Great Britain’s vaulters picked up a host of top 10 finishes at the FEI European Championships in Aachen (20-23 August).

The individual female vaulters performed their final freestyle routine yesterday (Sunday 23 August) and Team GBR’s Hannah Eccles (pictured, above) and Lucy Phillips finished in eighth and ninth place respectively.

Hannah on WH Bentley, lunged by her father John, were first into the arena and scored 7.976, taking her final average from all four rounds to 7.577.

“It’s really scary in there,” said Hannah. “I really wanted to qualify for the final round so I held it back the other day [in the first freestyle round] and played it safe.”

She added her father was happy as his favourite move – a one legged stand side-on move called ‘the wineglass’ – worked in the final.

“It’s a really hard move and not many people do it so it sets you apart from the rest,” she said.

Following Hannah was fellow Brit Lucy Phillips on Pitucelli, lunged by Lucy’s mother Liz.

“The atmosphere just makes you want to perform more,” said Lucy following her test.

The judges awarded Lucy a score of 7.614, which gave her a final mark of 7.510.

Gold went to Simone Jäiser of Switzerland, Germany’s Corinna Knauf took silver with Lisa Wild from Austria in bronze.

In the final squad vaulting class, also held yesterday (Sunday 23 August),

Great Britain’s squad of six aboard Tylers Kernel produced one of their best rounds this year.

Their mark of 7.387 gave them a final score of 6.755, which took them into ninth place.

The squad was made up of Andrew McLachlan, Hannah Young, Rebecca Norval, Kerri Brylka, Harry Cox and Lisa Mercer.

They were lunged by John Eccles.

Kerri, who was the flyer for the team, said: “It’s really fun being up there – you get the wind in your hair and everyone’s looking at you.”

Germany’s vaulters added to their medal haul, taking team gold, with Switzerland in silver and France in Bronze.

On Saturday (22 August), past junior medallists Andrew and Rebecca completed the final round of the pas de deux event.

Their total final score of 5.757 left them in ninth place.

Gold and bronze medals were taken by Austria with Germany in silver.

Andrew also came 13th in the male individual competition, where all three podium places went to Germany, on a final score of 6.691.

Vaulting team chef d’equipe Ann Rogerson said: “It’s just been great. The organisation here in Aachen has been amazing, the venue is outstanding and the team has done so well.

“For a lot of the squad this is their first senior championships and I’m so happy and so proud of them all, I’m really, really happy.”

This was the first European Championships since 2007 that British vaulters have come home without a medal.

In 2009, Great Britain won its first European vaulting medal when Joanne Eccles won individual gold in Malmö, Sweden.

She has won a senior championship medal every year since then.

However Joanne, who is Britain’s most successful female vaulter ever, revealed in February that she would no longer compete at major individual championships.

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Britain’s most successful vaulter Joanne Eccles has told H&H she is “winding down” her career and will no longer compete at major individual championships.

The 26-year-old, has confirmed she will not be defending her title at the next World Equestrian Games (WEG) in 2018.

Joanne — who has been vaulting for 18 years — has won a medal every year since 2009. She took home the individual gold in Normandy last summer (pictured) and a bronze medal with her sister Hannah in the first pas de deux at WEG.

“The competition was absolutely brilliant, it would be a shame to spoil the memory. I have decided I have reached the pinnacle of my career and I am now going to watch and enjoy Hannah in her competitions,” Joanne told H&H.

Joanne’s horse WH Bentley (Henry) is now 21-years-old and has been with the Eccles family since he was five. He will still be competed by Hannah but will be doing fewer competitions.

Joanne will continue to train and help the young riders in the Wee County Vaulters and will be available for the Scottish Equestrian Vaulting team if needed.

This year she will be concentrating on bringing on her new horse Jack in competitions from April and will continue to compete with sister Hannah. The pair are off to Doha this Friday to compete the vaulting at CHI Al Shaquab 2015.

“I will miss the competitions but being able to go out with our young riders still gives me a great buzz. I am not stopping because I don’t love vaulting but because I have reached the top.

