Results Gallery - UK Riders Challenge Champions 2007
Junior 0.65m Champion Rachael Cruickshanks & Super Trooper II	Senior 0.65m Champion Melissa Brown & Flash
Junior 0.75m Champion Rory Brake & Heazle's Old Nick	Senior 0.75m Champion Jenny Ripley & Sky
Junior 0.85m Champion Shannon Warwick & Buzz Lightyear	Senior 0.85m Champion Leanne Bennett & The Magicians Nephew
Junior 0.95m Champion Tabitha Woodhouse & Copper	Senior 0.95m Champion Karl Morgan & Spartacus III
Junior P1 & P14 Champion Mark Davidson & Prince Concorde	Senior P1 Champion Jo Wnship & Penn Josh
Senior P14 Champion Craig Nicolai & The Vatican	Junior N38 Champion Ellis Martin & Harlequin Coalstream
Senior N38 Champion Stephanie Ryder & Fynnlands Bonjovi
Senior 0.75m Champion (2) Jenny Ripley & Sky	Senior 0.95m Reserve Champion Jenny Ripley & Sky
Junior 0.95m Reserve Champion Katy Thomas & Jacob's Pride	Senior 0.65m Reserve Champion Ruth Williams & Barney
Senior 0.65m 3rd Suki Stripp & Playtime	Junior 0.65m 4th Charlotte Ballard & Whiterum
Junior N38 Reserve Champion Hannah Martin & Hindleap Sweet William	Junior P14 Reserve Champion & P1 3rd Courtenay Argyle & Digby
Senior P14 Reserve Champion Stephanie Robson & Trixie's Harry Dash	Senior Prelim 1 Reserve Champion (2) Jo Wnship & Penn Josh
Senior Prelim 14 Champion (2) Craig Nicolai & The Vatican

The UK Riders National Finals, held for the 7th year at Warwickshire College attracted over 360 riders across both the showjumping and dressage.

Celebrating 20 years, the UK Riders challenge attracted in excess of 22,000 competitors at various venues across to UK, all hoping to achieve qualification to the regionals and ultimately the finals.    For those 360 who got to Warwickshire College for the finals it was a huge achievement.

The weekend is split into two sections, with showjumping for seniors and juniors on the Saturday and dressage on the Sunday.   You don’t have to be a member to enter the qualifiers but need to join if you want to go to the Regional finals.

The first class of the day was the restricted 65cms.  In the Juniors first place went to a delighted 12-year old Rachael Cruickshanks from Hampshire on Super Trooper II.  They have only been competing together since May this year mainly doing Pony Club and inter-school competitions but Super Trooper, now aged 17, is clearly pointing Rachael in the right direction.  Second place went to Kent rider, Millie Howell on Jammie Dodger.  In third place was Lauren Falkner on Picasso, an Appaloosa/New Forest cross.  Another Leicestershire rider, Charlotte Ballard and White Rum took 4th place. 

In the seniors, Melissa Brown from South Wales and Flash took 1st place, having only been riding together for 6 months.  It was their first showjumping final!  Ruth Williams and Barney took 2nd place ahead of Suki Stripp on Playtime in 3rd.  4th place went to Sarah Osborne from Kent and her 8-year-old gelding, Murphy.  Having owned Murphy since he was a yearling, Sarah says he loves competing and showjumping.

The senior 0.75m class, the largest class of the day was hotly contested.  Jenny Ripley and Sky took 1st ahead of Ollie Cossey from Somerset on Tasmanian Devil.  Melanie Widdows and 17-year-old Regents Bounty took 3rd place with Rosie Wade, travelling all the way from Cumbria to take 4th on Borbon.

The South also provided a one, two, three in the Juniors class.  First place went to Rory Brake from Devon on Heazle’s Old Nick, second place to Lizzie Ryan from Kent riding  Esperance, a 21-year-old Dutch warmblood.  Usually larger, Esperance was a twin foal which accounts for her only being 14.1hh.  Third place went to  Ebony Cossey on Fable.

