CIC** European Championship Team

European CIC** Championship 2011

The search is now on for potential Team GBR squad members for the 2011 European CIC** Championship. Having won Team and Individual Bronze medals and come so close to winning a gold medal in Hungary this year, we are determined to build a strong squad for the next championship. Initial squad selection will take place around Christmas time and training will start in the Spring of 2010. If you think that you might be a candidate, you are competitive at BE Novice or Intermediate level and you and your horse have not completed a CCI*** in the past year (except as a young rider) or a CCI**** ever please email peterbuist@aol.com for an application form. This could be your chance of a lifetime."

Team GB seize double Bronze at
European CIC** Team Championship

The British Riding Clubs Squad clinched Team and Individual Bronze medals at the European CIC** Team Championship held in Nagykanizsa, Hungary, last week, missing Gold by less than two penalties.

The Championship came to a nail-biting finish with just 1.25 penalty points separating all three medal positions at the end of the Team Competition. Despite missing out on the top prize the British Team were thrilled, especially with the team’s performance in the Dressage.

Outstanding performances in the Team and Individual tests saw Britain overcome ‘Dressage masters’ Belgium and Germany to top the leader board in this phase for the first time.

Austrian course builder Karl Parr’s cross-country course provided a tough test, especially as holding ground proved tiring for the horses. Only three riders completed inside the optimum time, and these included Britain’s Hannah Mace riding Toy Boy III and Matthew Heath on Gran Chaco. Germany proved the stronger across country but a run out by the German leader after dressage allowed Hannah Mace, who had been lying second, to move into the Individual Gold position.

Three poles down in the Show Jumping put the Gold just out of Hannah’s reach but she was delighted to finish third, taking Individual Bronze. Hannah also received the Sue Picken Trophy for the highest placed British rider.

The few clear rounds in the show jumping included Harriet Morris-Baumber (Shannon Dales Skatman), Jodie Amos (Altairs Luck) and Matthew Heath (Gran Chaco). Matthew was the only rider to finish on his dressage score and gain an eventual Individual sixth place. Julia and Robert Hodgekinson, owners of Gran Chaco, had travelled to Hungary to support the team. They were ‘absolutely delighted’ with the horse’s European Championship medal, having bred him as a hunter.

The British Team comprised:
Harriet Morris-Baumber and Shannon Dales Skatman (Ebor Vale RC) 66.6, 12th
Matthew Heath and Gran Chaco (Buckingham RC), 56.2, 6^th
Hannah Mace and Toy Boy III (West Oxon RC), 55.1, Individual Bronze
Lucie McNichol and Zeus of Rushall (Kennet Vale RC) 65.2, 11^th
Shelly Dixon and Elkra Boy (Horsham RC) 93.8, 31^st
Kathy Oliver and Algina T (Frampton Family RC) 91.6, 29^th

Individual Riders:
Jodie Amos and Altairs Luck (South Warwickshire RC), 94.4, 32^nd
Emma Castle and Castle Larchfield Purdy (Solihull RC), 74.1, 17^th

To contact the Team Chef de Mission, Peter Buist:

Tel: 01794 368061
Email: peterbuist@aol.com