Young rider round-up

H&H launches young rider pages

Horse & Hound magazine will now include a young rider section. Twice a month the magazine will contain pages aimed specifically at those aged 21-years-old or younger.

The pages will include news stories and bulletins from the Pony Club, schools competitions, pony racing and FEI disciplines. This week’s magazine will include news from the Dengie Winter League Pony Club finals and a “mini-feature” about schools competitions – where they happen, at what level and how to get involved. There will also be various other news stories from several disciplines, including showing, student riding, driving, dressage, eventing and show jumping.

Ireland’s Jill Gourley was crowned winner at this year’s Dengie Winter League Championship (7 April). Held at the Warwickshire College of Agriculture, Moreton Morrell, the championships included the Winter League Finals and the new Open Finals. Over 4,000 Pony Club members contested the coveted championship places at qualifiers throughout the winter, with just 82 of those making the journey to Warwickshire.

Partnering her coloured mare Fizzy, Tullylagen Pony Club member Jill Gourley made the eight hour journey from County Tyrone worthwhile by cutting every corner in the jump off to finish in the fastest time. Trained by her Pony Club instructor, Deputy District Commissioner John Black, Gourley purchased the eight-year-old Fizzy 18 months ago and the pair won their Area Trial to come here. “I realised an ambition actually competing in this Final,” said Gourley, “but winning was more than I dared dream about.”

Despite the incessant hail and snow, Georgina Andrews and Pepsi clinched the 14.2hh class at Pychley Pony Races. Onlookers watched in horror as a few of the jockeys rolled down Guilsborough Hill in their clean white jods: “The stains have been so difficult to get out,’ commented one jockey’s mother. But the conditions did not stop Lucy Saunders and Fair Game from finishing second with Freddy Tett and Jethro in third.

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