Riders and Coaches Selected for ‘Step up to Gold’ Programme
Thursday 17 November 2016

British Showjumping, in conjunction with Sport England and Newbridge Sport Horses, is delighted to announce the next cohort of riders and coaches selected on to the ‘Step Up to Gold’ Programme.
Nine riders have now been selected to come forward on to the programme following on from the four training and selection days held last month. An extra rider has been selected due to the high calibre of applicants coming forward. The riders have been selected from across England from the North, South, East and West based on the selection days attended.
The training programme will focus on developing riders in order for them to be able to make the transition into competing at 1.40m. The programme will also help riders to become established at that level. This year also welcomes on board Strength and Condition coaches from Hartpury College who will be working individually with each rider at the National Training days.
Based on a similar structure to last year, there will be three National Training days held during the course of the programme and riders will also receive regional training with their regional coaches and support at shows. The riders will also be aiming to travel abroad to a national show at which they will be supported by Matt Lanni and their regional coaches. There will also be the opportunity to compete at an International show in the UK.
The selected riders are as follows:
North
Rachel Connor (Lancashire)
Phillip Curtis (South & West Yorkshire)
Lisa Jones (South & West Yorkshire)
South
Nicki Bates (Sussex)
Guy Elson (Kent)
East
Michaela Huntington (Essex)
West
Georgia Lovett (Warwickshire)
Katie Pytches (Leicestershire)
Lucy Turner (Leicestershire)
The selected coaches are as follows:
North: Eve Staveley & Nicola Sheard
South: Lee Williams
East: Edward Brook
West: Michael Jones
If you are interested in being involved with this training programme, the applications for the fourth cohort of this programme will open around September 2017.