What a weekend and what an atmosphere! 46 competitive teams took part in the third annual Kent and Masters Team Quest Championships. There was a very high standard of riding across all the levels and team spirit prevailed with fun-fuelled camaraderie shown by every team. It was a win for Derbyshire's Denstone Little Diamonds in the BYRDS section, and in the Open section overnight leaders, Bicester's Bonkers Birds Return, held onto their lead to be crowned Open Team Champions. The 178 competitors in attendance rode two tests each over the weekend – with the top three percentages from each team on each day calculating a total team score to declare the winners.
Open Section
Open team champions, Bicester’s Bonkers Birds Return, consisted of Lesley Long, Emma Turner, Caroline Pritchard-Law and Liz Turner who formed last year after meeting at Bicester Riding Club. “It’s so exciting, we’re over the moon. We all have your average riding club horses, they’re not dressage horses at all,” said 61-year-old financial adviser Lesley Long, who topped the Intro section on both days with her own eight-year-old B Silktown Obsidian and took the prize for highest scoring Veteran Rider, “mine went hunting last weekend!”
The team were thrilled and completely shocked to have taken the top spot, despite leading from the start to finish on an impressive 423.81. “Emma had made us all rosettes, because we didn’t think we’d get anywhere, so that we wouldn’t go home empty-handed” said Lesley who was delighted with her haul of goodies from generous sponsors Kent and Masters including a rug, trophy and leather headcollars to name a few. “We’re just a bunch of old ladies having fun, we really enjoyed the championships and the organisers had done an amazing job.” Lesley joked that their team hadn’t had the most glamourous stay over the weekend, sleeping in the horse-box, trailers and even the back of the car! However, in light of their win, merriments are on the cards, “we’re meeting up next Monday to celebrate, there’ll be lots of cake and Prosecco!”
BYRDS Section
In the BYRDS section, it was Denstone Little Diamonds who took top honours scoring a huge 437.50 with their consistently high scores, nearly ten percent ahead of runners up, the Berkeley Blazers. The team from Derbyshire is made up of Poppy Field (11), Chloe Naylor (13), Holly Clarke (12) and Katie Gordon (12) who became friends at their local Pony Club, the Meynell Hunt. The team finished fifth at last year’s Team Quest championships but have gained a strong member over the last year in Holly Clarke and have gone from strength to strength – with three of the foursome also winning the Pony Club Novice Team Championships back in August.
“The team are absolutely delighted, but exhausted – they had to go straight back to school yesterday!” said mother of Poppy and team manager Fleur Field. “They loved the prize giving and the canter round was the ultimate celebration for the girls.” Trained by Jane Critchley and Fleur when they’re jumping, their team ponies are all-rounders – enjoying hunting and eventing when they’re not inside the arena boards. “We’ve absolutely loved Team Quest, improving their scores over the year to help the team has inspired their training. There was a lovely atmosphere at the championships and a really nice team spirit.” The girls look set to go on to bigger things with their sights set on the British Dressage Winter Championships, at both Petplan Equine Area Festival and Music championship classes, it’s onwards and upwards after a thrilling finish to their Quest Club season.
It’s not just competition performance that is rewarded at these championships, in the Sunday evening prize giving where BD Chairman Penny Pollard and Ben Roberts of Kent and Masters gave out the many prizes, some other special awards were presented. Best Dressed went to Fools on Horses whose bright yellow matching team outfits did not go unnoticed, special mention must go to Adam White, fiancée of team rider Karen Proto and owner of her horse Miss Tick, who wore a suit of smiley faces all day on the Sunday! “He is our team manager for all things Quest and organised the outfits along with Karen's brother,” said team rider Sasha Billham, “we wanted to be bright and along the Only Fools and Horses theme which is where the yellow came in, he sourced the smiley face outfit as a surprise for the team on the last day.”
The Cheshire Kittens received the Best Team Spirit award for supporting their team and their Open section counterparts, the Cheshire Cats by wearing Cheshire cat onesies throughout the weekend. The Demi Pirouettes from Norfolk were delighted to receive the Best Team Selfie award. Though perhaps star of the photo, shown below, Talisman should also have been recognised for his efforts!
Results
Open
1st Bicester's Bonkers Birds Return, 423.81
2nd Hi-Ho Highlands, 419.97
3rd Pink Fusion, 410.55
4th Team Burrell, 408.09
5th BT Muppets, 406.98
6th It's All About The Bling, 406.64
7th Sinai Hoof Tappers, 406.64
8th Norfolk Collection, 406.34
9th Late Starters, 404.54
10th Crossoaks Crossed Wires, 404.68
BYRDS
1st Denstone Little Diamonds, 437.50
2nd Berkeley Blazers, 428.04
3rd Pembrokeshire Lunachicks, 419.91
4th Norfolk Divas, 418.33
5th Three To One, 417.16
6th Girls on Top, 412.59
7th Norfolk Darlings, 410.25
8th On a Mission Without Permission, 405.70
9th East Cheshire Pony Club Blues, 403.55
10th Poundbury Pony Tales, 400.36
Full results for BYRDS and Open and for the full special prizes award winners list click here.
To find out more about how to get involved in Team Quest and individual series My Quest head on over to the Team Quest webpage or the Team Quest Facebook page.
