Results

SHARON AND GROMIT LEAD THE CULDROSE FLYERS TO VICTORY

Team chasing is not for the faint hearted. The event is run over cross country terrain with fixed fences and a team of four riders must navigate the course together. The team time is recorded when all are over the line, although only 3 are required to count so losing one horse/rider during the course is not a show stopper.

The Cotswold Hunt National Team Chase, held at Foxcote Manor Andoversford, is an event which is popular amongst the hunting community and brings the start of the hunting season. The main prize for us is the Military Cup which is contested by all 3 services who compete across two miles of countryside with over 20 solid objects/jumps to negotiate. Being relatively local, 2.5 hour journey for Lt Sharon Brown from Portsmouth, she travelled up on the morning of the event. The other team members all based at RNAS CULDROSE travelled all the way from Cornwall, this included Lt Richard Walker and CACMN Mark Shaw and PO Scott Clackworthy. All three of the CULDROSE riders were experienced hunters and were buzzing with the thought of taking on the challenging Cotswold countryside. The long journey for the Cornwall contingent required stabling the night before and after the event in order to re-charge the horse power and provide recovery time. Scott’s friend Demelza Cornish, studying veterinary at Hartbury College, was conveniently on hand to help the travelling trio, managing to find stabling locally for the horses. Dave the yard owner gave fantastic support and invaluable knowledge of the local public houses which was much appreciated after a long journey.

Everything sorted out, the morning was soon upon us and the team assembled at Andoversford ready for all the thrills and potential spills that team chasing can bring. Team captain Lt Sharon Brown, a veteran to this event, led the team through the course walk. Team chasing requires careful planning for four horses manoeuvring together all the way round the course. This plan often is a basis for change during the race depending on how things progress, tired and strong horses can lose positioning and fallen horses and riders are more common than the team would wish to dwell on at that time. Jumping 3 foot plus stone walls and hedges at a fast canter and sometimes gallop, is not for the faint hearted rider, or horse for that matter. With the course walk complete, Sharon took charge of the team warm up for horses and riders and prepared the team for what was ahead. You could almost see the horns starting to poke through Scott, Richard and Marks riding hats as they entered the holding ring right next to the start line. Under starters orders, and they were off…. The team set of at a blistering pace set by Sharon and her trusted mount Gromit, tailed by Richard, Scott and Mark. Fences came and went with various calls of yeeha and yahoo heard as the team flew round the course. Sharon and Gromit maintained position as lead horse/rider however, the CULDROSE flyers changed positions as horses became stronger or more tired and to ensure all obstacles were safely and successfully navigated. The course included a challenging water ditch, a large drop fence and some tricky jumping in and out of heavy wooded areas. After 20 plus fences the finish was in sight with the team still together jumping obstacles side by side. Crossing the line together within a few lengths of each other was an immensely satisfying feeling of achievement and pure team work. We knew it was quick but just how quick? With the Royal Navy never having won the Military Team Chase Cup before there was obvious anticipation of the result. The RN were not disappointed, coming in first and clear, thirty seconds faster than the second placed RAF team. A fantastic result for the RN Team with commendable performance, especially from Scott Clackworthy on his debut and Mark on a horse he had only bought a couple of months before the event.

Brigadier Hill, the Chairman of the Combined Equestrian Association attended the event. He highlighted that the Team Chase was an extraordinary equestrian competition that encompassed many of the RN Core ethos and values including Courage, Commitment and Discipline. All riders were presented with a red rosette and a bottle of port and were proud to lift the coveted Military Cup. The RN team were victorious for the first time and live to compete another year. It would be remise not to mention the outside support from grooms on foot Gemma, Kirsty, Demelza and her brother. All support contributed to a highly successful and enjoyable day.

ARMY AND ROYAL ARTILLERY HUNTER TRIAL – LARKHILL

The annual Army and Royal Artillery Hunter trial is held at Larkhill on the Salisbury Plain. The Hunter trail is a competition run over a course of fixed cross country fences including hedges, water ditches, and drops. The previous course was subjected to several restrictions of use because it was on land of scientific interest. The Army commissioned a new course which is built on the land inside the existing race track and this was opened last year. The Royal Navy Show Jumping and Eventing Team proudly sponsor a fence on the course and this is clearly flanked by ‘Royal Navy’ logs.

Unfortunately, Lt Cdr Victoria Sollitt, the team Captain, took a tumble whilst Show Jumping the day before and was unable to compete. This meant Lt Sharon Brown RN was the only represented for the Royal Navy. Since Sharon bases her horses at a Royal Artillery saddle club near Portsmouth she persuaded Louise Green the wife of Sgt Neil Green REME to compete in the pairs class. Sharon teamed up with Louise on her mare Valetta riding her own homebred ‘Timba’ aka Lord Shannoy. The pairing who hadn’t ridden together before gave a good crack at the course and got round with only a couple of jumping penalties and have vowed to be back next year more experienced. A great performance in a class which saw a large proportion of the pairs eliminated or did not complete.

Sharon’s main competitive entry was in the Intermediate course run over a larger and more technically challenging track. In this class she rode Gromit aka ‘Hidden Meaning’ who was recently very successful at the RAF Championships on the Cross Country Phase. As ever Sharon’s first challenge was keeping her mount calm at the start. The starter auditable instructed Sharon that she had 30 seconds to start and with that Gromit threw himself up in the air obviously excited…. His tension grew in what seemed like the longest 30 seconds Sharon had ever experienced. It was a battle with the highly spirited horse but Sharon managed to enter the start box just in time to leave it under the starter’s instruction to GO!!! And they were off… While Gromit flew the first 2 fences confidently and competently, Sharon could hear the commentator stating there was a loose horse on the course and remained vigil as she navigated towards the next few fences but fortunately they did not meet with the wayward animal. They had a sticky moment at a very technical pair of logs which Gromit’s athleticism certainly contributed to successfully jumping through. After that the team sailed through the rest of the course lapping up the technical fences with ease. A large brush fence preceded the water complex and on exit was again another large brush fence… Gromit and Sharon took the complex with ease, both their experience shining through. They completed the course fast and clear and thoroughly pleased with the performance. This fantastic performance in a class of over 80 competitors saw Sharon win the coveted Military Trophy, a fantastic Dewar’s Scottish Whisky Trophy, a solid silver Scottish piper, very apt for Sharon’s Scottish heritage. Due to the value the Trophy it was retained for safe keeping by the Royal Artillery, however, it will have Lt Sharon Brown RN, and Hidden Meaning engraved as the 2011 winners!! A fantastic result for the only RN rider in the class.