“Some people will say I am very young to stop, but I won my first medal aged 20 and have won one every year since.”

“It happened amazingly early and since the first medal we just continued to improve and go on winning.”

“Britain has never been that great at vaulting, and for anyone that is a pretty good medal tally.”

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Britain’s Joanne Eccles claimed the individual female vaulting gold medal today at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Lunged as usual on WH Bentley by her father John, Joanne successfully defended the title she won four years ago in Kentucky. Her performance this afternoon in the final freestyle was flawless for a score of 9.119, giving her an overall mark of 8.712.

“To have done it again four years on is incredible,” said Joanne. “We were helped by the stunning arena. This is as close as we’ll get to a home games and we’ve had so much support — it’s been a pretty amazing four days.”

John said: “‘Henry’ is a fantastic horse — he’s trustworthy and reliable. And the [pale] colour of the surface in this superb arena really set him off.”

Joanne’s nearest rival after yesterday’s technical test, Italy’s Anna Cavallaro, held her place for silver, but Switzerland’s Simone Jäiser moved up from fourth to collect the bronze. Denmark’s Rikki Laumann, winner of the first day’s compulsory test finished fourth, just out of the medals.

Britain’s other two vaulters improved their position in today’s freestyle. Joanne’s sister Hannah was happy to finish ninth from 10th overnight with a final score of 7.818, saying: “The atmosphere in there is insane — the crowd are electric and you try to feed off that for your performance. When you come to a WEG you want it to be special and this is very special for us.”

Lucy Phillips moved up from 12th to 11th, finishing on 7.730.

“It was my best round, which was good as it’s the final one — not much went wrong,” said Lucy.

Her mother, Elizabeth (right with Lucy), was lungeing Pitucelli for Lucy here for the first time at a World Championships.

“I feel very nervous three hours before when I’m waiting, but once you put the tack on it’s inevitable,” said Elizabeth. “If you’re nervous the horse is nervous, so it has to be under control. I’m a big believer in Susan Jeffers’ book Feel the Fear… and Do it Anyway.”

After the Eccles’ bronze in the pas de deux this morning, this concludes Britain’s vaulting medal haul. Although the male individual and the squad competitions are still to finish, Britain does not have any competitors in these classes.

Video with the Eccles sisters after their bronze medal-winning pas de deux

Bluffers’ guide to vaulting

Vaulting times and results

More updates from WEG online until Sunday; report on the vaulting in H&H magazine next week, out Thursday, 11 September.

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Britain’s Joanne and Hannah Eccles claimed Britain’s first Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games medal since last Sunday when they collected the bronze in the vaulting pas de deux this morning.

The Scottish sisters scored 8.580 for their Fire and Ice routine today for an overall score of 8.575. [View a video interview with Joanne and Hannah after their performance]

“We could have done one extra move at the end [when Hannah is standing on Joanne’s shoulders] but we had a little discussion on the horse and decided we’d rather finish on a high than push it further — everything had been so tight and we have enough difficulty in the routine,” said Joanne.

The pair were lunged by their father John (pictured on the podium, right, with his daughters), on the family’s veteran vaulting horse WH Bentley.

Joanne and Hannah were also third in the pas de deux’s first test last night, but there was a change around in the medal standings above them this morning.

Yesterday Germany’s Gera Marie Grün and Justin van Gerven held second after the first freestyle, but they were less strong today and finished fourth on 8.497. They handed the silver medal to their compatriots, Pia Engelberty and Torben Jacobs, who impressed with their lifts today (overall score 8.605).

The Austrian favourites, Jasmin Lindner and Lukas Wacha, were far and away the best again today and they claimed the gold with an overall mark of 9.059.

Joanne and Hannah Eccles both compete in the individual female class this afternoon, alongside fellow Brit Lucy Phillips. Joanne is in the pole position to take the individual gold.

Bluffers’ guide to vaulting

Vaulting times and results

More updates from WEG online until Sunday; report on the vaulting in H&H magazine next week, out Thursday, 11 September.

