Twenty out of the twenty five teams qualified came forward for the championships and after the draw which had taken place at the Heythrop event the week before, the current champions Prestige Horsebox Forge Flyers had the unenviable task of being first team to go. The Forge had called up two members from the Trifast Allsorts, Jos Hanbury and Ashley Bealby to replace the still injured Yvonne Goss and Sarah Bailey, whose horse Garth is also out injured. Debbie Topping led the way with the ever youthful Junior who belies his 19 years with Joss Hanbury riding Chappaqua in second and Graham Smith still with his left arm in plaster after his fall at the V.W.H. earlier in the season and riding his old faithful Cody in third with Ashley Bealby bringing up the rear, they set the standard in a faultless round, which was a joy to watch in a time of 4m 21.12s, however, this time was 10 seconds slower than their winning time of 2003 so the gauntlet had been thrown down.

Smac Atac who qualified at the New Forest were second to go led by Mark Smith on Freddie, with Anita Hall and Helen Firth, they were unfortunate to lose Victoria McTaggart at fence four, the remaining three completed in a respectable time of 5m 45.48s.

Thoroughly Bred who qualified at the V.W.H. were led off by Sharon Brooke on Sam with Wendy Hughes on Chessie taking over the lead half way, and Jo Davies on Bernie who had problems at The Goring Gaping Gorge and Richard Hawker on Mill Stream who climbed over the big hedge at fence five and even though they tried to cut all the corners they finished 30 seconds slower than the Forge in 4m 52.52s.

Sam Humphrey riding Connerly led the Bunny Hill Toppers, who qualified at the Pytchley, they managed to finish the course but in a much slower round finishing in a time of 6m12.64s.

The Knightly Hatters who qualified at the Bicester with Whaddon were fifth to go and hopes were high for the quartet of Ian and Andrew Shipley, Lucy Hyde-Thomson and Dirk Hockridge riding in his first open and deputising for Lucy Bland whose horse Pushover was still on the injured list. They unfortunately lost the fourth member when his horse took exception to jumping out of the pen and even though they had set off at a cracking pace their horses seemed to just run out of steam over the second part of the course finishing in a time of 4m 39.93s which eventually gave them 5th position.

The Teme Valley Tigers, who qualified at the Pytchley were next to go, Sarah Myhill led on Maggie with Neil Reid-Warrilow on Ed, Nicky Wenban on Charlie and Angie Murphy on Lad. Angie also had problems at the pen but after a circle managed to jump out and catch up with the team a spirited performance gave them a time of 4m 36.69s and a very creditably fourth place.

Hopes again were high for the Rappell Hair Raisers seventh to go, Ally Brown on the brilliant Dragon set off at a tremendous pace with husband Allen on Biggles, Mike Elvin on Sam and Paul Thomason on Hugo in hot pursuit, Mike Elvin was having the ride of his life on Sam but the three men could not keep up with Ally, who had to wait for them to catch up at the pen thus wasting vital seconds, and despite pulling out all the stops they could not match the Forge finishing 9 seconds adrift in a time of 4m 30.35s.

The Boring Gorings, who qualified with the Forge Flyers at the Atherstone last Autumn were without their captain and championship sponsor George Goring, whose place had been taken by Becky Taylor riding Richard Goring's lovely horse Toast, Fred French on 3 Seasons, John Perry and Linda Adams on Denzil, Fred French set off in the lead but relinquished it to Linda Adams after they came out of the pen, they were cutting all the corners and were up on the clock until four fences from home when John Perry had an unfortunate stop and Fred French tried to defy gravity but finally parted company with three seasons and although they were initially given a time it appeared they had missed a flag on course and were unfortunately eliminated.

Pickworths Paradox, the second New Forest qualifiers, like Smac Atac were led by Mark Smith, with Sara Knight followed by Matthew Dawson who had flown over from Paris on Saturday to deputise for Anita Hall, unfortunately he only got as far as fence four where his horse stopped, leaving Helen Stewart's time to count, however she fell three fences form home thus eliminating the team.

