AFTER doing well in a regional event, four junior showjumpers from the Isle of Wight thought they had nothing to lose by taking part in their first British Riding Club National Championships — and only went on to win a top prize!
The Isle of Wight's Vectis Equestrian Club sent a junior team for the first time in the club’s 30-year history to the National Championships in Lincoln recently.
The team of Maddie-Jayne Oakes, 18, Robyn Dyer, 15, and Mollie Sheath and Freya Jones, both aged 13, qualified for the National Championships in July.
On that occasion, they won the 70cm class at the Area 17 Show Jumping Qualifier for the National Championships, held in Moreton, Dorset, in July.
A a result of that confidence-boosting success, the team decided they would like to see just how far they could raise the bar by competing in the National Championships in the same class.
They made the decision knowing none of them having ever been to, or competed at, such an event before.
To do so, the first thing they needed to do was set about raising funds to cover the costs of travel and team entry.
Thanks to huge support from Vectis’s 70 members, they raised more than £500 from two ‘Spider’ rides, a Clear Round event and a club social, held in the grounds of the IW Model Village, Godshill.
Following an exhausting eight-hour road trip to Lincoln, “the ponies were amazing, came out fresh and gave their best,” said Penny Dyer, Robyn’s mum.
At the event, the girls showed exactly the kind of team spirit needed to stand a chance of success over the two rounds of showjumping.
Teams from all over the country attended and, after a thrilling climax, the Vectis team came out as overall national champions at their first attempt.
“The girls were absolutely thrilled, as we were as parents watching it,” said Penny.
Individual positions were also calculated, with Robyn, who attends Ryde School, finishing third overall, which her mum described as “an amazing comeback” after she fractured her arm after falling off her pony, Paddy, last year.
Mollie, who attends Christ the King College, and Freya, at The Bay School, Sandown, also competed in the pairs dressage event, achieving a superb third place.
Freya also achieved third in the individual dressage.
For Maddie-Jayne, who is doing equine studies at Sparsholt College, it was her final competition as a junior as they all look forward to arena events this coming winter.
“For such a small club to achieve such fantastic results at their first showing, at national level, this shows an incredible level of commitment and skill. Well done Team Vectis,” said a delighted Penny.
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