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Britain’s Eccles sisters hold third place after the first freestyle of the pas de deux vaulting competition at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

“You wouldn’t believe how much harder work it is doing 2min of pairs compared to a minute individually,” gasped Joanne. “In pairs you are always lifting someone or balancing on someone.”

The sisters had one problem early in the routine today when Hannah lost her footing coming down from a lift. They scored 8.570.

“Maybe I came down too fast, I’m not really sure,” she said.

The soundtrack to the Eccles’ routine includes the Robert Frost poem Fire and Ice, which is Joanne’s favourite poem and provided the inspiration for the theme and costumes.

The pair have been doing this routine since Aachen in July, having changed the roller their horse WH Bentley wears for this class to enable them to show off more of their individual moves.

“The other one was just very thin circles and it was really old — people laughed at us because everyone else had changed but we didn’t because I was really good at standing backwards in the old one with Hannah on my shoulders,” said Joanne.

Using the individual roller meant Joanne had to find a new way to stand, but the highlight of their routine was still Hannah standing on Joanne’s shoulders, though with Joanne facing forward.

“It took us a while to do it, but it does set us apart — I used to do it competing in a team, but with someone supporting me from behind,” explained Joanne.

The sisters, who are lunged by their father John on 20-year-old WH Bentley, treat pairs as more of a fun competition than the individual. Joanne currently leads that contest after three of the four tests, while Hannah lies 10th.

“We’ve won four silver medals in pas de deux and if you keep trying to beat that you put the pressure on,” said Hannah. “We made the decision this year not to care about marks and results and just to show what we can do.”

The winners tonight were Austria’s Jasmin Lindner and Lukas Wacha, who pulled off an incredible series of lifts with confidence for a mark of 9.070.

Germany’s Gera Marie Grün and Justin van Gerven, the junior European pas de deux medallists last year, scored 8.631 tonight to hold second.

The pas de deux concludes with a second freestyle tomorrow morning.

Bluffer’s guide to vaulting

Vaulting times and results

More updates from WEG online until Sunday; report on the vaulting in H&H magazine next week, out Thursday, 11 September.

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Britain’s Joanne Eccles has extended her lead in the female individual vaulting competition at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games after today’s technical test.

Joanne was “thrilled” with her performance to score 8.513 (above). This round of the contest involves demonstrating five particular moves, but in any order the vaulters choose and to music, in the style of a freestyle.

“That’s the best technical score I’ve had this year, if not ever,” said Joanne. “From the very first technical move, which for me is the outside stand, it felt really solid and from then on I had a really good feeling.

“I knew there were more British spectators in the crowd today, so I wanted to put on a good show for them. I tried to have a sneak peek at them at the start, then I took my time at the end to look around. We appreciate them coming to watch vaulting and supporting us.”

The vaulting medals will be decided tomorrow when Joanne and her fellow competitors will take part in one final freestyle. Vaulters use the same music as in yesterday’s freestyle, but can vary their moves and costume.

“But I’ll be attempting to do exactly the same as on Wednesday,” said Joanne.

Joanne’s younger sister Hannah was also pleased with her performance for a score of 7.449 and ninth in today’s test, although she said the forward roll and shoot-up mount (a movement where the vaulters go from the ground, through a shoulder stand to sitting on the horse’s neck facing backwards) could have been better.

“I’ve just changed my technical test back to one I did two years ago as I prefer this one,” she said. “I wanted to do the one I’m most comfortable with for this competition.”

Hannah performed to Muse’s Exogenesis: Symphony. She now lies in 10th place overall, up one spot from last night.

The third British competitor, Lucy Phillips, scored 7.163 for her technical test, for 12th place in this round and the same position in the main leader board.

“I did a new move for the first time in competition today, a straddle lever handstand,” she said. “I’ve been trying to do it since I was a gymnast at the age of five and this year is the first I’ve managed it.”

Lucy performed to Beethoven’s 5 Secrets, a piece based on Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, with her moves including miming playing the violin during her test.

“It’s calming music and I can do pretty arm movements to it,” she said. “Also there are five movements in the technical test so that fits in well.”

