British Pony Team clinch European Eventing Silver

After four days of closely fought competition, the Derby House British Pony Team clinched the Team Silver medal this morning at the European Pony Championships in Moorsele, Belgium (29 July – 3 August).

After a challenging cross-country day yesterday, the team was lying in Bronze medal position, but pulled out all the stops in the show-jumping with Lottie Kennedy and Katie Bleekman producing fantastic clear rounds to win Silver.

Britain also had three riders inside the top ten in the individual competition with Lottie & Darraks Tonto finishing in 5th, Katie & Cregaan Scenic finishing in 6th and Jessica Watts & Lord of the Ring finishing in 7th.

Ginnie Keen, Chairman of the Pony Selectors, was delighted with all the riders: “All six children have been amazing throughout these Championships; they really gelled together and supported each other.

"The team has done a superb job; we thought we would come home with the Bronze, so getting the Silver is fantastic. All of the riders did their very best and really deserve this medal.”

Jonquil Hemming, Trainer for the Pony Squad, was particularly pleased with the performance in the dressage phase: "We were all thrilled with every single one of the dressage tests, all the Team and their ponies produced a solid, good test.

"They are a really good bunch of kids and they all fought for each other and were very encouraging.”

British Eventing Chief Executive Mike Etherington-Smith is pleased with the progress of these youngsters: "It's great for the kids, selectors and the sport to be winning medals out in Europe.

"It has been an exciting Championships and I'm pleased that we have such a good bunch of up-and-coming riders."

This trip to Belgium has been possible thanks to the unerring support of the UK Sport funded Equestrian World Class Programme, which supports a pathway to success for Eventing, Show Jumping, Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage athletes. The aim is to have in place a sustainable system that can deliver more medals on the international stage now and in the future. The Programme has been funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, primarily from the National Lottery, via UK Sport since 1998.

Final Team Competition Results:
1st Germany – 145
2nd Great Britain – 155.4
3rd Belgium – 171

Final Individual Competition Results:
1st Jule Wewer & Dorina 740 (Germany) – 41.7
2nd Pieter Kenis & Rocky (Belgium) – 45.7
3rd Joseph O’Brien & Ice Cool Bailey (Ireland) – 47.3

5th Lottie Kennedy & Darraks Tonto (Great Britain) – 49.3
6th Katie Bleekman & Cregaan Scenic (Great Britain) – 49.5
7th Jessica Watts & Lord of the Ring (Great Britain) – 50.2
12th Ella McEwen & Catherston Nutsafe (Great Britain) – 56.6
36th Sophie Martin & Trewithian Bracken (Great Britain) – 126.1
Alfie Bradstock & Montezuma II (Great Britain) – Withdrawn before show jumping

The Derby House British Eventing Pony squad was made up of the following:

Team of four:
• 15 year-old Ella McEwen from Swindon, Wiltshire on Catherston Nutsafe, owned by Lizzie Murray and Jennie Loriston-Clarke

• 16 year-old Lottie Kennedy from Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, riding her pony Darraks Tonto

• 15 year-old Sophie Martin from Ellesmere, Shropshire and her pony Trewithian Bracken

• 16 year-old Katie Bleekman from Cullompton, Devon on Cregaan Scenic, owned by Team Bleekman

Two Individuals:
• 14 year-old Jessica Watts from Lutterworth, Leicestershire on her pony, Lord Of The Ring

• 15 year-old Alfie Bradstock from Wantage in Oxfordshire on Montezuma II, owned by Louise Hamilton

For further information regarding the Pony European Championships, please visit www.zilverenspoor.com  

For further information regarding the Derby House British Pony Eventing Team, please contact British Eventing International & Youth Coordinator Gemma Harriss on 02476 698860 or e-mail on gemma.harriss@britisheventing.com