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Record entry for Arena Eventing finale

Mon, 15 Nov 2021

By Jess Collister

It was a cold but fine autumn day for the final round of the Conister Bank Arena Eventing series, organised by Kennaa Riding Club. A record 74 rounds were jumped tackling a course made up of a mixture of show jumps and simulated cross country fences.

There was a notable victory for Sammy Cattle who won all five 80cm Senior classes throughout the series, on her grey mare Rockmount Kallie. Cattle was a clear 15 points ahead of reserve champion Claire Jackson riding Riffeylands Playboy.

Taking 3 championship titles and 2 reserve titles was 18 year old Lola-Bea Bryce. Bryce set the bar early on in the series by winning the first two rounds in the 1m Open on her own horse, Eragon Von Der Held. Throughout the series, Bryce was putting in consistent performances across the classes and a battle for the 90cm Jnr (riding Blakeney Palomino) resulted in equal points with class rival Lola Bass. Their tied finish on 19 points each, was a country mile ahead of the rest of the field.

Meanwhile, 14 year old Bass was another consistent winner across the series riding multiple ponies. On William, she seized two championships (80cm Jnr & equal 90cm Junior) and racked up 7 class wins at 80, 90 & 100cm heights on Rosscon Ace of Spades & Landslow Melody Maker.

In the 70cm Snr, it was anybody’s for the taking, with 5 riders all scoring high. But in the end it was the experienced Garfield V, who at 22 years of age led rider Marie Hainge to championship victory. But racking up 3 wins, last years champion Stephanie Gardiner (Tullabrick Bouncer) had missed the third round and this ultimately could have cost her from retaining the title. She took reserve champion only 3 points behind Hainge.

There were five different winners over the five rounds in the 70cm Jnr. Going into the final round, there were just 3 points separating Isabel Ennett (Mr Darcy) and Lindsay Collister (Benaughlin Rambo).  However, entering just the final round, George Hotchkiss stormed to victory riding his sister Amelia’s Downdstown Emerald, giving Ennett a second place. But that was enough to clinch her the championship and Collister took reserve. Overall the 70cm Jnr contains a number of potential future champions with Grace Wolstencroft, Milly Duncan, Kenzie Steele & Jemima Mylchreest all putting in consistent performances across the championship.

It was a guaranteed championship win for Barbara Eyres (Carnsdale Trendsetter) going into the final round of the 60cm Open. No other rider had competed in all of the previous 4 rounds. The battle was on for the reserve champion with Claire Hawley-Scott (Charlton’s Honey Wonder) and Jemima Mylchreest (Conrhenny Golden Premier) having everything to play for. A refusal at fence 14 proved costly for Mylchreest and no doubt played a part in relegating her to 9th in the class and 3rd in the championship. Hawley-Scott won the class and with it taking reserve champion.

Aside from the arena regulars, there were a number of newcomers to the discipline. Dressage regular Lily-Jo Hampton (12), Libby Shimmin (8), Zara Benham (13), Darcey Sutton (10), Chloe Hurst (12), Lauren McKinley & Vicki Kaighin all experienced Arena Eventing for the first time.

The series now takes a break until next August. Meanwhile Kennaa Riding Club’s attention will be focused on the winter dressage and show jumping series.

Conister Bank Arena Eventing Championship results.

Class	Position	Rider	Horse	Points
60cm Open	Champion	Barbara Eyres	Carnsdale Trendsetter	28
	Reserve	Claire Hawley-Scott	Charltons Honey Wonder	21
70cm Jnr	Champion	Isabel Ennett	Mr Darcey	26
	Reserve	Lindsey Collister	Benaughlin Rambo	21
70cm Snr	Champion	Marie Hainge	Garfield V	29
	Reserve	Stephanie Gardiner	Tullabrick Bouncer	26
80cm Jnr	Champion	Lola Bass	William	25
	Reserve	Lola-Bea Bryce	Blakeney Palomino	15
80cm Snr	Champion	Sammy Cattle	Rockmount Kallie	35
	Reserve	Claire Jackson	Riffeylands Playboy	20
90cm Jnr	Equal Champion	Lola Bass	William	19
	Equal Champion	Lola-Bea Bryce	Blakeney Palomino	19
90cm Snr	Champion	Sammy Cattle	Rockmount Kallie	18
	Reserve	Claire Jackson	Riffeylands Playboy	17
1m Open	Champion	Lola-Bea Bryce	Eragon Von Der Held	18
	Equal Reserve	Lola-Bea Bryce	Blakeney Palomino	7
	Equal Reserve	Amelia Hotchkiss	Downdstown Emerald	7
1.05/1.10 Open	Champion	Lola-Bea Bryce	Eragon Von Der Held	12
	Reserve	Amelia Hotchkiss	Downdstown Emerald	3