22 september 2014

British Carriagedriving National Championships – a successful return to Cirencester Park

Een geweldige accommodatie en een zware marathon typeren het Britse nationale kampioenschap samengesteld mennen, dat 19-21 september plaats vond in Cirencester Park in Gloucestershire. De organisatie verwelkomde 114 combinaties.  

Friday’s dressage results were interestingly predictable with Barry Capstick (IRL), Advanced Horse Pairs, overall winner, 30.59; Boyd Exell (AUS), World Champion, and his horse team had 36.54, and 30 drivers scored under 50.
Novice classes were well supported with 23 entries although five either retired or were eliminated. The marathon was the longest this season with eight obstacles and took its toll of the less experienced.

Driving is a family affair. Karen Hellier topped the novice ponies again with young driver James Starr reserve: Karen’s partner John Ripley was second to Frank Campbell in the Open Horse class. Frank’s brother Roger won the Advanced Pony Pairs Championship. Steve Hoyle took the novice horse title with Leslee Wilkinson second. Leslee’s daughter Tara becomes Open Pony Champion and Tara’s father John is the Intermediate Horse Champion: this must be a record? John Nisbet was reserve to John Wilkinson and Amanda Nisbet won the Open Pony Pairs class from Lyn Winder.
It’s surely no coincidence that many names appearing in the ribbons work just as hard throughout the winter on the indoor driving circuit.

Katie Cooper held onto the Intermediate Pony title in a class of five. Rosanna Walters-Symons was so close behind Tracey Fletcher, Advanced Pony, that she must have felt her breathing, but Tracey won by 0.81 penalties.
Karen Bassett drove Ray Aziz’ pony team – still showing great improvement this year – to a close victory over Sara Howe. A surprised Jane Smith took the Advanced Horse title when leader Pam Neill miscounted in the cones. Four horse tandem drivers had a good contest with Fred Pendlebury the undisputed Champion, and two pony tandems enjoyed close competition, Rupert Barnard’s new pony performing well in dressage but Jeff Ormerod stayed in front.

The cones competition caught out experts – even George Bowman. Wendy Embleton, driving her horse pair for their first season, repeated her heart-stopping cones performance of Ashfields in April, reducing her lead over Rowena Moyes from 15 to 0.29 penalties but this time keeping the title.
Already there is enthusiasm for returning to Cirencester Park in 2015, surely a good sign?

Click here for the results

De dressuuroverwinningen op vrijdag waren zoals viel te voorspellen voor tweespanrijder Barry Capstick (IRL), die met 30.59 strafpunten overall dressuurwinnaar was en voor Boyd Exell (AUS) met zijn vierspan paarden. De wereldkampioen scoorde 36.54 strafpunten. Maar liefst 30 rijders scoorden minder dan 50 strafpunten.
De marathon was met acht hindernissen de langste van dit seizoen en was voor de minder ervaren combinaties een zware dobber. 

Britse kampioenen 2014:
Tracey Fletcher (enkelspan pony)
Roger Campbell (tweespan pony)
Jeff Ormerod (tandem pony)
Karen Bassett (vierspan pony's)
Matt Were (enkelspan paard)
Barry Capstick (tweespan paard)
Fred Pendlebury (tandem paarden)
Boyd Exell (vierspan paard)

Klik hier voor alle uitslagen