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In the Spotlight: Point to Point Rider Stewart Wright 04
April/May 2017 • VOLUME XVII NUMBER 3
from across the South East
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Tried & Tested: New Season’s Clothing COVERING KENT, SUSSEX, SURREY, HAMPSHIRE, BERKSHIRE & THE ISLE of WIGHT 01-cover_lraprilmay17.indd 1
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SUNSHINE TOUR
Warming up for the Sunshine As the weather is starting to warm up Sunshine Tour competitors are out in force attempting to gain their golden tickets to the Championships at Hickstead. The excitement is growing and the date is slowly, but surely, getting closer. The All England Showground will once again be filled with competitors from up and down the country having qualified in their unaffiliated competitions of showing, show jumping, dressage and eventers challenge. Here are just a few of the lucky ones who have qualified already and have their eyes set on being a Sunshine Tour Champion in 2017.
Carly Potter Rivershill Black Pepper
Qualified in showing at Barleylands Equestrian Centre, Essex This handsome little chap is Pepper who is a 30” blue roan miniature Shetland stallion owned by Samantha Jones and shown by Carly. On 5th March the pair went out to Barleylands Equestrian Centre and won the Veteran class. At the age of 19-years-old, Pepper hadn’t been shown for over a decade, but demonstrated that he hadn’t lost any of his charisma. As well as winning the Veteran class he placed well in the Mountain & Moorland, Coloured and Driving Type classes, much to the delight of Carly. Carly says she fell into showing by accident due to having no transport. “We found ourselves at the yard without transport for the horses and my ROR prospect last year. Having paid membership fees for our local riding clubs, I convinced Pepper’s owner to let me run him out (we only had a small pony trailer).” As well as setting her sights on becoming a Sunshine Tour Champion, Carly will be continuing the fun with her little sidekick as she broke Pepper to harness last summer and hopes to show him in driving classes.
Sarah Reed Ziggi Stardust
Qualified in Novice Dressage at Red Horse Dressage, Willow Farm, Kent After 27 wonderful years with her old mare, Sarah struggled to find a new and suitable companion to share her life with. She decided to buy a youngster which, in the end, just proved too much for her and Sarah lost her nerve and had to find a new home for her. Sarah told us all about how she met Ziggi… “Ziggi had gone to horse behavioural specialist Jason Webb for remedial training and Jason liked him so much that he bought him to compete on, but then found he had no time to compete, so Ziggi spent a few years helping in clinics and demos. Then he met me and I bought him. Everything was rosy for a while, until the original behavioural issues began to resurface. Ziggi is a bit clever; he tests his rider and is very quick to suss out any weakness and, of course, I was still an extremely anxious rider. Ziggi is not dangerous, but he did treat me to some evil spooks or refused to go forward, I even had to dismount sometimes to lead him out of the school because he refused to move with me on.” “Three years later, with a great deal of perseverance and help from Lesa and Annie Russell and my trainer, Joe Bright, Ziggi and I are out competing at Novice level dressage and working Elementary/Medium at home. We have even been on some sponsored rides. Our friendship took a long time to become established as we both had trust issues to overcome, but we are getting there and I love him to bits. To qualify and attend the Sunshine Tour Championships will be a huge, exciting, terrifying milestone for us and I can’t wait!”
Holly Nelmes-Faint - Olive
Qualified in Dressage at Brook Farm, Essex What started out as a shaky beginning for Olive, has turned into a winning partnership with her rider, Holly. At the age of three-years-old Olive escaped from her field and ended up on the M25 motorway. No one claimed her or knew where she had come from so her future was uncertain. Luckily, she was taken in by a local horse and animal lover, Jane Bettles, who happened to have a spare stable. Much to everyone’s surprise they found out that Olive was in foal! Fast forward a few years and Olive and her son now have a lovely life with Holly and her mother, Sarah. Sarah is clearly proud of what Holly and Olive have achieved. She said: “Holly has been lucky enough to ride Olive for the past three years and they have grown together. They take part in a variety of Pony Club activities and have a love of dressage, so Holly was very excited to qualify for the Sunshine Tour and have the opportunity to ride at Hickstead.” 50 Localrider APRIL/MAY 2017
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Kelly McKinnon - Strider Qualified in Intro & Prelim dressage at Merrist Wood Arena, Surrey
Kelly McKinnon was delighted to take part in the 2015 Sunshine Tour with her pony Strider. They competed in the Show Jumping and Eventers Challenge sections, and had a very successful year competing in intermediate working hunter pony and show hunter pony classes. But in the following July, Strider suffered a tear to his annular ligament which devastated Kelly’s plans for a return to Hickstead in 2016. She said: “I was so disappointed after such a good year and unfortunately couldn’t take part in the Sunshine Tour in 2016. After treatment and plenty of rest over the autumn and winter, he has had a change of career and qualified for the Intro and Prelim dressage sections on his first outing in 2017 at Merrist Wood Arena. We are so proud of him he really is a superstar and we cannot wait to bring him to the Championships in September.”
