Caledonia Championships 28-29/09/02

AYR RIDING CLUB'S QUEST FOR SUCCESS AT THE CALEDONIA CHAMPIONSHIPS!

One Novice team and one Open team travelled to the Caledonia Championships held at Kirremuir on Sat 28th and Sun 29th of September. The Novice Team, consisting of Mugs Montgomerie and Hank, Douglas McPhail and Fin, Julia Kennedy and Respectable Pursuit and Sheila Tannock and Desert Killy found they were still in form from the National Championships at Warwickshire. Ayr led from the front and all team members produced fantastic clear cross-country rounds to secure first place. Mugs produced a dressage test of a life-time, (which she intends on framing!) adding only 7 time penalties across country to a score of 29 and was a clear winner of arena 1. In the same arena, Julia took second place. Desert Killy and Sheila recovered well from a slightly tense dressage test to emerge as leaders of arena 4.

The Open team, unfortunately 1 member short, consisted of Elana Chilton and Absolute Honour, Jane Belding and Middleton Rosella and Fiona Rawson and Useqeba. Despite their initial disadvantage, the team managed to ride their way to victory after all team members produced storming clear XC rounds on a course which was causing plenty of problems. A very technical water jump comprising an arrow head to a sharp drop, then a log into some mirky water, was the culprit of many eliminations. Fiona secured 3rd place in Arena 1, whilst Elana was the winner of Arena 2, with Jane Belding in 5th place.

This year, the Caledonia Championships were hosts of a Home International Competition. Elana Chilton and Absolute Honour were selected as a member of the Scottish team. Not to be beaten on home ground, Scotland took first place over a very strong English team, with Ireland in 3rd. An excellent weekend all round for Ayr Riding Club and Scotland.