By Hayley Wild, an instructor at Saddleworth and District Pony Club
SUMMER BORE a fruitful reward for young equestrian Megan Lockwood as she clinched first place at the Pony Club Area Eventing trials in Cumbria and qualified for the National Championships.
Megan, a Saddleworth Pony Club member, made the five hour round trip to the event with her mare Buffy, with whom she has been building a new partnership since been introduced at the beginning of the year.
The area trials were only their second one day event, making the win an extra special achievement.
Eventing demands the technical skill of three separate and very different phases.
The first – dressage – requires horse and rider to perform controlled movements with precision and elegance. Previous dressage tests have been a tense and excitable affair for Buffy, resulting in disappointing scores for the pair.
As Megan faced the biggest challenge of her young career, her mature approach, keen foresight and planning helped prepare herself and her horse for the difficult task ahead.
The anticipation of galloping and jumping across country make performing a relaxed and calm dressage a serious test of skill and patience. In Carlisle Megan achieved just that and after a feisty but clear showjumping round she was sitting just behind the leader in second place.
Despite the previous day’s torrential rain, the ground conditions were perfect. Parts of the course made use of Cumbria’s undulating terrain and tested both horse and rider fitness.
The rest was long and galloping with some complex jumping combinations. Buffy’s preference is to cross country at speed but in the past this has led to time penalties.
With the win resting firmly on the cross country phase Megan had to ensure she rode with all the technical skill she could to make the optimum time.
After support and advice from instructor and event rider Sarah Coldwell, Megan finished with no penalties – earning her top spot and a ticket to the National Championships.
