Set in a stunning location near Hadleigh, the Essex and Suffolk Hunt’s team chase was blessed with bright sunshine and good going, but the entries were disappointing for what is a very well run event. With only 17 teams contesting the novice classes, you could be fooled into thinking there was no action on course, but you would have been very wrong! A fast round in the speed class gave the Essex Thrusters a win, and the Harlequins team pretty much hit the bogey time on the dot to take that section. Seven teams came under orders for the open qualifier class, short on entries but not quality as they included the reigning National Champions and some of the top teams in the game.
With a course that included road crossings, a stream to paddle through, tight turns to big hedges and a significant hill to climb up and sail down, the course was not to be taken lightly, perhaps word had got out that this was not the easiest track on the circuit!
First to run were the Knightly Hatters, Graham Smith joining the usual crew of Yvonne Goss, Andrew Shipley and Stuart Morris. Coming through the tight turns between the early hedges in Indian file, they were pretty much foot perfect, rolling on up the hill without wasting any time and completing in 5 minutes, 44 seconds.
The Hair Raisers II started next, and they meant business, setting out at speed, and without hitch until the corner combination of fence 5 & 6, a big hedge followed by a rail at right angles and not very far away. The first two completed this with no problem, but the third (Aly Brown?) somersaulted in spectacular style. This slowed the fourth rider down as they tried to avoid fallen horse and rider, and the front two circled until they had caught up. Luckily both horse and rider were soon on their feet, with no major injuries from what looked a crashing fall. Continuing at a much abated pace the three came home in a time of 7.01.
Off third were The Cunning Stunts, led by the striking grey mare Daisy with Rachel Corbin on top, who turned tighter than any other throughout the class. Coming through the corner fences without a hitch, Duggan then tried to under cut the lead horse at fence 7, resulting in a glance off and a circle for him and Tony Woodward, fortunately the rest of the team left him to it and followed on! With no further problems on course, they continued round and posted a time of 5.49 and an eventual 5th place.
Next to set out were The Croc Hunters, consisting of Ben Hitchcott, Fraser Marshall and Hannah Grissell, running without a fourth member is always risky and their luck held out only until the bogey fence 6, with a run out from the leader, a stop and a rapid dismount from the second and the final rider piling into the back of the rider less horse…. Two of the team then completed the course well but of course their time could not count.
With all eyes on them, the Teme Valley Tigers started, with Sarah Myhill, Bryan Allen, Paul Browse and Stuart Morris completing the early part of the course like professionals. With only a broken rail behind them, caused by Bryan’s Indy not getting quite high enough, they stormed round the twisty and testing track, flying over the final double of hedges and recording a time of 5.30, although I wouldn’t like to say who crossed the line first as they appeared to be having an inter-team race!
With a rapid change of attire and horse from Graham Smith, The Boring Gorings set off fast and looked to be covering the ground fast enough to beat the Tigers, coming up the final hill strongly and with little distance between horses. Running in fourth at the last fence, Nick Fuller’s horse appeared to take off a little too early at the second element, and came down through the hedge, catching his front end on the rail inside, and firing his rider into the ground. The Gorings set a time of 5.37, with a rather dazed looking horse crossing the line soon after, and an even more dazed rider being attended to by the first aiders. Such a shame, after a powerful and excellent round by all four team members.
After a short delay the Hair Raisers first team began their run, without the assistance of Aly Brown’s superb horse, Dragon, but not letting it slow them down at all. Clearing the big ditch and hedge at the top of the course smoothly, much to the delight of the crowd near by, they appeared to tire a little on the home run and just missed out on second place.
Emma Burton
The Cunning Stunts.