Local rider, Leanne Bennett from Warwickshire riding The Magician’s Nephew took first place in the Senior Intermediate 85cms ahead of Deeann Smith from Surrey on Veronique H.  Deeann and Veronique H, a 5-year-old previously took 5th place at the BEF Young Horse Championships for Show jumping in 2006.  Ollie Cossey and Tasmanian Devil got their 2nd rosette of the day with a third place.  4th place was Emily Smith and Gideon from Shropshire.

In the Juniors Intermediate, Shannon Warwick and Buzz Lightyear from Berkshire added to their winnings with the 85cms.  Shannon and Buzz have only been competing together for 5 months and already have over 12 first place rosettes for show jumping and cross country.  Claire Pye and Toscamenda, who travelled from Norfolk took second place ahead of Jade Hunter and Hills County Down who made the trip from Northumberland to take third place.  Young rider Emily Warner and Wiley Wizard from Essex, who enjoy all equestrian activities, took 4th place.

The last individual class of the day was the Open 95cms class.  First place went to Karl Morgan and Spartacus III from Staffordshire who were thrilled to win, with Karl commenting that they have never won anything before!  Second place went to Jenny Ripley on Sky from Kent.  In third place were Alison Bailey and Barney Bean, members of the North Norfolk Pony Club.  Barney is clearly trying to make history of his own being 50% Connemara, 25% Thoroughbred, 12.5% Arab and 12.5% Shetland!  Fourth place went to Lisa Saunders on Charity’s Daughter

For the Juniors Tabitha Woodhouse took first place riding Copper.  Katy Thomas from Sheffield riding Jacob’s Pride took second place ahead of Rebecca Prime from Leicestershire in third.  Olivia Timms and Pippa from Buckinghamshire took 4th place.  Although a little pony, Olivia says he has a huge heart and would jump to the sky to please.

One of the great ideas for the Championship is the team event.  You don’t necessarily need to know anyone else there but if you want to get a team together you can advertise on the UK Riders website leading up to the event. 

This years team show jumping was won by Fly The Wicked Taz with team members Jessica Parker on Lets Get Wicked, Laura Scott on Mercury Firefly and Ollie Cossey on Tasmanian Devil.  Second place went to Speed By Name Speed By Nature which comprised Megan Jeffery on Mayfield Mistress, Tabitha Woodhouse on Copper and Livi Painter on Mayfield Mayfield Milo.  Third place went to The Nutty Eastern Tarts made up of Jessie Tarrant on Maguire, Claire Pye on Toscarmenda and Alison Bailey on Barney. 

The commentary for the show jumping was run by Derek Lillis and the BSJA Course Builder, Stephen Martin.  Derek is retiring this year after commenting for UK Riders for the last four years.  The UK Riders organisers would like to thank him very much for all his hard work and wish him a happy retirement. 

Following the show jumping, a BBQ is arranged for all the competitors and families staying over at the College on the Saturday night, which is great fun and the ideal way to relax after a day of competition.

Sunday saw the dressage phase of the Championships featuring Prelim 1, Prelim 14 and Novice 38, before the final event of the day the Pairs Dressage.

Prelim 1 was won by a delighted Jo Winship from Suffolk on Penn Josh achieving 77.63%.  This was their first season of dressage after a 25-year break, winning has clearly set the standard for future competitions.  Second place went to Colin Lawson from Wiltshire on Wizz scoring 75.26%.  Third was Vanessa Turner from Hants on Quintessential, a seven-year-old ID x TB scoring 73.42%.

In the Juniors, Mark Davidson from Suffolk riding Prince Concorde achieved a score of 65.26% to take first place.  They have only been competing together since March this year and were delighted to qualify at their first event.  Lucinda Giles from Kent and One More Bobby scored 65% to take second place, having scored 70% at their regional final, ahead of Courtenay Argyle from Berkshire on Digby in third who scored 62.89%.

