Lanark 22nd March 2003

The Squad set off for Lanark in Scotland for the first competition of 2003. Tony and Debbie drove the horses with Andrea and Julie singing in the back. Liz Reid and Liz and Sarah Watson drove the squad up with the exception of Emma and Lucy who both had exams and they had to fly up.

We decided to take Smirnoff with Bowler and leave Tiny at home as Julie gets tired with three horses! Smirnoff thought it was very exiting, Bowler set a very good example and Smirnoff was a very good boy on the lorry, he did however think the race track at Lannark looked very interesting and spent most of Friday evening "off the ground".

Show day dawned dull but dry, Smirnoff was allowed to go first and he settled really well for the compulsories, not perfect but very good for a baby. Julie was very pleased with him. He was much better in the afternoon and even got a six from one judge! He really enjoyed himself but it took him three days to get over it all!

Bowler was a star, he carried the Team foot perfect through their compulsories, the team had been working hard and the compulsories were better, they were just a fraction behind SEVT. The freestyle in the afternoon could so easily been a disaster, the roller slipped right in the first move, they all kept their heads and managed to manouver it backinto postition and on the whole it went well. The judges loved it Heddy from Holland gave us a mark of 8.3 for it !

We were very pleased we'd finished it and went outside to open a bottle of Champagne - thanks to the worst influence in the team, mentioning no names (Andrea) most of the champagne went over the kids ! Julie hardly drank any!!!

We were absolutley amazed to hear we had won, 6.38 was the score, a great improvement from the 2002 British Championships. Well done Team! and what a good start to the year.

The Individuals in the squad performed solid compulsories, Sarah had a very good day, her freestyle went really well and she vaulted with a fresh spring in step to a different sort of music for her ( who says you cant vault to emenem ? ) She had the greatest of pleasure in beating Liz to first place, Liz won't let her get away with it for long ! and then Lucy did a lovely freestyle to bring her up into third place. Ricky has been putting in Team time only but his compulsories are better and he carried off a nice freestyle although he missed the end. He won the boys class.

So we finished with 1 2 3 with the girls 1 with the boys and 1st with the Advanced Team, Bowler also got best Team horse which is a very rare honor for him !

The venue was very good, the people very welcoming and the accomodation a very welcome change to the back of the horse box or tents !!

Thank you very much for the organising committee and the hoards of helpers for putting on the first show of the year, we are very much looking forwards to the British Championships later on in the year there.

Team Results

Advanced Teams 
                Compulsories Freestyle  Final Score
1st  EVS           5.453       7.3         6.376
2nd  SEVT          5.626       6.285       5.956

Individual Results

Female          Compulsories Freestyle  Final Score     Horse
Sarah Watson       6.803       7.42        7.111        Bowler
Liz Watson         6.938       7.075       7.006        Bowler
Lucy Bell          6.459       6.985       6.722        Bowler
Ann Rogerson       6.731       6.635       6.683        WH Bentley
Ann Rogerson       6.199       6.52        6.359        Guinness
Joanne Eccles      6.75        5.94        6.345        WH Bentley
Liz Watson         6.134       6.485       6.309        Smirnoff 
Rosie Howard       6.597       5.86        6.228        Scarva 
Sarah Watson       6.053       5.215       5.634        Smirnoff

Male
Ricky Davies       6.319       7.115       6.717        Bowler
Philip Beasley     6.906       5.465       6.186        Guinness
Tim Carter         4.362       6.03        5.196        Scarva