Bowler II
Bowler was purchased in 1997 from Brenda Turner and had competed very successfully as a dressage horse. He took
to his new career of vaulting immediately and has travelled the world with Julie. He carried two British Male Champions
Daniel Bentley and John McNally, British Female Champions Hannah MacGillivray and Liz Watson and in 2006 British Junior
Champion Stephanie Hunter at his retirement show. He carried team and individual equally well and appeared on television
4 times ! A true filmstar and a perfect gentlemen.
Julie retired B in 2006, he spent 8 months at Lowlands farm where he established a group of able bodied and disabled vaulters. In the spring of 2007 he came home to Julie at Grange Farm where he has had his shoes off and is fully retired. He spends his days turned out in the lovely field next to the church and gets pampered by passers by giving him tit bits. He comes into his stable every night for his feed and a fuss.
He celebrated his 21st birthday on May the 4th with his new friends at Grange farm and in 2007 he appeared on the 60th anniversary painting commisioned by the BHS celebrating all the BHS disciplins.
15th December 2007 at 3.25pm Bowler had to be put to sleep with serious colic.
Julie is still looking for Bowlers replacement ........ his shoes will never be filled.
Sarah Gemmell
I am 27 years old and have been vaulting since I was 11. I competed at my first British Championships the following year. This lead to a successful career within Britain, achieving many titles including Pairs 1995, 1996, 2001 & 2002, and Advanced Team 1997 & 1998.
I first competed at an international CVI** event in 1997 in Holland. Since then I have competed at CVI**s in France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovakia, Germany and Italy. I have also been selected to compete for Great Britain as an individual at the European Championships 2001, 2003 and 2005, the World Equestrian Games 2002 and 2006, and the World Championships 2004.
In early 1999 I was forced to take eighteen months off due to injury but was lucky enough to make my come back at the 2000 British Championships finishing third.During this break I became a member of EVS and have since gained a Level 3 Coaching Award, and achieved National Judge Status. My training and competing took place along side my studies at Coventry University, where I graduated with an honors degree in Fine Art in 2004.
I live in St. Albans with my husband Andy, where I have found a new career as a Veterinary Nurse. I help out some smaller Vaulting groups in the south. I visit Meca Vaulting Group every Wednesday and Overton Vaulting Group once a month, something that I am finding very rewarding and hopefully will help to expand vaulting within GB.
Liz Lukehurst
I am 27 years old from Market Harborough, Leicestershire and now living near Halifax. I came into vaulting from a background of swimming, gymnastics and horse riding. I started vaulting at the age of 11 having seen an article on vaulting in a magazine. A local club started allowing my vaulting career to begin. I started at the lowest level moving up and changing clubs as my ability improved, becoming a member of EVS in 2001.
My British achievements are as follows;
| Pre Novice team champions | 1994 |
| Intermediate team champions | 1996 |
| Advanced team champions | 1997 and 1998 |
| Pairs champions, with my twin sister Sarah | 1995, 1996, 2001 and 2002. |
| Individual female champion | 1999, 2002, 2003 and 2005. |
I began my international career in 1997 coming last in the female individual class in
Holland. From these humble beginnings I was selected to represent Great Britain at the
European championships in Slovakia 1999 and I have been selected for each of the following
years to date.
This included competing at 2 other European championships, 2 World
Championships and 2 World Equestrian Games.
I have also competed at many other international
competitions over the years in many countries, including France, Holland, Switzerland and
Germany.
I am also a level 3 vaulting coach. I have used this knowledge to help train EVS and to start up new clubs including Trent Park in north London and Grove House Stables in South Yorkshire. I am currently training as a judge. I am also on the BEV management committee as English rep. This led me to becoming coordinator of the BEV badge scheme, which is currently under review.
In July 2003 I graduated with 2:1 from Oxford Brookes University in Exercise and Health with Food Science and Nutrition. Any spare time I have left is spent with Robin, in Halifax. I also enjoy going to the cinema, beer festivals, and listening to music. I have to thank Robin and my parents for all the support I have been given over the years.
Suzi Shortland
I am an ex-vaulter for the English Vaulting Squad, but occasionally I join in to try and keep my fitness levels up! I was part of EVS team from 2001-2003, and also did some individual work. I started my university degree in 2005 which is when I stopped vaulting and started to join in with more of the coaching. My degree was coaching and sports development and so helping coach vaulting really helped throughout my uni degree. I am now qualified in my degree and have started my level 2 in vaulting coaching. I help the team known as the Warwick Vaulters at Grange Farm who are currently working at a pre-novice level, with a few members that are just moving onto advanced vaulting. Our first compeition with Warwick pre-novice was a success and they all the vaulters performed so well.
Geoffrey
18 hh Russian X Hannovarian, Ex Advanced event horse with 45 points. Competed at Weston park, Sansaw and Osberton international horse trials with Philippa Walker. Started vaulting in August 2006, his first public outing was the demo at the British Dressage championships at Stoneleigh where he behaved very well.
He then competed at his first vaulting competition at the English Championships at Morton Morrell, where he also won his first class with Ricky Davis in the male individual class. Finishing off the year by travelling to Scotland for the British championships with 4 individual vaulters, and gained horse marks of 7 from international judge Anita Flamand.
He is very friendly in the stable, likes his food and enjoys cantering around the woods, with who ever will take him!
Unfortunately an old eventing injury flared up in 2008 and he has now gone to Maggie Still as schoolmaster as he is no longer able to vault.
Smirnoff
Smirnoff was bought in July 2002. He was born in 1996 and is a real youngster in many ways. He stands at just under 18 hands and is a Russian Warmblood gelding. He is proving to be very kind to the children but can get very exited.
He is dark bay with 3 white socks and a little white mark on his face. He is very friendly and good to hack.
His standard of Dressage is very good and he has been competing all Summer 2003 in Affiliated Dressage Competitions with Richard Baldwin from Fen End.
He has been placed every time out and now has a very impressive collection of Rosettes.
He finished with a first place at Solihull Riding Club and then travelled to Saumur with Tiny and Bowler to gain experience for 2004. He was very exited but behaved himself very well. Lucy flew down the trot up with him !
Finances dictated that we had to sell Smirnoff and he has gone to Ireland to expand his dressage career. He has already been to his first show with his new owners gaining two wins at 68 on each class. Clever Smirnoff, we look forward to following his career..
John McNally
Was one of the original members of the EVS. He represented Great Britian in 2001 in Poland at the European Championships and in 2002 in Jerez in the World Equestrian Games. He retired from Vaulting after the Games as he had started to study at Liverpool University. He is now in his last year for his degree but still has a further four years of Study.
He loves to travel and see wonderful cities and architechture, he keeps very fit by practiceing Kung Fu and he loves Snow Boarding. When he is able he comes and helps with the young Vaulters and teaches Martial Arts at Camp.
