Pony Club star reach national finals

Thetford Chase and Waveney Harriers branches of the Pony Club had a successful day at the Area eight Showjumping Team qualifying competition.

Organised by the Easton Harriers Branch, some 250 Pony Club members converged on Poplar Park making up nine Open, 18 Intermediate and 33 Novice teams and several individuals. There was also a Tack and Turnout competition at each level to encourage members to look their smartest.

The Senior Open Team, comprising Georgia Leeder-White, Lauren Marsh, Francesca Davey and Polly Mountford won the Open competition after a jump off with the Red Team of the Essex Branch. The team has now qualified for the National Final to be held at Cholmondely Castle, Cheshire on August 18. Georgia Leeder-White was leading individual rider and will also compete in the Individual Championship.

The Thetford Chase Novice Team were second in the Novice Championship and have qualified for the Novice Championship Final to be held on August 24 at Kelsall Hill, Equestrian Centre in Cheshire.

The team comprised Kim Pearson, Ashleigh Garrett, Charlotte Rose-Eyre and Paddy Mountford.

The Novice Team qualifier saw 32 teams competing and only the winners, Waveney Harriers Branch of the Pony Club and Thetford Chase finished on zero scores after the second round. The Waveney Harriers team of Isabella Regis on Millie Magic, Honor Whyte on Frankie, Alexa Regis on Fineard Feargul and Martha Craggs on Pebbly Outback were slightly faster in the third round and were therefore declared victors with Thetford Chase runners up.

The Waveney Harries Intermediate team of Maisie Peel on Ludat, Rachel Dennison on Valintin, Ottilie Mitchell on Balindine Boy and Izzy Botfield on Broadford Queen followed suit and are off to Cholomndley with team member Izzy Botfield riding Broadford Queen also qualifying for the Championships as an individual as the highest placed Associate Member. Assistant District Commissioner Judy Haythornthwaite, praised the hard work all the Waveney Harriers team members had put in with team trainer, Tina Hazlem, especially over the winter. However, Newmarket and Thurlow were the top team in the Intermediate class, over a tough course built by Sue Peasley.

Team results: Open (course builder Stephen Dye): 1 Thetford Chase, 2 East Essex, 3 Waveney Harriers. Intermediate (Sue Peasley): 1 Newmarket & Thurlow, 2 East Essex, 3 Waveney Harriers. Novice (Patrick Edmundson): 1 Waveney Harriers, 2 Thetford Chase, 3 North Norfolk.