Just for Schools Winter Championships
Wednesday 22 March 2023
Riders from the length and breadth of Great Britain travelled to Cricklands at the David Broome Event Centre, Chepstow, to represent their schools in a two-day Just for Schools spectacular over the weekend of 18 and 19 March.
Qualifying classes for riders to participate in team and individual competitions ran from July 2022 to January 2023 with the elite coming forward to the Finals.
Lily Olivia Dolewska from Newcastle High School for Girls School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, claimed a commanding win in the Winter Individual Schools 1.10m Final with Monika Dolewska’s Sunny JR. Second in the 1m Final, the pair went one better in the feature individual class. They supplied one of only two double clears to take the title, Lily, 13, and the 16-year-old mare taking the win by over five seconds.
Evelyn Bond Smith, 13, representing Langley School, Norfolk, returned triumphant in the Winter Individual Schools 1.00m Final riding Clare Bond’s 14-year-old palomino mare Tregaron Gold. The pair, who began their partnership 18 months ago, edged ahead to win with 0.46 seconds to spare.
Wiltshire’s premier equestrian school Stonar claimed two of the team titles. The Winter Team Schools 1.00m Final fell to Stonar School White:
-Penny Smith & Rebel Blue
-Grace Cathcart & Warner I
-Rachel Norgate & Pinecroft Elegance
-Megan Duval & Bailey MJD
Stonar School also emerged triumphant in the Winter Team Schools 90cm Final despite only fielding a team of three riders, the Blue team eclipsing their rivals to win:
-Grace Cathcart & Warner I
-Dora Prytherch & Kylenahone Cailin Killea
-Rachel Norgate & Pinecroft Elegance
Keira Merriman of Guildford High School, Surrey, celebrated her 12-month partnership with Claire Merriman’s Drombane Liath to take victory in the Winter Individual Schools 90cm Final. Twenty-seven riders came forward to bid for glory with Keira, 11, on the Irish-bred 13-year-old mare outpacing all her rivals to win by 0.57 seconds.
Annie Thompson of Ratcliffe College, Leicestershire, made a winning return to these championships with Rachel Thompson’s Spring Lillie. The pair, who joined forces in November 2021, won the Summer Individual school 70cm final eight months ago and moved up a level to again prove victorious. Thirty-one tackled the Winter Individual Schools 80cm Final with Annie and the 16-year-old appaloosa mare Lillie seizing the win by 0.80 seconds.
Wales came to the fore in the Winter Team Schools 80cm Final as Pembrokeshire school Ysgol Bro Preseli Stars forged ahead to record victory:
-Amelia Thomas & Oakley VII
-Verity Lort-Phillips & Sabinas Marlborough
-Gwenan Scourfield & Fencers Sweet Caroline
-Iris Brown & Chase Me Charlie
Jazzmine Rose Williams, 11, finished third in Individual 80cm Final on Abbey Parfitt and Rosi Kidner’s 19-year-old Hip Hop Horay and, full of confidence, bounced up the order in the Winter Individual Schools 70cm Final, beating her 31 rivals by 1.02 seconds for Radyr Comprehensive School, Cardiff.
Twycross House School in Atherstone, Warwickshire, conjured up a victory double in the 60cm and 70cm team competitions.
The Twycross House Grey pupils reigned supreme in the Winter Team Schools 70cm Final:
-Lara Davenport & Harwel Sinbad
-Harriet Bennet & Tonto Lone Ranger
-Sophie Mawdesley & My Top Tottie
-Jessica Fenwick & Skippy XV
In the Winter Team Schools 60cm Final, Twycross House School again emerged triumphant as the Blue Team secured the top spot. The team comprised of:
-Sophie Mawdesley & My Top Tottie
-Harriet Bennet & Tonto Lone Ranger
-Grace Bennett & Ebony Excel
-Jessica Fenwick & Skippy XV
Thirty riders contended the opening Winter Individual 60cm final but Sophie Mawdesley, 10, of Twycross House School, was on form to find the quickest route, guiding Charlotte Mawdesley’s 20-year-old mare My Top Tottie into a 1.19 second win.
Image: Lily Olivia Dolewska and Sunny JR - Showground Photography
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