11 April 2017
Hot competition at the British Indoor Carriage Driving Finals
Jack Ralph, 17, scored another double at the 2016-17 Indoor Finals at Keysoe, Bedfordshire, winning the Open Pony and Supreme Championships: last year he took home the Intermediate and Supreme titles. He’d aimed to be in the top six of a highly contested class of 18 and was astounded to win again with his New Forest mare, Mallards Wood Spice, 16.It all started before Jack was born: Dick Carey, ICD-UK founder, was delighted to celebrate the 20th indoor driving championships. Little did he imagine that from modest beginnings in Sussex, south east England, his vision for “a bit of fun” would be so popular and spread so far. This year the organisers replicated the 1998 dressage test, cones course and obstacles. Around the UK and Jersey this season attracted almost 2500 starters to 120 local events in 21 regions. There were 144 at the Finals in 15 classes with drivers aged from 11 to 76. Two of the first ever winners remain as enthusiastic as ever, Pippa Bassett and Katy Squirrell.
Joe Adams retained his Pony Pairs title
Photo: Mike Watts
David Whitfield repeated his Open Horse win of 2012 and took the Reserve Supreme Championship. The small pony drivers saw Maria Keady take the single and Catherine Walton the pairs titles again with Catherine the Supreme Small Pony Champion and Maria Reserve.
First-timer Oliver Bennett, 11, kept his cool to become Novice Junior Champion with Colette Holdsworth, 15, a seasoned national and international campaigner, taking the Intermediate Junior and Supreme Junior titles.
Obstacle times sorted the remaining classes: Novice Horse Champion was Rebecca Guest, the Novice Pony title claimed by Chris Milligan with the Intermediate Pony crown going home with a lightning-fast Sarah McLaughlin, while Rachel Moast overtook Isobelle Eyres in an exciting finish, Intermediate Horse. Pony Pairs Champion was the unbeatable Joe Adams. Anne Chambers – at last – won the tandem class; Amanda Wells was top veteran and Julie Wedgbury’s flying hamsters (Shetlands) retained the team title in their usual style. It was a hot contest, in every shade of meaning, and the UK’s indoor drivers are looking forward to many more years of determined yet friendly competition starting next winter.
Fiona Powell
Oliver Bennett, 11, Novice Junior Champion, with Dick Carey, ICD-UK founder
Photo: Mike Watts
Colette Holdsworth, 15, Intermediate Junior and Supreme Junior Champion
Photo: Mike Watts