The Beaufort Bluffers, who only qualified last week at the Heythrop were next to go and with Tony Pellet giving them a good lead had real bad luck when Renee Phelans horse Oyster ran out at fence 6 they then lost Amy Ephgrave and they also were eliminated.

Readyfield Fools and Horses who qualified at the Badsworth with Bramham Moor had two fallers both Duncan Germaine and Mark Andrews fell however they remounted and with Sue Chadwick, and Richard Thompson they recorded a time of 5m 45.08s.

The other team who qualified at the Badsworth, were their home team of Badsworth and Bramham Moor B & Bs with Jane and Ian Bennett, Charlie Warde-Aldam and Simon Whittaker, who also had a fall, they covered the ground at a good hunting pace but were never going to challenge the time of the Forge, finishing in a time of 5m 11.08s.

The Tangos who qualified at the Meynell last Autumn led by Paul Browse with Caroline Smith, Julie Dunne and Gavin Field had a superb and polished round to finish in a great time of 4m 32.36s and giving them a very creditable 3rd place, however their celebrations were curtailed when Paul Browse horse Orange, suffered a fatal heart attack just after the finish, it was a very sad end to their round, but as Paul said at least he died doing what he really enjoyed.

The Fox Grant Chasers who qualified at the Taunton Vale were making their first appearance at the Championships, they set off with William Grant giving them a cracking lead until his horse Celebrity hit the seventh fence really hard deposited William, then gave the horse catcher a run for his money as he set off for the next county. The other three team members Simon Coady, Hugh Evans-Bevan and Stuart Rathbourne took up the challenge and gave a very polished performance to finish in a time of 4m 40.34s eventually giving them a worthy 6th place.

Northern Spirit who qualified last spring at the York and Ainsty North were also first time qualifiers they had managed to gather a team together with Andrew Birkbeck leading Geoff Lockwood and Tony Payne finished in a creditable time of 4m 45.62s to give them 8th place.

The Beaufort team were next to go, they qualified at the Warwickshire two weeks ago with Sally Godley-Maynard, Charlotte Alexander, Guy Galpin and Tom Gittins they had a good round but again not enough to challenge the leader board and their time of 4m 51.78s gave them the 10th rosette.

Four teams were left to try to knock the Forge from the top, The Wasps, qualifiers at the Belvoir were led off by Paul Andrews, with Tom Kaye, Stuart Humphreys and Jacky Coward, who unfortunately fell and although they tried to cut all the corners, they could only manage a time of 4m 48.22s giving them 9th place.

The Centaurs, the other Warwickshire qualifiers, team of Tony Berry, Cess Mitford-Slade, Mark Heuff and Sarah Davey lost Cess Mitford-Slade to an early bath at the Fishers Pond fence could only get home in a time of 4m 59.25s.

There were now only two teams left to try and topple the Forge, the Bitch Pack who qualified at their home event at the Cotswold and were one of the few teams to actually beat the Forge this year were called to the start, George Goring who had stolen the microphone from the commentator called them in, everyone watched with baited breath but even though the Bitch Pack are able to cut corners and angle fences as all their horses have evented they just don't have the speed across the ground, they pulled out all the stops but could not do better than 4m 44.80s giving them 7th place.

Last to go The Motley Crew, the second Taunton Vale qualifiers, were the youngest team in the championships, consisting of two sixteen year olds, the team of Harry and Beth Pascall, Spencer Popham and Tessa Rosling rode their hearts out and were well up with the best when it all went pear shaped towards the end of the course, however the picked themselves up, remounted and finished in a time of 5m 21.01s, They are definitely a team to watch in the future.

So they had done it again, The Prestige HorseBoxes Forge Flyers, champions of the world yet again, many congratulations to the team and commiserations to the two regular team members who could not ride in the final. George Goring, owner of the Goring Hotel and generous sponsor of the final and the whole series of championship qualifiers presented the prizes, together with the presentation to Junior of the Championship Rug. Once again George has threatened to "hang up his boots" we all hope this will not happen and look forward to seeing him back leading the Boring Gorings in the autumn.

Grateful thanks to the Officials and Committee of the Fernie Team Chase for providing such a superb course and an event worthy of the "World Championships".

Netty Nevill