, and now Suzi’s position this year. What next?!
Suzi and Tickety Boo will be competing at the Windsor show in May (12th-16th), and hopefully there will the opportunity to compete in Ireland later in the year, as Eleri did last year.
Details of any of her competitions will appear on the website, and we will inform the branch if there are any plans to watch her compete.
Aintree 28th February 2010 13/03/2010
The senior team of Anya Dreiling, Mari Edwards, Nan Jones, Suzi and Wednesday Rytter had a few teething problems in the heats, as it was a new and strange environment for some of the ponies. Some mistakes were made and confidence took a knock. They finished the heats in 8th of 12 and qualified for the B Final with 16 points.
Results improved in the finals, with a joint 1st place in the Bending. But more importantly there were fewer mistakes made! They finished 3rd of 4 with 19 points.
So a decent start to the season: a bit more speed in certain places and more practice, and they will be ones to watch.
Sam Major competed for the Waen y Llyn team and had a good day. For a new team they didn’t do too badly, but Sam was on top form and an asset to the team.
The junior team of Alex Major, Alys Williams, Charlotte Williams, Eden and Sophie Greaves got the year off to a flying start. They were focused and raced well in the heats, making few mistakes, and there was little room for improvement. They finished the heats 2nd of 8 and qualified for the A Final with 23 points.
Unfortunately a few mistakes crept in during the finals, which meant they didn’t do quite so well. They finished the day 4th of 4 with 13 points.
They all had a great day and should be pleased with their first competition of the season.
Riders of the Day
- Senior: Sam Major – he was riding for Waen y Llyn and the position of the team does not reflect how well he rode. He was appreciated in the team: spot on all day and helping his team members out.
- Junior: Sophie Greaves – she was competitive and focused, and corrected any errors quickly. A fantastic rider for her age, and that vault! She’s got some guts!
