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Spectators pour in for successful Bramham
THE sun shone, the spectators came out in force and the organisers of Bramham International Horse Trials say they are very pleased with how everything worked after a year spent planning the four-day event.
"It all looked great, it all fell into place and of course the weather helped," said Nick Pritchard.
The number of visitors was up from 45,000 to around 50,000 and the income from ticket sales increased by 13 per cent on last year.
A reduction on the cost of camping for the weekend also meant that they had 200 caravans on site as opposed to just 70 last year.
This was Pritchard's first year as event director and it proved to be quite a challenge alongside his day job of running the estate. The cross-country course had to be altered as much of the ground was damaged during last year's Leeds Festival which was held in appalling weather.
Consequently 50 per cent of the course was re-routed on to new ground.
"The new course worked well and the going was good," said Pritchard. "A few people thought it would be relatively simple but it caught some people out."
This year Bramham also took on an extra CIC three-star event at short notice from Chatsworth Horse Trials.
This meant changing part of the cross country course for this event, renting an extra 50 stables and changing the timetable.
"The timetable was one of the biggest challenges, trying to fit all the competitions in over the weekend," said Pritchard.
He and his team are already planning next year's event which will run from June 3-6.
Skipton Horse Trials take place at Funkirk Farm, Carleton next weekend with 500 horses and riders due to compete. The event attracts some well known riders who take along their young horses to gain experience.
Among them this year will be Badminton winner Oliver Townend. The Huddersfield-born rider was missing from Bramham last weekend as he was competing at Luhmulen in Germany. He has entered five horses for Skipton Horse Trials.
Another rider to watch will be Ben Hobday from Rossendale, Lancashire. He was a member of the gold medal winning team at last year's European Young Rider Championships and also won individual bronze.
Course builder Gary Podmore moved straight from working at Bramham to making sure that everything is complete at Skipton.
Organisers are hoping that the event will be more successful in terms of the weather than last year when they were hampered by gale force winds. The second event had to be cancelled as the ground was waterlogged.
Thirsk teenagers graduate to represent Great Britain
THREE pupils from Queen Mary's School at Baldersby Park near Thirsk have been selected to represent Great Britain in the Pony Event Championships at Necarne in Northern Ireland in September.
Alice Barker, Philippa Hill and Daisy Ussher qualified for the team during a series of trials and at a final at Brand Hall in Shropshire earlier this month. Alice has also been selected as British team reserve for the European Pony Event Championships to be held in Belgium next month.
Alice, 14, from Osmotherly will compete on Saint George; Philippa, from Maunby, near Thirsk rides A Touch of Spice and Daisy,14, from Harewood rides Little Mickey Finn.
Daisy's mother Sara said her pony had initially been impossible to ride. "I work with horses with behaviour issues and Mickey was one of the most difficult I've ever had, so to get to this stage is a wonderful achievement."
Oliver Berry from Skipton qualified at the recent 2009 South Essex Insurance Brokers Search for a Star Championships, earning a coveted ticket to the finals at the Horse of the Year Show.
Oliver, who is studying for his A levels at Craven College, competed at Osbaldeston Equestrian Centre in Lancashire riding Greenhow Lavendars Blue, a six-year-old chestnut mare owned by his mother, Samantha Berry. Last year they were placed second in the restricted show hunter pony class at the BSPS Championships. "This is only our fourth show and I am delighted," said Oliver.
"We have been trying for HOYS forever, and gone close a number of time, so it is brilliant to have qualified."
Search for a Star was developed to encourage riders who have never competed at HOYS or the Royal International Horse Show.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
