Former GB team manager Derek Ricketts has been appointed as co-selector alongside World Class showjumping performance manager Di Lampard for the 2015-16 senior championship teams.

Derek, a former international showjumper, was team manager from 2002-2010. He was sacked following the team’s “disappointing” results in 2009, which he said were due to a lack of horse power.

Important decisions need to be made this year to ensure GB have the best chance of qualifying for the 2016 Olympics at the European Championships this summer.

“This is a crucial year for us and I am really pleased that Derek will be working alongside me in this way,” said Di, who took on the role as performance manager at the start of the year.

“Derek is both knowledgeable and objective and having ridden and worked alongside him for a considerable number of years I have nothing but the utmost respect for his opinions.”

“The European Championships which take place in Aachen, Germany, during August will be the last opportunity for Great Britain to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games where we hope to defend our team gold title.”

Meanwhile Matthew Lanni has been announced as the pony team chef d’equip, Alan Fazakerley takes charge of the children and junior team, while Tony Newbery is young rider team chef d’equipe.

Alan Fazakerley will be supported by Philippa Curry who will act as deputy chef d’equipe for both the children and junior teams. Tony Newbery will also assist Di Lampard by acting as chef d’equipe at CSIO3/4* Nations Cup team events if required.

Youth team manager Clare Whitaker said: “Across the team appointed we have a nice mix of resource and experience to tap into. On a personal level I am looking forward to working alongside them and am also confident that our youth riders will all feel the same”.

Di added: “I am looking forward to working with the newly appointed team. Their extensive enthusiasm for the task ahead mirrors their commitment and knowledge of the sport and I feel positive that all riders competing within their age groups will not only build a great rapport with their new chef d’equipes but also benefit from them individually.”

Corinne Bracken investigation continues

Corinne voluntarily stepped down from her role as chef d’equipe, trainer and selector for the youth teams following allegations received by British Showjumping (BS) last May. She also stepped down from the international and national sport committee until an investigation has been completed. BS has not released any details about what the allegations relate to.

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We have ten horses back in work and it is proving quite a mission riding them all in daylight hours. We’re short of staff too with Emily away on holiday, so the extra mucking out is keeping us fit.

Last week we went to Leicester Football Club where Claire Lomas was holding a fund raising event for spinal research. Claire is a former event rider and one of the most phenomenal women I have ever met. Despite becoming a paraplegic from a riding accident in 2007, when she suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury, she does so many amazing things, raising money for research into spinal injuries.

Last week’s event was a Bucking Fun, with teams of show jumpers, hunters, eventers, vets and farriers competing against each other on the bucking bronco.

The eventers team comprised Lucy Kemplay, Simon Grieve, Lucy Jackson, Sarah Cohen and Lucinda Green.

I’d been watching Lucinda, fourth to go, working out tactics of how best to stay on and I was convinced that she would prove to be the best Buckaroo of the competition, a thought which quickly vanished after she virtually fell off when mounting and then lasted a full two seconds.

It was all very funny, and taken in the best way possible and despite Lucinda’s lack of stickability, the eventers team won which was brilliant.

It was a wonderful evening and all very relaxed. The food was superb and it was lovely to see some event riders out and about having a bit of a laugh and a dance.

Cross-country schooling with April

On Monday I took April cross country schooling at Larkhill as I felt she needed to see it all again following her earlier outing at a hunter trial there.

This time she was much better and felt really confident, understanding what I was asking of her. I jumped round as if it was a course and had a nice play around. She’s such a joy to do anything with and is a really lovely horse.

I think I may take her hunting a bit through this winter. If they can cope with that mentally its really good at teaching horses to take you forward to the fences and encourages them to be brave. It will be really good education for her and will keep my eye in too plus give me a bit of an adrenalin buzz to tide me over until the spring!

Going back to basics

I’ve had some more jumping lessons with Corinne Bracken and we worked on teaching the horses to become more independent.

During the competition season, it is difficult to do this as we are always working towards the next showjumping round, but in the winter, we can go right back to basics using exercises such as pole work.

Its always very interesting encouraging the horses to think for themselves a bit, instead of expecting me to set them up, and the more advanced horses I rode, the more they were thinking “where are you?” It didn’t panic them, but you could just feel in their expression they wanted to know where I was.

It was really good and Corinne is just great. I love the days that she is here and always look forward to her coming. She always has new ideas and is so inspirational. Lissa Green brought some horses too, before having a few weeks off following her shoulder operation.

Other than that, I’ve been working away on getting the horses really stretching and getting them strong over the backs out hacking and in the school and I’m working on strengthening up their week areas.

We’re still sticking to our quiet Sundays enjoying a lovely roast in the local pub before heading back home to finish off the horses and we’re looking forward to hearing Emily’s news when she returns from Dubai where she is having a wonderful time.

I have some dressage lessons with Nick Burton on Friday. He’s coming here and I’ll ride five including Derby who is on really good form. I had a little pop on him yesterday, nothing too big, and he certainly seemed very happy to be jumping again.

We’ve also weaned our foals. Its always a bit if worry how they will accept it and Henry, who has always been more independent, became stressed. He seems fine now with Duno, who was also weaned, keeping him company.

Both mares are in foal. Henry’s mum is back in foal to Sir Donnerhall and Duno’s mum is in foal again to Wish Upon A Star. We’ve been really pleased with the progeny of both stallions it made sense to return to them.

Coral

Read more of Coral’s blogs

Coral Keen’s eventing blog: No rest for the wicked

Our eventing blogger has made a rather unglamorous return from Dubai and the horses are all coming back into work

Coral Keen’s eventing blog: A break to Dubai and winter training plans

Our eventing blogger is winding down after a busy summer and her Burghley debut, but still has exciting plans for

Coral Keen’s eventing blog: Disappointment, vet visits and a trip to Ireland

Our new blogger is forced to deal with yet more of the inevitable ups and downs of the eventing season

Coral Keen’s eventing blog: Last minute trip to Oxfordshire

H&H's Burghley blogger continues to keep us up-to-date with her string of event horses and re-routing plans

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The British Show Jumping Association has appointed Corinne Bracken as its new junior and young rider chef d’equipe.

Corinne, from Aldershot, Hampshire, has been team coach for three years and the new role will be combined with her existing responsibilities.

Last week Mike Florence announced he was standing down after 12 years as chef d’equipe.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (29 January, ’09)

The British Show Jumping Association’s (BSJA) international and junior team trainer, Corinne Bracken, has been shortlisted for an award at the national Women of the Future awards. The awards celebrate high-achieving women under 35.

Corinne is the BSJA-accredited coach of the year and is in the running for the mentor of the year award at the ceremony in London on 6 November.

A BSJA spokesman said: “Corinne is extremely dedicated and works hard to promote training for the BSJA. Everyone wishes her the best of luck.”

Women of the Future awards website

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now