New schools and Pony Club champions at Hickstead

Sisters Rosie and Stephanie Gunn made it a family one-two, clinching team and individual honours for Toothill School, Nottingham at the national schools showjumping championships at Hickstead on Thursday 5 August.

The all-girls Toothill School team, pictured, of Rosie (Cappagh Chino), Stephanie (Shiraz E) and Harriet Aram (MVF Surprise), took the senior title, while sisters Rosie and Stephanie were first and second respectively in the individual championship.

“The only thing that could have made the day better was if I had beaten my sister,” said Stephanie, 16, who was pipped by her younger sibling.

The team from Farlington School, Horsham were second and Millfield School, Somerset, third, of the 70 teams, which included schools travelling from Ireland and Yorkshire.

In the junior section, Headington School from Oxfordshire won the team event with members Francesca Sargent (Belle Vue Royal Prince), Leah Moorman (Garrangrena Schofield) and Ella Flanagan (Melody), while Olivia Sandford Wood of West Buckland School, Barnstaple was the individual champion on Shafts Montego Bay.

The Pony Club national showjumping championships ran at the same venue, on the same day, and resulted in a win for the team from the West Warwickshire branch. The team of Alex Benton (Bailey), Di Hemming (Cerrigethan Anwen), Jack Eaves (TJM Henry De Reve) and Katy Fletcher (Tinkerbelle VII) posted a fault-free score sheet to take the national title.

It was a three-way tie for second place with teams from the Atherstone, Heythrop and Garth Hunt branches sharing the honours.

Individual champion was Chloe Kirkpatrick of the Heythrop, riding Taskmaster.

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