Behind Joanne, Italy’s Anna Cavallaro has moved up into provisional silver, having been fourth overnight but improved her position by finishing second in the technical round. Denmark’s Rikki Laumann, who won the first day’s compulsory test and was second overnight, now sits in third place overall after a less strong performance, including a messy dismount, left her fifth today.

Switzerland’s Simone Jäiser, who has held the bronze position until now, has slipped out of the medals and is currently fourth.

In the male technical test, Erik Oese of Germany, vaulting on Calvador 5, took top spot, followed by the home side’s Nicolas Andreani and Jacques Ferrari.

The pas de deux competition starts this evening and the Eccles sisters are competing in this.

Britain is not fielding a squad or any male individual vaulters. The squads do not compete today, but also have their final freestyle tomorrow, when the pas de deux also concludes.

Bluffers’ guide to vaulting

Vaulting times and results

More WEG news online all this week; report on the WEG vaulting in the H&H magazine out next Thursday, 11 September. 

Picture by Stephen Sparkes

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Britain’s Joanne Eccles has taken over top spot in the female individual vaulting competition at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Joanne, who took the gold medal at the last WEG in 2010, won today’s freestyle competition, scoring 8.888 for her routine (above), performed to I Dreamed a Dream from the musical Les Miserables. As usual, she was lunged by her father John on the family’s veteran horse WH Bentley.

“Music choice is difficult, it took a while to find something I was comfortable working to and which Hannah [sister and fellow WEG vaulter] and Dad felt worked,” said Joanne, who has been using this freestyle all year and added that it seemed appropriate for competing in France.

“I had one little wobble today when my foot didn’t come down in quite the right place, but it wasn’t big — I can’t really complain if that’s my only problem.”

Joanne’s score for round one (yesterday’s compulsory and today’s freestyle) is 8.619. This puts her 0.075 ahead of Denmark’s Rikki Laumann, who won yesterday and scored 8.652 to finish second to Joanne today. She wore an outfit covered in stars to perform her routine, which is about the “play between cold and warm”.

“I was happy — I felt my horse lost a step at the end and I lost two movements because of that, but the rest I was satisfied with,” said Rikki.

Switzerland’s Simone Jäiser holds third overall, after being fourth today behind Italy’s Anna Cavallaro, who still sits fourth in the full leader board.

Joanne’s younger sister Hannah has moved up to 11th in the overall standings after a strong performance today netted eighth. Her routine is performed to music from the film 300: Rise of an Empire.

“I haven’t actually seen the film, but I wanted something with a Greek goddess feel,” said Hannah. “I vault better to fast music and Joanne vaults better to slow music, so it makes a good contrast when we go after each other [vaulters on the same horse always perform consecutively].”

After today’s competition the top 15 vaulters go forward to round two, a technical test tomorrow and another freestyle on Friday. All three British vaulters have qualified to continue as Lucy Phillips sits 12th. She finished 10th today with her The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo freestyle.

“I’m really pleased,” said Lucy, whose outfit included a dragon tattoo (right). “I get a bit nervous for the first freestyle round, but I tell myself I’ve done it so many times and I just want to go out and enjoy it.

“I had one little slip, but I covered it up with a nice arm movement — that’s the nice thing about freestyle, you can just do a different hand or leg movement if something isn’t ideal.”

In this morning’s squad freestyle, Switzerland’s all-girl team put in a fantastic performance, with the only obvious blip being when the flyer touched down in a dismount. But they won the test with a score of 8.596, vaulting on the grey Will Be Good, lunged by Monika Winkler-Bischofbef. This means they have moved up to silver in the overall standings, with Germany (second today) rising to gold.

Last night’s leaders Austria slipped to bronze after finishing fifth today — their horse Alessio L’Amabile broke to trot at one point, which did not make it easy for the vaulters.

The squads do not compete tomorrow. The top 12 go through to the final freestyle on Friday, after which the medals are decided.

In the male individual freestyle, France’s Jacques Ferrari remains at the head of affairs after topping the freestyle today with 8.838. His compatriot Nicolas Andreani was second again, so stays in silver on the overall leaderboard. There are only 17 competitors in the male contest, so just two do not progress to tomorrow’s technical test.

