Equissage JumpCross Challenge 2007

A bright, breezy Easter Monday saw the traditional gathering at Grange Farm Equestrian Centre for the Equissage JumpCross Challenge. This year, in aid of The Weston Spirit.

Celebrity trainers, competitors and spectators gathered, all ready for the challenge of the JumpCross course, archery and indeed the anticipation of winning a prize on the tombola, kindly organised by Julia Crowson & Dawn Ross.

After a concentrated course walk for the seven teams, the Novice challenge got underway with trainers anxiously watching on as their respective teams tackled the course.

Mark Kyle’s team comprising of Burghley Pony Club members were the first to tackle the course and set such an impressive standard that, despite the best efforts of the other trainers, no other team could get within 350 penalties marks at the end of the riding section. Going into the archery, they led the challenge from Julia’s team, followed by Tanya Kyle’s in 3rd.

This advantage could not be narrowed during the archery and therefore a triumphant Mark led his team of Claudia Kendall, Brogan Cranfield, Danielle Jackson and Constance Copestake to first place. Julia’s team retained second place with Tanya’s team in third.

The action then turned to the Open Competition. Again, a course walk took place with the three team trainers, all looking to lead their respective teams to victory. However …

The first team to tackle the heightened course were Jeanette Brakewell’s with the experienced partnership of Danielle Jackson & Rookie performing the task of pathfinder. Mixed fortunes for the remainder of the team, left Julia Crowson & Tanya Kyle urging their teams to better the standard set.

Next out, were Julia’s team and despite some time consuming navigational problems! A competitive score was posted, including the fastest round of the Open competition of 195 set by Danielle Jackson on her third ride of the day, Welland Early Evening. So the standard was set for Tanya and her team.

Four competitive scores were set by the team of experienced JumpCross competitors, and this meant that, going into the archery, they were leading the way ahead of Julia and Jeanette.

As in the Novice challenge, archery did not change the outcome of the prizes and therefore Tanya led Jo Naylor, Alan Thompson, Stephanie Caswell and Mike Elvin to victory.

In addition, an individual prize was offered, courtesy of Speedibeet and TopSpec, of a year’s supply of feed for the partnership nearest to the special “bogey” time set by organiser, Robin Dunlop and his team for the course. The winner was Emma Cornwell and Marching On who was right on the set bogey time of three and three quarter minutes.
Special thanks to both Speedibeet and TopSpec for providing this prize.

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