The NFPEC competitors that had qualified for the British Riding Clubs National Championships made the long journey to Lincoln on Friday 5th September to be met by rain and mud…..lots of mud. On Saturday morning we started early with 8 of us doing a total of 10 tests by lunchtime! It was impossible to keep up with everyone but news filtered back that everyone thought their tests had gone ok….. Then the results came in! 

The Senior Open Dressage Team had been placed 1st thanks to some excellent individual results. The team of Caroline Saker (placed 1st in Elementary 48), Helen Campbell, Natasha Smith and Adele Etheridge were all riding New Forest Pony stallions: Wayland Loganberry, Farriers Fingerprint, Wayland Crescendo and Brock Buckingham and they all brilliantly behaved in the presentation.

As we were preparing for the Rural Riders competition the news came through that the Senior Riding Test Team had also come 1st!  The presentation quickly followed the Rural Riders Test and the team of Caroline Saker, Vicky Palmer, Dawn Vear and Sally-Anne Pierson riding: Wayland Loganberry, Farriers Fair Impression, Kilncopse Fly-By-Night and Jackpot II went off in the mud and the rain to collect their prizes.

Senior Open Dressage Team Wayland Loganberry, Farriers Fair Impression, Kilncopse Fly-By-Night and Jackpot II Photo courtesy of DE Photography

The Pairs Dressage was our last competition and this was Farriers Fingerprint’s 4th test of the day, he was working alongside his half brother Farriers Foxglove. The ponies behaved brilliantly as always and Helen Campbell and Rachel Capper won! After sliding around in the mud with disbelief we sat in the pouring rain for what seemed like hours for the presentation – we were soaked.

Pairs Dressage Farriers Foxglove and Farriers Fingerprint

It was during the presentation that we learned that that the Rural Riders team had come 2nd. The NFPEC team had won the last 2 years and we were obviously trying for the hat trick. We’d been practising hard before the Championships. However Elstead Riding Club won fair and square with what I’m told was a very good test. The Rural Riders team consisted of Mandy Pidgeley, Martine Reeves, Helen Campbell, Louise James, Sally-Anne Pierson and Dawn Vear, riding: Longcopse Elton, Farriers Fingerprint, Farriers Foxglove, Greencottage Democrat, Jackpot II and Kilncopse Fly-by-Night.  Not forgetting our caller – Vicky Palmer.

So we gathered for the final presentation of a very long and very successful day. All the ponies and riders had worked really hard and the results speak for themselves and show what the New Forest Ponies are capable of.  The NFPEC also won the Senior Open Dressage Winter Championships earlier in the year so the team has been unbeatable in 2008!

We would all like to thank all of our helpers and supporters. Everyone enjoyed a great atmosphere amongst the team despite the weather! 

Reported by Helen Campbell (Chef D’equipe)