Junior Prelim 14 saw the second first place for Mark Davidson and Prince Concorde, scoring 72.7%.  Courtney Argle and Digby went one better in this class, taking second place with a score of 69.75% whilst Ellie Goddard from Berkshire riding Miss Cunningham took third place with a score of 69.17%.

The Senior Prelim 14 recorded a long-distance success story with the winner, Craig Nicolai and The Vatican scoring 71.88%.  Craig is an Advanced Event rider from New Zealand and The Vatican when aged 9 sheared his pelvis resulting in two and a half years rest from competing.  Yorkshire-based Stephanie Robson and Trixie’s Harry Dash took second place with a score of 71.04% ahead of Jo Winship and Penn Josh, who this time scored 70.83% and took third place.

The final individual dressage class of the day, the Novice 38 which was won in the Junior section by Ellis Martin from Cheshire and Harlequin Coalstream with a score of 71.77%.  First place in the Seniors went to Stephanie Ryder and Fynnlands Bonjovi from Norfolk with a score of 68.71%.  Second place in the Juniors went to Hannah Martin from Suffolk riding Hindleap Sweet William scoring 71.45% and in the Seniors, local rider, Sue Gudge from Warwickshire riding Ronnie scored 67.26% to take second place.  Ellie Kincaid and Scooby from Kent took third in the Seniors with a score of 66.45% and in the Juniors, third place went to Ellie Goddard from Berkshire riding Miss Cunningham with a score of 70.64%. 

The final class, Pairs Dressage was won very clearly by the Woodington Pink Ladies which comprised of Emma Copy-Wright on Royal Flash and Alice James on All that Jazz, scoring 75%.  Second place went to The Stroppy Mares on 72.4% with team members Pamela Stephenson on Rohan and Madeleine Cushlow on Dinner Date.  Just pipped into third place in the Pairs was Double Act scoring 71.6% with Stephanie Ryder and Fynnlands Bonjovi and Hannah Martin on Rowfantina Ladybird.

The judges commented on the ever-improving standard coming through to the UK Riders Finals.  The classes this year were very strong with over 40 competitors in the P14 senior final.  Carol Hogg, List 3 judge was one of the judges in the Junior Novice, talent spotting for Dressage Under 21s UK. 

Last years UK Riders Junior Novice Dressage Champion Chloe Little was talent spotted from the finals last year and has since gone onto win the President’s Cup and was a member of the successful British Junior squad competing in Ireland in 2007.

Headline sponsors Allen & Page have stepped down following these Championships.  Catherine, the Allen & Page representative was at the finals all weekend presenting prizes and talking to competitors and many thanks go to Catherine and Allen & Page for their help and support over the last two years.  

Many thanks also to the companies who so generously provided support and provisions of prizes this year.  There were prizes provided by Equilibrium, Equine Affairs, Equistro, Buff Headwear, Vetvits, carrot Express and Shearwater Insurance.

UK Riders is aimed predominantly at the grass roots rider, enabling competitors to get that first foot on the competition ladder.  It was clearly evident at the Championships that UK Riders have established a hugely successful and friendly competition.  All the riders and spectators warmly encouraged each other and the whole atmosphere was very relaxed.

Warwickshire College -The UK Riders Challenge National Final Venue The first rate facilities available at Warwickshire College, our venue for the UK Riders National Finals 2007, will ensure you get the best out of your horse. All National Final classes and warm-ups will be held on their newly re-surfaced arenas, there is even a covered warm up arena in case of inclement weather! For those staying overnight stabling is available in purpose built permanent stabling blocks. Warwickshire College offers a wide variety of courses and training ranging from practically based diplomas and certificates to Higher National Diploma and Honours Degree courses with first class results, all taking advantage of the excellent facilities of the College Horse Unit and a team of highly qualified and experienced equine staff. They have also developed an innovative distance learning programme and urge anyone interested to visit their website www.equistudy.ac.uk.