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After eighteen months of hard work Julie has been selected as a team member to represent Great Britain at the World Combined Pony Championships www.wdch-pony-07.dk.
Selection events took place all over England and Scotland and team training was organised for short listed drivers through the winter.
Julie had an excellent year in 2006 driving Thobyhall Sherman and Sauvey Golden Eagle which put her firmly in the sights of the selectors. In 2007 she needed to qualify Templedruid Ganges so they competed in France in April followed by Brighton, Royal Windsor and Farleigh. The selectors then announced the team.
This year for the first time there will be no individual competitors attending due to an increase in nations submitting teams, this meant Julie was going for one of the two places available for the pony pairs division.
We would like to thank all those people who have helped us in our quest to fulfil a dream;
Wightlink - for concessionary fares
Wight Horse Inn - for donating a raffle prize
Land Rover experience and Rob Harris - for donating a raffle prize
Adrian West and Staples - for giving Julie 4 months off work
Ventnor Brewery - for donating beer for the 'Nations Party'
WEDS - for donating rugs to the whole British Team
Nikki Collinson - who keeps the ponies chiropractically sound
Mike Moss the blacksmith
Sharon Orchards - for donating apple juice for the 'Nations'party
And many more for all there help and support
Julie and her three ponies, Templedruid Ganges, Sauvey Golden Eagle and Thobyhall Sherman have just returned from the three day assessment at Catton Hall, Derbyshire.
All the ponies who were put forward for selection were vetted by vets from the Cambridge Equine Hospital, and then the ponies and drivers were asked to perform a dressage test designed by the trainers and selection panel.
Julie was unfortunate enough to have to warm up for her test in a fierce thunder storm complete with fork lightening however the feed back from the selection panel was very good despite this and she has now secured a place on the 'A' squad.
We have a long way to go and a vast amount of money to raise as this is an amature sport and we are unable to get funding from organisations such as the Lottery commission as we are not n 'Olympic' sport.
Team GB needs to raise £20000.00 (twenty thousand) just to send the team to Denmark, we as competitors have to fund all other costs including the training.
Any company out there who can assist us with findig personal or team sponsorship PLEASE contact us through this website or through the BHDTA website.
Julie and the ponies have had the most amazing season this year culminating in being reserve national champion and reserve national points league champions.
BRIGHTON - 4th
FARLEIGH - 2nd - qualified National championships
SANDRINGHAM - 1st dressage - 3rd overall - Team GB selection event
HENBURY - 1st dressage - 1st marathon - 1st overall
CATTON - 2nd dressage - 2nd marathon - 2nd overall
LOWTHER - 3rd dressage - 1st marathon - 1st overall
ALNWICK - 1st dressage - 2nd overall - Team GB selection event
NORMANHURST - 2nd dressage - 2nd overall
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - 2nd dressage - 2nd overall - Team GB selection event
The short list for the World combined pony championships has just been announced and Julie has been placed at the top along with her closest rival in the pony pairs class.
Julie will continue to train with the British squad and is searching hard for sponsorship for herself and the Team GB.