Lisa Fahy - Kings Court II
Qualified in Novice and Elementary dressage at Parwood Equestrian Centre, Surrey Lisa, along with daughter Caitlin and friend Suzie Stanner have been long-time supporters of the Sunshine Tour and are looking forward to another outing in 2017. Lisa and Kings Court II, aka KC qualified at Parwood Equestrian Centre, being placed fourth in Novice 28 and third in Elementary 42. Lisa said: “I’ve owned KC since 2013 but three months after he arrived he had a nasty accident in the field de-gloving his hind leg. He then had numerous operations and a year’s box rest before I could get back on board. He’s since been rather accident prone and had lots of other months on box rest, but we’re hoping that 2017 will be our year to shine.” “KC is a chestnut gelding, 17.3hh Warmblood x Irish Sports Horse and 16 years young. We have been concentrating on dressage, but hope this year to give show jumping and cross country a go, if I can find my brave pants. We are so looking forward to competing at Hickstead this September and hope to improve on our placing from last year.”
Lizzie Vidler - Sweet William
Qualified in 80cm Show Jumping at Hall Place Equestrian Centre, Berkshire Sweet William is a 10-year-old dark bay 14.2 hh Welsh Cob gelding who has dreams and aspirations and believes he is a racehorse. It has taken many months for Lizzie to get to grips with him because, as Lizzie’s mother, Ro, says: “He has an impressive turbo button!” When they first bought him, he had a habit of leaping in the air and bolting, this meant that he had to be kept on a lunge rein at all times because he was so flighty. Thankfully, the hard work has clearly paid off as Lizzie now has him beautifully under control and her jumping rounds to qualify were quick, stylish and a pleasure to watch. Ro says the pair are over the moon to qualify. She said: “William has plenty of fans because he jumps and canters like a big, bouncy ball. When he got into the jump off and did a super-fast accurate round, his supporters all cheered loudly. It’s only the second time the partnership have been in the winning line and they hope to carry on and qualify again this year in another height/discipline. Lizzie is so excited about The Sunshine Tour that I’m not sure how we are going to get through the summer!”
Louise Hawkins - Ilar Ceio
Qualified in Dressage at Lake Farm Equestrian Centre, Isle of Wight Louise and Ilar Ceio enjoyed Sunshine Tour so much last year that they have made sure they were successful in gaining their qualification this year. Having competed in the Grand Tour Prelim and Novice last year they have their sights set on the Novice and Elementary classes this year. Louise said: “I really enjoy doing dressage with Ilar Ceio, especially now that we are moving on into Elementary as I find the harder elements help to keep his concentration. Being a typical Welsh, he is full of character and mischief so he likes to keep me on my toes.” Ilar Ceio is Louise’s mums horse, he is a 14.1hh, 11-year-old bay Welsh Section D gelding. As well as doing dressage Louise also hopes to qualify for the large breed M&M class as well as doing some working hunter pony classes with him. Last year the pair were extremely pleased to have done the working hunter pony class, but even more pleased when they won the M&M Working Hunter Pony, came second in the Newcomers class and were crowned the Reserve Supreme Champion of the day. For your chance to qualify for the Sunshine Tour Championships, held at the All England Showground from 14th – 17th September 2017, see details at www.sunshinetour.co.uk APRIL/MAY 2017 Localrider 51
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