Britain is not fielding a squad or any male individual vaulters, but the pas de deux competition, in which the Eccles sisters are competing, starts tomorrow.

Bluffers’ guide to vaulting

Blog about squad freestyles

Results and times

More WEG news online all this week; report on the WEG vaulting in the magazine out next Thursday, 11 September. 

Picture of Joanne Eccles by Stephen Sparkes

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Britain’s Joanne Eccles (above right) lies second after the compulsory test, the first part of the female individual vaulting competition at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG).

“I’m fairly pleased — I felt like there was one bit that wasn’t particularly smooth in the scissors, but it’s difficult to know. Sometimes I do something in training and I don’t think it’s good and Hannah [sister and fellow WEG competitor] and Dad [John, lunger and coach] say it’s fine,” said Joanne, who won individual gold at the last WEG in 2010.

The arena for the vaulting in Caen has a great atmosphere — the audience are very close to the action, which is under lights with the audience in darkness.

“Once you start you can’t see the audience as they are in the dark. It’s just you and the horse as one, which is how it should be,” said Joanne.

The final horse in the female competition, Landar, became quite upset and it was difficult for his Czech vaulter, Jana Bartonkova, to even make the leap onto him. But the Eccles’ WH Bentley is an old pro at 20 years old.

“He’s done so many competitions we knew he’d go in there and do his best,” said Joanne, who scored 8.35.

The leader is Denmark’s Rikki Laumann, with a mark of 8.435, who took the title at last year’s European Championships.

Joanne’s younger sister Hannah (above left) lies 16th having made one error where she touched down with her hands on the ground after dismounting.

“This is our weakest round — the next is my favourite,” said Hannah.

Joanne added: “We know we can improve from here.”

Today’s test consisted of each vaulter showing the eight compulsory moves in a set sequence for the eight judges, six of whom mark the vaulter and two the horse. Tomorrow the vaulters perform a freestyle to music and these first two days of competition constitute round one.

After tomorrow, the top 15 vaulters progress to the next two tests on Thursday and Friday (round two). The medals are awarded on an average score from all four days.

The third British vaulter, Lucy Phillips, is currently within the cut-off for round two after scoring 7.711 on Pitucelli, lunged by her mother Elizabeth.

“You feel like everyone’s watching you and getting excited when you run down the tunnel — it’s such an honour to compete for your country,” she said. “I’d like to get through to the second round. If I can do a personal best in each round I’ll be happy.”

Swiss competitor Simone Jäiser currently holds third, with Italy’s Anna Cavallaro fourth — Anna is another of the favourites after claiming individual European silver last year, but made a mistake in her dismount today.

Austria took the lead in the squad competition this morning, with a score of 7.873 for their compulsory test, performed on Alessio L’Amabile, who was lunged by Maria Lehrmann. Germany hold the silver position for now, with Switzerland in bronze.

The home side has the upper hand in the individual male contest, with European champion Jacque Ferrari heading world champion Nicolas Andreani. Victor Brüsewitz of Germany lies third.

Britain is not fielding a squad or any male individual vaulters, but the pas de deux competition, in which the Eccles sisters are competing, starts on Thursday.

Bluffers’ guide to vaulting

Vaulting start lists and results

More WEG updates online all week; full report on the vaulting at WEG in the magazine out next Thursday, 11 September.

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Sisters Joanne and Hannah Eccles leapt into the record books at the weekend by winning their tenth British pairs vaulting title on the trot.

The Eccles first won the pas de deux title in 2002 and have done so every year since, including at the British Vaulting Championships 2012 at the Bishop Burton Arena (22-23 September).

Chef d’equipe Lucy Bell said: “To show such consistency is spectacular.”

Joanne and Hannah also headed the senior women’s individual class, with Joanne taking the title for an eight year.

Hannah was second, with Lucy Phillips in third and Helen Anderson fourth.

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British vaulter Joanne Eccles has added a fourth Aachen title to her tally by taking the senior female class at the CVIO***(29 June-1 July).

