The South Hereford and Ross Harriers Branch of the Pony Club had success at the Pony Club Championships, held between Friday, August 18th and Tuesday, August 22nd at Cholmondeley Castle, in Cheshire.

With the only two double clear rounds in the class, the South Hereford and Ross Harriers girls took first place in the Intermediate Team Show Jumping competition.

The team consisted of Sapphire Smith and Utah’s Perle; Rhona King and Borana; Alice Garfield and Niacra II; and Jessica Morris and Ensemble.

The two double clear rounds were achieved by Alice Garfield, who clinched the title with a breathtaking last round to defeat all the opposition.

The other double clear was to Sapphie Smith and gave the solid basis for success.

The Berkeley Group Pony Club Championships was a national championship, organised by the Pony Club, with branches taking part from all over the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. The team had to qualify for the finals against strong opposition at Dauntsey earlier in August.

Holly Cartwright, the trainer of the team, told the Gazette: “These guys have had an amazing year and have really done themselves and the club proud.

“This was the first year at the pony club championships for Jess, Sapphire, Rhona and Alice, now they are champions of the intermediate 2017 team show jumping competition!”

Holly added: “The courses proved a mean feat, especially in all the mud, with clear rounds being few and far between. The girls all rode fantastically and Alice Garfield and Sapphire Smith were the only two double clears of the whole 19 teams."See the full story in this week’s edition of the Ross Gazette, or subscribe to our online edition here.