Top: Dengie Novice Winter League Winner - Louise Benson (Rockstar III) from the Barlow Hunt Branch
Bottom: Dengie Open Winter League Winner - Charity Graepel (Dublin) from the Llandeilo & District Branch
The annual Dengie Pony Club Winter League Show jumping and Dressage Championships were held at Warwickshire College, Moreton Morrell for the 13th consecutive year on the 4th and 5th April 2009. Dengie has sponsored this national event since 1995.
Dengie Nutritionist Claire Akers and Feed Advisor Vicky Simons attended the show to provide feeding advice for the competitors to get the best out of their horses and ponies and also presented competitors with their free Dengie Measuring Bucket. With glorious weather and a superb new Dengie jump, (see photo) the weekend was a great success for everyone involved.
Winner’s prizes included Thermatex Rugs, Horseware jackets and Feeding Vouchers which were presented by Senior Nutritionist Katie Williams and Claire Akers.
The Winter League Show Jumping Championships started with 85 pairs on the Saturday with 17 pairs managing to keep a clean sheet over the 1m course designed by Stephen Martin to go through to the jump off. Rachael Graham, 15, and her 13.2hh dun, Bailey (who also came second to a fellow Irish pair, Rachael Suffern and Abbagail Dream in the Warm Up class) were first to go and rode a very fast clear to claim the title.
Later on in the evening only four combinations jumped double clears in the Open Show Jumping Championships. 14-year-old Robyn Duns and her grey mare, Chellijana Z completed the tight-turning, jump-off course in the fastest time to take the top spot.
The greatest achievement of the evening belongs to 9-year-old Patrick Beirne who took the prize for the highest placed rider under 12 years who was two years younger than any other competitor and has only been riding his pony for six months!.
In the Dengie Winter League Dressage Competition each Novice and Open class is split into two sections and the first two in each section go through to the Ride-Offs, where they ride the same test again, in the afternoon. Louise Benson with her smart chestnut gelding, Rockstar III beat Beatle Payne on VIP by less than 1% to win the Novice Class. Beatle also came second in this class last year, you can read her account of the day in an article which she has kindly sent us. In the Open championship, Charity Graepel took the honours on Dublin, the only pony in the ride-off with a very good score of 73.22%. Emily Carmichael took second place on Joey with 70.96%.
You can find the results of the Dengie Winter League 2009 on the Pony Club website
My Day at the Dengie Finals
By Beatle Payne
On the 5th April, I rode V.I.P to a second place victory at the Dengie finals. V.I.P, pet name Pip, is a 14hh, 14 year old, bay, gelding. I have had him for 18 months and in that time I have came 4th in 2008 and 2nd in 2009 at the Dengie finals. I have also won five Riding Clubs national championships, the only person to take all five champs in one year all on V.I.P and won my section at the Pony Club Championships.
On the morning we were busy getting V.I.P ready for the big day. We also had to get my 5 year old pony Nook ready as he was doing the dressage to music on the same day, Pip also did the dressage to music. I rode Nook first and he did a nice test. Then I went and did the Dengie test on Pip. He went very well and as a result I came second in my arena. When my mum told me that I was in the ride off I was over the moon. I wasn’t expecting to get in to the ride off. As last year I did so well I had a high make to live up to. I was third to go in the ride off and I knew that the two before had done lovely tests, but Pip went amazing! I was just the last person to go. I was waiting outside the arena waiting for the last test to end. We were all given rugs and coats, it was fantastic. We all went in to the arena to collect our rosettes. I didn’t know where I had come. I was excepting 3rd or 4th, but not second. I was overwhelmed. I was really pleased with Pip as I wouldn’t have done this without him, he is a super star!
I am very grateful for the sponsorship of Dengie. They made this day one to remember. Winning a rug and a coat for the second year running is absolutely amazing!