Joanne and her sister Hannah also came first in the pas de deux class (pictured), with a new and “extremely difficult” routine.

The GBR Nations Cup team finished fifth in an exciting final round. The team was made up of George Cox, Joanne Eccles and the English Vaulting Squad.

The class was won by Germany I with Germany II in second place.

And South Scotland Select team finished third in the small team final, producing a smooth performance behind two Swedish teams.

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Britain’s female vaulters dominated the podium in the senior female class at the Saumur CVIO** (6-8 April) to help push the British team into second place in the nations cup.

Joanne Eccles, Hannah Eccles and Lucy Phillips (pictured) kept the rest of the field at bay throughout all four rounds of the ladies’ class to clinch Team GB’s first one, two, three on the podium.

Joanne finished on 8.619 points, her sister Hannah on 8.105 and Lucy on 7.969.

Andrew McLachlan became the first British male to win a class at an international, winning the junior class.

And Stacey Macpherson finished sixth in the junior female class with team mate Elloise Cundy close behind in seventh.

Chef d’equipe Lucy Bell said: “Both teams also did a great job over the weekend.

“South Scotland Select produced a great compulsory round and were leading, but a very strong German team just pushed them into second after the freestyle.”

She added that the English Vaulting Squad produced solid performances to finish sixth in a strong senior class, which helped Team GB to finish second in the nations cup.

The nations cup was closely fought and eventually won by the French, with 0.24.

The British team was made up of Joanne Eccles, Hannah Eccles, Lucy Phillips and the English Vaulting Squad.

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British vaulting sensations Joanne and Hannah Eccles took the first and second places at the first FEI World Cup Vaulting final, in Bordeaux yesterday (5 February).

The Scottish sisters both performed on WH Bentley, lunged by their father John.

Six athletes went through to the ladies’ final and the tension was high as Switzerland’s Simone Jaiser and her horse, Luk, posting an overall aggregate score of 7.870.

Italy’s Anna Cavallaro stumbled backwards on dismount, but still achieved a mark of 7.990 with Harley, while Germany’s Sarah Kay, also partnering Luk, maintained fourth place by putting 8.040 on the scoreboard.



Hannah Eccles, 20, who was only in the final due to the injury of another competitor, was next into the arena with Bentley.

She came through with a score of 8.227, to pile the pressure on the final two.

France’s Anne-Sophie Musset Agnus, with new horse Harley, posted a score of 8.214 to drop behind Hannah.

So it was Joanne’s turn to show which Eccles had the edge.

Stepping out in a marionette-style costume to a musical score from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, she exceeded the previous day’s high score to post 8.837 this time out and swipe the title from Hannah.

Joanne said her secret weapon is gentle giant Bentley.

“My own success and Hannah’s too – none of it would have happened without him!” she said. “He’s as steady as a rock and so trustworthy.”.

The men’s title was won by Switzerland’s Patric Looser, who retired from the sport on a high note.

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Vaulter Joanne Eccles, has successfully defended her senior female European title at the European Championships in Le Mans, France (16-21 August).

Joanne, aged 22, from Tillicoultry in Scotland, retained the title that in 2009 made her the first British vaulter to win an FEI Vaulting Championship medal.

Her final score of 8.553, one of her highest scores this year, came just 0.02 ahead of Germany’s Sarah Kay, who finished on 8.533.

Joanne said: “It was really good in there. It was a pretty much almost perfect test and was really hard to judge what the score would be at the end.

“It’s been a tough few days but I’m absolutely ecstatic with the result. I’ve had to fight so hard for it.”

As well as taking the individual title, Joanne and her sister Hannah, aged 19, took silver in the pas de deux, with a final score of 8.411, just 0.008 behind the eventual Gold medallists, Germany (8.419).

Bronze went to Austria, who finished on 8.245.

The sisters, who are members of the Wee County Vaulting Group, competed in both sections on their horse W H Bentley and were lunged by their father John.

Chef d’equipe for the vaulting squad, Lucy Bell said: “There was a lot of pressure going into the arena today but as always brilliant performances were delivered on both counts.

