SEIB Winter Novice Qualifier Wraps Up at Addington Equestrian Centre with Alice Ellison and Georgie Strutton Claiming Last Final Spots.
Monday 04 March 2024
.JPG "SEIB Winter Novice Qualifier Wraps Up at Addington Equestrian Centre with Alice Ellison and Georgie Strutton Claiming Last Final Spots.")
At Addington Equestrian Centre, riders gathered for the SEIB Winter Novice competition, aiming to secure the last coveted spot in the final.
Following an impressive first round, 22 of the starting 40 jumped the clear needed to progress to the jump off, but it was second to go Alice Ellison and Audrey Grahame’s Babette de Landry Z who set a pace early on that proved to be unreachable for those who followed.
Addington marked just the sixth show since Alice took on the ride of Babette de Landry Z, affectionately known as ‘Bella’. On her new ride, Alice remarked, “I acquired her in January this year, and since then, she’s qualified for Senior Foxhunter and Senior Newcomers Second Rounds.”
Alice, who tragically lost one of her horses in November 2023, added, “The plan is to sell her later this year, but for now, she's keeping my other horse company, and we're having some fun together!”
Reflecting modestly on her recent win, Alice commented, “We didn’t expect to perform this well – she's just slotted right into our routine. I love her personality, she's bubbly and really comes alive in the ring – it really helps when you’ve got a bit of ‘oomph’ behind you!”
This marks Alice’s first qualification for a championship final at Hickstead, and it will be her debut ride in the renowned main arena. “It’s definitely a bucket list moment; it'll be a huge experience. I owe a big thank you to Bella’s owner, Audrey, for giving us this opportunity. We’re incredibly fortunate. I know Audrey is thrilled to see her little horse excelling at what she loves – she was working in the collecting ring at Arena UK but she called me screaming with excitement as soon as the results were announced!”
Also securing their place in the final is Georgie Strutton and Aginiali Z, who pipped John Crippen and Aquila IV to the post by a nail-biting 0.01 seconds. To view all qualified riders click here.
2024 marks the 10th year of SEIB Insurance Brokers' generous sponsorship of this series, congratulations to all participants for their efforts in qualifying for the SEIB Winter Novice Final.
Image: courtesy of Spidge Photography
Addington Equestrian Centre, Saturday, 2 March 2024
SEIB Winter Novice Qualifier
1st Alice Ellison & Babette de Landry Z – 0/0 – (35.03 seconds)
2nd Georgie Strutton & Aginiali Z – 0/0 – (36.94 seconds)
3rd John Crippen & Aquila IV – 0/0 – (36.95 seconds)
SEIB Insurance Brokers are in the top 75 brokers in the country and have been in business for over 50 years. SEIB Insurance Brokers specialise in niche markets and equestrian insurance is a large part of the business. Communication is an important key to the company’s success and the ability to talk to people, explain policies and help with problems is regarded as its greatest asset and is the reason they have won many industry awards for customer care. SEIB Insurance Brokers have competitive rates for horse, horsebox, trailer, homes with stables, liability and anything else equestrian. Call for a quote on 01708 850000 or please visit www.seib.co.uk
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