Equestrianism By Gillian Fraser

Last updated 12:33, Friday, 24 October 2008

Top Cumbrian eventer Ruth Edge came within a whisker of another memorable international win when she went to the World Championships in the prestigious Le Lion d'Angers event in France.

Success: Beth Ion, pictured on Funky Music, had a great day at the SJSS Show at Rowallan

The event is a showcase for six and seven year old horses which have shown outstanding form throughout the year.

Ruth was partnered by the seven year old 16.3 bay gelding Nick of Thyme, owned by Phil and Maureen Smith.

They were really up against it, with Olympic bronze medallists Daisy Dick and William Fox-Pitt, plus Pippa Funnell, Andrew Nicholson, and Clayton Fredericks among the competition.

In the end it was Swedish amateur rider Malin Larsson who kept Ruth from the coveted trophy with his Hanoverian Walter Von Der Vogelweide. Pippa Funnell and Redesigned came third.

Cumbria's Beth Ion had a great day in the SJSS Show at Rowallan. It was a well-attended show and the class entries were large, but Beth didn't let that rattle her composure.

She went first in the 90cm class with Funky Music, and ended in fifth place. She then took second place in the Newcomers/1m on Boo's Cruise.

Just to finish off the day she then took both ponies in the Winter 128 championship first round and finished third on Funky Music and fourth on Boo's Cruise.

This has qualified both for the second round which will be held early next year.

Say the words Red Dragon to any endurance rider and watch their eyes light up - not with fear, but anticipation.

This is a three day festival of long-distance rides based at the Royal Welsh showground in Llanelwedd, Builth Wells.

It includes competitive, non-competitive and endurance rides for novice and advanced riders and horses, and people literally flock there from many miles away.

This year's festival was held at the beginning of this month, and a party of 21 riders and crew headed down from Cumbria.

It was a worthwhile trip, even if the weather proved somewhat unpredictable.

Sarah Ollis came first in the Little Dragon ER (80km in one Day); Kath McGhee came first in the Dragon's Days section for the best horse/rider over three days completing more than 130km; for the third year running, Ann Aldridge came first in the Best Welsh Cob/Pony.

And Team Cumbria (Kath McGhee, Carolyn Cummings, Ann Aldridge, Anne Short) came first in the Dragon's Team event, for completing the highest distance over Saturday and Sunday.

Closer to home, the Cumberland Farmers Hunt south pony club working hunter had an excellent day at Greenlands on Saturday.

All of the classes were very well attended and organisers say it was no easy task for the judges to choose winners out of a high-calibre entry.

More news from Kingwater, which is going out of its way to stage an interesting and varied selection of shows and competitions.

The centre's staging special showing classes for ex-racehorses as part of its own Trailblazers series and has even persuaded the Trailblazers bosses to run it through to Championship level.

Kingwater's also putting up a very special prize for the winner of its own Dressage Points series - a Wintec 500 Dressage saddle supplied with hefty discount by Slacks Equestrian of Penrith.

RESULTS

CFHS Working Hunter

Class 1 Baby beginners: 1, S.Jones - Dylan; 2, E.McLane - Smartie; 3, S.Jones - Sugar.

Class 2 Beginners 13.2hh and under: 1, N.Guy - Julmar Playboy; 2, E.Templeton - Miss Attitude; 3, S.Jones - Erris Mai.

Class 3 Beginners 13.2hh and over: 1, L.Templeton - Our Muffin; 2, S.Addison - Dawn Willow; 3. S.Emmot - Danny Boy.

Championship Classes 1,2,3: Champion, N.Guy - Julmar Playboy; Reserve Champ, S.Jones - Dylan.

Class 4 Style and Performance 13.2hh and under: 1, L.Irving - Breeze; 2, N.Dobie - Bella; 3, R.Barnes - Purdy.

Class 5 Style and Performance 13.2hh and over: 1, K.Holiday - Bridget; 2, R.Grice - Paddy; 3, R.Gray - Robin.

Championship Classes 4 and 5: Champion, L.Irving - Breeze; Reserve Champ, N.Dobie - Bella.

Class 6 WHP 12hh: 1, D.Grant - Naderson Goodwill; 2, J.Holiday - Frosty; 3, H.Graves - Glanymor Geisha.

Class 7 WHP 13hh: 1, N.Dobie - Bella; 2, L.Irving - Breeze; 3, E.Templeton - Miss Attitude.

Class 8 WHP 14hh: 1, S.Dodds - Royal Sapphire; 2, L.Templeton - Miss Attitude; 3, J.Holiday - Annie.