“It’s a fantastic result for both Joanne and Hannah and for British vaulting.”

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The British vaulting squad for the European championships has been named.

The FEI senior and junior European vaulting championships takes place in Le Mans, France from 16-21 August.

Joanne Eccles, Hannah Eccles, Lucy Phillips will be the individual senior women travelling to France.

Twenty-two-year-old Joanne from Glasgow is defending her European title that she won in 2009 when she became the first British team member to win an FEI vaulting championship medal.

Last year Joanne was crowned the Individual Female Vaulting World Champion at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Lexington, Kentucky.

And Stephanie Hunter, Louise Sinclair and and Stacey Macpherson will contest the junior female section as individuals.

Andrew McLachlan and George Cox who both made their individual international debut at Saumur this year will be in the junior male championship.

And the teams are:

Senior team

Lunger: Julie Newell

Horse: Go for Gold

Vaulters: Sara Shortland, Stephanie Hunter, Lydia Barham, Paige Brown, Megan Bignell, Ellie Cundy, William Jenkins.

Junior Team

Lunger: Amanda McLachlan

Horse: Tylers Kernal

Vaulters: Andrew Mclachlan, Rebecca Norval, Emma Biggerstaff, Amy Gullen, Lisa Mercer, Victoria Campbell, Leigh Taylor.

Chef d’equipe Lucy Bell said: “In recent years the British equestrian vaulting squad has made a real impact on the international stage — particularly in light of Joanne’s inspiring wins at European and world level, all of which has helped raise the profile of the sport and bring vaulting to a wider audience at home.

“We now have a very strong squad for these championships and I am confident that they will raise the bar even higher to achieve even better results for British vaulting.”

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Britain’s Joanne Eccles (pictured) is in second after the freestyle round in the individual female vaulting at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Joanne performed her freestyle to Elton John’s Candle In The Wind, dressed all in gold. She has used this programme about six times internationally this year.

“I missed out one of the really difficult movements today because when I stood up I wasn’t as stable as normal, maybe because it was my first time in this arena doing my freestyle,” she said.

Nevertheless, Joanne scored 8.39, the fourth best mark awarded in her class today and enough to leave her in silver position when combined with her leading score from yesterday’s compulsory round.

The top 15 vaulters after today go through to the next round. The final consists of a technical test tomorrow afternoon, plus a freestyle on Saturday, after which the medals are awarded.

Lucy Phillips also made the cut for Britain, finishing the round in 12th place after breaking the eight-barrier for the first time with her freestyle, performed to Evanescence’s Bring Me To Life.

“I think it was my mental focus [that helped me do a personal best] — I’ve been doing loads of psychology,” she said. “Before I went I felt a little bit nervous but I was thinking, ‘I want to do it’. I didn’t think of anything bad happening.

“I like this music because it lets me show the two sides of vaulting, I like to be graceful at the start then I can show my strength when the beat kicks in.”

Britain’s third female vaulter, Joanne’s sister Hannah Eccles, just missed out on qualifying for the next round after finishing 16th. She said her routine — performed for the first time to the theme tune from the film I, Robot — was a bit messy today.

Germany’s Simone Wiegele has taken the lead in the female contest, just 0.07 ahead of Joanne.

Ross Foreman through to male final

Britan’s male individual Ross Foreman was stunned to have moved up two places after slipping off his horse, Master Key, in his second move, a side stand.

“I made up a freestyle as I went along,” said Ross, who was dressed as the Joker from Batman. “I think the judges thought that was the plan — I kept smiling, so they were none the wiser.”

Ross now lies ninth so is qualified for the next round, while Switzerland’s Patric Looser has risen two places to head the male competition at this stage.

As well as the individual technical test, tomorrow’s vaulting programme also includes the second round of the team contest, the freestyle.

WEG vaulting results

Log back on tomorrow for more updates on the vaulting. Full report in H&H out 14 October.

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Britain’s Joanne Eccles (pictured) has taken the lead after the female individual compulsory test, the first round of the vaulting at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Joanne, the reigning European champion, scored 8.157 — the only competitor in her class to score over eight. She was lunged by her father John on the family horse, WH Bentley.

