Catriona Moon wins Duntisbourne Hundred (160km FEI 3*) 13th July 2003
Catriona rode the race of her life to finish ahead of the highly experienced
Margaret McKiddie who many predicted would regain first place
and win on the final loop after Catriona took the lead during the final vet
gate with just 10 miles left of the 100 mile race.In fact Margaret must have felt the race had been stolen as for most of the previous 90 miles she had shared the lead with three other riders looping through the magnificent Cirencester Park.
It was an emotional finish for Catriona who thought she had gained a win last
year in her first 160km FEI 3* Ride in Holland. In that race
ride she passed over the line hand in hand with the winner but was judged
to have come second.There was no disputing the winner this time as Catriona approached the venue for the final time with a commanding lead. This however was not ideal for her as Simbar (owned by the ever youthful Derek Francis) is not a horse who likes to be left out in front. Catriona grimaced her way through the final loop as the pain brought about by the effort after 90 miles began to show. After Simbar passed the vet and they were declared the winners Catriona was given a deserving hug by her mother Jackie. It appeared that a few tears were shed as well.
What makes Saturday's result stand out is that Catriona is still a member
of the Young Rider Squad.Her first Endurance 'Race' in 1996 was coincidentally at Cirencester. This was the YR National Championships where she was 10th on Wotam Sir Belvedere (GB). Later the same year she won her first 'race' ride the White Rose 80km YR in Yorkshire.
In 1998 riding Wotan Roseate Tern (GB) she won the Alfred's Tower 80km YR and the White Rose YR 80km in a four horse racing finish.
It was on Wotan Rose Caili (GB) that she was second in the160km FEI 3* in Holland last year and was the highest placed British Rider at the World YR Championship in Spain in 2001 as well as completing the Moulins d'Engelbert in the same year considered by many in France to be their toughest venue. In 2002 Catriona won the Cotwolds 80km on Faladin also owned by Derek Francis.
Catriona rode a mature 'race' ride to win at Cirencester taking it gently
during the opening loops and winning the 'race' by presenting quickly through
the vet gates. This was a great demonstration of Endurance riding and Simbar
received the accolade of Best Conditioned as well. We wish
Catriona and the other YR squad members a great training week in Newmarket
starting on Monday and lets keep our fingers crossed that Catriona and the
rest of the YR's can full fill their potential in Rome this September and
in year's to come.Young Riders Training Weekend by Cindy Russell
Easter weekend was one of the busiest of the year so far for newly appointed Young Rider Squad Chef d’equipe, Sue Broughton. Not only was she organising the first EGB FEI ride of the season,at Haywood Oaks, but the assessment of the Young Rider Squad (YRS) was to take place over the same weekend.
“We needed to assess the horses and riders forward for the Squad as early in the year as possible” explained Sue “so it made sense to have as many of them here as possible, to see their horses both before and after a real competition, and in addition, the FEI Young Riders class at Haywood Oaks is a qualifier for the riders who wish to contest the World Championships in Italy later this year”.
Riders and crews were accommodated at Brackenhurst College in Nottinghamshire for the assessment, making use of the stabling and classroom facilities as well as the amenities for camping.
Many of the participants arrived on the Thursday evening, ready for an early start on Friday.
Sue has put together a strong support team for the squad, including Derek Grantham, vet for the team, Phil Martin, as team farrier, Catherine Dunnett of Independent Equine Nutrition to oversee the feeding requirements of the horses, Gillian Carter working on physiotherapy for horses and riders, Beccy Broughton looking after the training and fitness schedules of the riders, and hopefully, David Marlin, overseeing the monitoring of the fitness training for the horses. With the additional support of Matt Brown creating the U21 website, Cindy Russell and Liz Peplow dealing with the PR requirements and Claire Barrie helping the riders polish their media awareness, the squad looks set to prepare for the arduous months ahead.
Friday Programme
The programme for Friday started early, with sunshine and a light breeze giving
no indication of the Siberian weather that would follow on Saturday. Everyone
gathered in a class room for introductions and an outline of what lies ahead.Sue
spoke to the group about the management group who would oversee their training
and progress, and then each individual rider stood up and introduced themselves
to the group, using a picture board that they had been asked to make up and
bring with them.
This was an interesting exercise, and the diversity of background and aspirations among these young riders was very revealing. They all share a common trait, however, and that is ambition to succeed.
Following the riders presentations, Henry Deane was introduced and explained his role as sponsorship and pr manager for EGB, and gave the riders and crews advice on presenting themselves to the media, this was reinforced by the next speaker, Cindy Russell, who stressed that the squad have to go out and generate interesting stories for the media to cover, and make the most of whatever their schools colleges or local councils can offer them in the way of financial support, or subsidised use of facilities. Cindy emphasised that if the riders don’t tell people that they are there, how will anyone know?
Sue talked to the squad about fundraising, and introduced Louise Linsley, from Biotal, who have generously given an initial funding of £1000 to the Squad, and are also supporting the squad members with product for their horses. Biotal are involved in the production of pro and pre biotics, supplying companies around the world with bacteria for their production needs.
Biotal, along with Saracen Horse Feeds were sponsors of the Haywood Oaks event the following day.
The afternoon session was taken up with horse weighing, farrier assessment of the horses feet and shoeing, and video interviews with the individual riders, by Claire Barrie, which were later played back to the group for comment and constructive criticism. A thought provoking exercise!
With the competition only hours away, the late afternoon was given over to reccying the course and Sue was able to get away and finalise the arrangements for the ride.
FEI Ride
The weather on Saturday was to prove difficult to say the least. Freezing
cold wind, the occasional snow flurry and temperatures well in to the minuses
kept everyone chilly for the day, and made crewing strategy extremely difficult.
The squad riding in the Young Rider class made the best they could of the
conditions, which included riding to instructions, and taking great care on
an unforgiving track. The flatness of the course belies the technical difficulties
of a twisty, stony forest track…and it caught many unawares.
Sadly the first horse over the line, Simply Chloe with Vicky Brown, was eliminated at final vetting, so the winner was second over the line, Fiona Hamilton with her own Courtside, closely followed by Irish rider Suzanne Perry, who was also eliminated at the final vetting, leaving Lucy Taylor and Nocturne to take second place, with Anna Welch, on Cruise and Kim Klotz on another of Anna Welch's horses, Rocky and Rachael Rogerson coming over the line holding hands, but taking third, fourth and fifth respectively, and Alice Beet showing grit and determination to finish in sixth place with Red Sunday.
Sunday
Rather than having a relaxing Sunday after completing the event, the riders
and crews again gathered at Brackenhurst, early in the morning, to have blood
samples taken from all the horses, line up for another vet and farrier assessment,
followed by a horse stretching and massage demonstration, and then team building
exercises.
The Selectors headed by Stevie Martin were in attendance over the weekend, at the ride and at the lectures, demos and assessments, and Stevie commented that the team building exercises provided quite an insight!
With some final group work on crewing strategies, and some team photographs, the weekend was concluded on a positive note, with forward planning and the next training weekend firmly in everyone’s sights.
As the squad go forward to the next events, there is the ever present problem of funding to occupy their minds and exercise their imaginations….so if any reader has any fund raising ideas, or knows of any companies who might be interested in sponsorship…get in touch with Sue Broughton now!