Class 9 WHP 15hh: 1, E.Butterworth - The Wee Man; 2, E.Butterworth - Skyline Ranger; 3, R.Gray - Robin.

Championship Classes 6,7,8,9: Champion, N.Dobie - Bella; Reserve Champ,.N.Guy - Julmar Playboy.

Class 10 Nov.Horse: 1, E.Butterworth - The Wee Man; 2, T.Lang - What A Cheek; 3, B.Pearson - Coosheen Goldcrest.

Class 11 Open Horse: 1, T.Lang - What A Cheek; 2, S.Ingram - Montego Bay; 3, E.Butterworth - The Wee Man.

Championship Classes 10 and 11: Championship, E.Butterworth - The Wee Man; Reserve Champ, T.Lang - What A Cheek

BSJA Area 14 - Summer Points Results

Juniors - Welcome Stakes: 1, Molly Waugh - Black Abbacus; 2=, Connie Moore - Connie's Bobby, Katherine Pickering - Silver Cherokee; 3, Tom Forsyth - Quiz 111.

128cm: 1=Ainslie Sullivan - Pielview Conker, Megan Bates - Just Jaffa.

138cm: 1= Vicky Millican - Aqua Jet, Josh Rooney - In the Dark; 2, Josh Rooney - Mr K; 3, Aimee Lund - Redmans Devil.

90cm Pony Open: 1, Helena Pedrosa - Just the two of us; 2, Anna Dunlop - Kerrys Boy; 3, Michelle Byrne - Bacardi 11.

Jnr Newcomers: 1, Melissa McCarron - Miss Juno; 2= Michelle Byrne - Bacardi 11, Bradley Fisher - Random Eclipse; 3, Dan Thompson - Brightwood Galaxy.

Jnr 1mtr Open: 1, Helena Pedrosa - Just the two of us; 2, Freddie Moore - Little Shamrock; 3, Dan Thompson - Cyber Spaceman.

Jnr Foxhunter: 1= Susan Farrell - Oh I, Melissa McCarron - Miss Juno; 2, Melissa McCarron - KEC Bustino Clover; 3, Helena Pedrosa - Kind of Magic.

Jnr 1.10mtr Open: 1, Susan Farrell - Miss Riot; 2, Dan Thompson - Cyber Spaceman; 3= Nicky Williams - Venga Boy, Dan Thompson - Moonlight Flight.

Seniors - Snr British Novice: 1, Katie Armstrong - Crossfell Rio; 2, Emma Wilson - Greenlands Hindsight; 3= Nigel Springer - Kizzy, Emma Wilson - Greenlands Wizmira, Lauren Wood -Winter Willow, William Storey - Queensway.

Snr Discovery: 1, Sally Skelton - Nel de Vardo; 2= Rachel Walker - One du Rouet, Ross Archibald - Artic Rock, 3= Chrissie Cameron - Rosmalen Red Alert, Katie Walker - Cassius Z, Nigel Springer - St Willbord, Richard Nichol - Katie Daley, Logan Creighton - Warrior C.

Snr Newcomers: 1, Willie Dunlop - He's a Diamond; 2, Christine Richardson - Lough Crew; 3, Kelly Smith - Riana.

Snr 1.10mtr Open: 1, Katie Armstrong - Crossfell Eurydice; 2, Willie Dunlop - Gold Linnet; 3, Gail Smith - Onyx Star.

Snr Foxhunter: 1, Logan Creighton - Vivaldi; 2, Lucy Thomlinson - Twice as Nice; 3, Joanne Bell - Theunis.

Snr 1.20mtr Open: 1, Jon Fletcher - Chemo Z; 2, Malcolm Mason - Shady Canadian; 3, Joanne Bell - JC Prinz Amor.

Snr 1.30mtr Open: 1= Joanne Bell - JC Prinz Amor, Gail Smith - Zaffarin Z; 2, Jon Fletcher - Chemo Z; 3, Rachel Walker - Tanon.

DIARY DATES

KINGWATER

Saturday October 25: Oliver Townend Eventing Challenge

BLACKDYKE

Sunday October 26: BSJA Junior Showjumping

GREENLANDS

Saturday October 25: CFHN - Games Practice 9 am to 11 am; 12 noon onwards - Unaffiliated Dressage

Sunday October 26: BSJA Senior Show Jumping (cb Neil Foster)

Monday October 27: David Wadge Lessons - contact Ellen Jones 017684 83511

Tuesday October 28: CFHN Branch Pony Club Rally - Contact Jane Ward 01228576637

Wednesday October 29: CFHS Branch Pony Club - Rally - Christian Hilton 07894 997539