“It was one of the best compulsories I’ve done this year,” she said. “There’ll be little things when I look back, but with the pressure, I’m happy. Compulsories are something I’ve been working on for a long time as it was my weakest part and I managed to show some of what I’ve been working.”

Joanne also commented that the footing in the Alltech Indoor Arena has improved since they practised on it earlier in the week: “The footing’s really settled and there’s more jump to it. The other day it was hard to jump out of but lovely to land in, now it’s harder it’s better for jumping out of — it’s good for us and for the horse.”

Joanne’s sister Hannah Eccles was also pleased after scoring 7.251, also on WH Bentley. She is in 16th place.

She said; “My score could have been slightly higher, but it’s good for me for compulsories, which are my weakest part — it can only get better now.”

Hannah commented on which movements she felt went well and which she could have improved: “The mount was better than I’ve done for a while, and the mill, but I’m annoyed because the stand is normally really good for me, but today I had a little wobble and the scissors could also have been a little higher.”

Britain’s third individual, Lucy Phillips, hoped to score over seven and achieved it with 7.58 on Pitucelli, lunged by Rebecca Morgan, for 13th at this stage.

“I think that was the best I’ve done in a while. The scissors felt really energetic and I’m really pleased with Pitu, my horse — it all came together in there,” she said.

Commenting on the high expectations of the British vaulters, Lucy said: “I think the pressure is good, it helps you get focused.”

Personal best for British male

Britain’s Ross Foreman scored a personal best for the compulsory test in the male individual competition. His mark of 7.041 puts him 11th at this stage, but Ross is confident he will move up the field in the freestyle tomorrow afternoon.

“I’m happy with how it went today — there were no slip-ups,” he said of his performance on Master Key, lunged by Rebecca Morgan. “I went to Aachen and that was a great WEG, but this is the best ever. There’s a massive crowd compared to the British national competitions, and it’s good to have been to Aachen and know the horse is safe with the cheers. I haven’t been bungled by nerves, but a little bit of adrenalin makes you better.”

Germany holds the one-two in the male class, with Gero Meyer leading and Kai Vorberg — individual gold medallist in Aachen four years ago — second.

The individual vaulters perform their freestyles tomorrow.

WEG vaulting results

WEG vaulting blog

Log back on through the week for more updates on the vaulting. Full report in H&H, out 14 October.

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The Eccles family have celebrated their second successful weekend running, after sisters Joanne and Hannah returned victorious from a vaulting competition in Belgium (28-30 May).

The sisters won the pas de deux class — a new championship class comprising of two rounds of freestyle.

This was the first time the girls competed internationally in this class and finished ahead of Esther and Cyndy Sneekes from the Netherlands.

Joanne and Hannah now have high hopes for the pairs championships which is being held in Austria in August, for which they have already been selected.

European champion Joanne also won the inaugural CVI**Neeroeteren.

Simone Wiegele and Antje Hil from Germany finished second and third. Antje had to fight for her place in third spot against Joanne’s sister Hannah, who eventually finished fourth.

Both Joanne and Hannah competed on their regular horse WH Bentley lunged by their father John Eccles.

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Sisters Joanne and Hannah Eccles returned triumphant from the International Equestrian Vaulting competition in Holland with a win in the senior and junior classes on the same horse.

Joanne, 19, won the CVI** on WH Bentley, known as Henry, and Hannah, 16, did the same in the CVI* at the show held in Ermelo on 25-27 April.

The sisters, from Tillicoultry in Scotland, are members of the Wee Country Vaulters team and have taken part in the sport for 10 years.

Runner-up in the CVI* class was Lucy Phillips of the Solihull Diamond Vaulters and in fourth place was Louise Sinclair.

Scottish team Eagles Vaulting won the CVI* team.

Joanne and Hannah now have their sights on British team places for the World Championship in the Czech Republic in July.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (15 May, ’08). Be one of the first to read H&H’s exclusive news stories by picking up your copy of the magazine every Thursday morning.

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