SLRC Horse Trials Team placed 9th at the BRC Horse Trials championships!

Despite the numerous hurdles put in the way of the team - from lame horses to broken lorries - SLRC horse trials team (Amy Brown on Kasillia, Jenny Christie on Trendy Roc, Leah Fleming on Shawhill Hayboy and Ailsa MacTaggart on Cumano) had an excellent weekend at the horse trials championships down in Offchurch, Warwickshire. The team were 9th overall, with Leah 2nd individual and Amy 9th individual.

Determined to make the trip down south worthwhile, the team geared themselves up for the two-day event by cramming in lots of extra training with Andrew Hamilton and Les Smith.

Unfortunately, a few weeks before the championships Cumano injured himself during training and was on recommended box rest for at least a week. Panic ensued and Ailsa frantically, but successfully, sourced a replacement and had ten days to turn Cookie into an event horse.

The team were travelling down in three lorries and were due to set off early on Friday 8th August. Ailsa discovered, to her horror, that Cookie had been belted by Cumano that morning and had a large gash on his hind leg. Tim the vet was there swiftly, mentioned a possible fracture and Cookie was on his way to Cheeklaw for the weekend. Meanwhile Cumano was double checked, swiftly bathed and thrown in the lorry, much to his excitement. Some might say he’d done it on purpose….

Friday evening the team had all arrived safely, but no sign of Jenny who texted in a panic to say her exhaust had blown and she was now trying to find her way off the M6 toll road but had failed twice already! Still, she eventually arrived just as the sun was setting and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Saturday morning the sun was shining, the mist was rolling over the polo field and everything looked set for a fabulous weekend. Then the clouds came in and the heavens opened. Despite this, Amy did a fantastic dressage, with Jenny looking very impressive too. Ailsa battled her way down the centre line into the driving rain, and Leah coped admirably with the howling gale that swept round her. We were over the moon with Amy’s score of 22.8, while Jenny and Leah were both in the low 30s and Ailsa not far behind.

Show jumping on Saturday afternoon was uncomfortable, to say the least, with the warm-up arena resembling a ploughed field and a twisty course ahead of us. Amy jumped clear, Jenny had one down, Ailsa had one down, but a run out cost her time penalties and Leah went clear.

Early Saturday evening the team attended the Roads and Tracks briefing, hastily moved into the catering tent as the rain hammered down. The team were all clear as to what they were doing and donned waterproofs and rain sheets to do one final ride round Phase A and C. The ground was looking horrendous, there was mud everywhere and everyone was worried that they would have to abandon the championships. Still, a few glasses of wine and the news that the team were currently lying in 8th place was enough to take everyone’s minds off things for the evening…

It rained all night and the team were relieved to hear that parts of the cross country course had been re-routed because of the conditions and the entire steeplechase course had been moved. Still, never ones to be put off, the team had a last minute run through their times for the Roads and Tracks, Robin and Al geared up for the 10-minute box and it was time to go cross country. Amy was the trailblazer and had a brilliant four phases, but was concentrating so hard on not going too slowly that she came in 47 seconds under the optimum time and picked up time faults for going too fast! Jenny headed off next and had a great round, apart from a debatable stop just before the second water jump. Ailsa headed off just as the heavens opened, but flew round the steeplechase nonetheless. She was going clear cross country until a duck out at the corner saw them take the alternative route, but she completed in a fast time. Leah had a faultless round, despite the monsoon conditions and was still sitting on her dressage score on completion. The team were feeling very pleased with themselves, despite being soaked to the skin, covered in mud and minus more than a few studs.

Then the elation turned to dismay when it was announced Ailsa had been technically eliminated. She apparently hadn't jumped the second part of the alternative. The team had walked the alternative earlier in the morning and discussed the best way of jumping it, given there seemed to be several options. No A or B markers were in place. Steward’s enquiry launched, but they said it was going on the jump judge’s decision so the elimination still stood.

Anyway, despite this setback, the team were delighted when it was announced that they’d been placed 9th. Leah did brilliantly with 2nd in her arena and Amy equally so with 9th in her arena. And of course the rain finally stopped and the sun came out just in time for prize-giving!

A relaxing evening celebrating, a safe journey home on the Monday and the rest of the week for the team will be spent trying to get the mud off anything and everything.

Many thanks to the club for enabling us to go and to all who helped, especially to Robin and Al who did the driving, barbequing and ten-minute box. We’re booking you all for next year!!